New partnership for rehydration and restoration
Community Landcare representative organisation, National Landcare Network, is pleased to announce it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with leading agricultural research, education and advocacy organisation, the Mulloon Institute. The MoU will deliver ‘Catchment Scale Restoration and Rehydration Pilots’ across the country.
Christmas tree in Government House a display of forestry’s value
A Christmas tree grown by Forestry Corporation of NSW proudly sits in Government House in the centre of Sydney as a visual reminder of the forestry industry and the value it provides.
Sugar industry welcomes win in WTO case against Indian subsidies
Australia has secured an emphatic World Trade Organization (WTO) win against India’s price-distorting sugar production supports and export subsidies a WTO Panel found that India had export subsidies in place which were prohibited under trading rules and it recommended their removal. The Panel also found that India’s levels of sugarcane price supports had consistently exceeded permitted levels.
Farmers finishing year with positive outlook, though impacts of rain-affected harvest still to be felt: Rabobank
Australian farmers are predicting the “magic combination” of high commodity prices, low interest rates and good seasonal conditions will continue in the year ahead – sustaining a continued high level of confidence across the sector.
What’s happening to the jarrah forest?
Jack Bradshaw. Exposing the hypocrisy of the WA government in banning sustainable timber harvesting in native forest but supporting the strip mining of the same forest.
Carbon farming safeguards welcomed by farmers
“One of the big concerns is that ‘Carbon Farms’ don’t require a workforce and don’t spend money in town ... Farmers are good land managers and take care of their neighbours, but there is a concern that if these forests aren’t actively managed they become a haven for pest animals and plants, and become a fire hazard as we saw two summers ago” : NSW Farmers President, James Jackson
Nationals secure sustainable carbon farming safeguards: Littleproud
The last consultation period on new Emissions Reduction Fund rules to enhance monitoring of pest and weed management in ERF projects and manage impacts on agricultural production and regional communities has opened. The rules will give the Minister for Agriculture, David Littleproud, the power to prevent certain types of large ERF native vegetation projects ... from going ahead where there is evidence that the project would have an adverse impact on agricultural production or communities.
Carbon Count officially launches soil carbon measurement platform globally
Carbon Count has announced that its flagship soil carbon project management software has concluded its beta testing phase and is now available to soil carbon project managers across the globe ... the Australian owned and designed SaaS platform streamlines the entire process of running a soil carbon project into a clear and simple workflow; facilitating the trade of soil carbon credits for agricultural consultancies and their landholder clients.
Limestone Coast Food and Agribusiness Cluster launched
The Limestone Coast Food and Agribusiness was officially launched at Farmer’s Leap ... The Limestone Coast is SA's most diverse food and beverage producing region, the only region in SA that grows and processes meat (beef and lamb), dairy, horticulture and grapes within the region, generating $1,123m of agricultural output, 18% of the State’s agricultural production from 2% of SA’s geographic area.
Singleton Station water licence subject to changes in conditions
Following the Water Resources Review Panel’s assessment of the Singleton Station water licence, the Minister for Territory Families and Urban Housing (as delegate for the Minister for Water Security) has announced that an amended water extraction licence has been granted for Fortune Agribusiness with some new and modified conditions ... Under the revised water licence, Fortune Agribusiness is required to carry out further hydrogeological investigation of the water resources at the site of the planned bore field, and also complete an impact assessment of groundwater extraction on identified groundwater dependent cultural values.
Saleyards social scene assessed
Gabrielle Duykers. A team of researchers descended upon the Naracoorte Regional Livestock Exchange last week, as part of a national investigation into the social value of saleyards to rural communities. The research project was commissioned by the Australian Livestock Markets Association (ALMA) after noticing the need for such a study, with almost all existing research into livestock exchange facilities focusing solely on their economic value.
Farmers buy Western District net zero aggregation from US giant
US-backed agricultural investment firm Laguna Bay is selling the Woorndoo Aggregation broadacre cropping portfolio in Victoria’s Western District for about $70 million to two local farming families. It marks the next step in Laguna Bay’s selldown of its Australian assets, arriving one year after it offloaded Banongill Station, also in the Western District, for $80 million to a consortium of local farming families.
Buyers expand with Yanna Station
The 21,124-hectare Yanna Station in south western Queensland has sold for $7.31 million to Michael and Tracey Flynn from Valera Vale, who are expanding their operations. The buyers run a core stud herd of 1,200 Droughtmasters on properties at Milbong, Munbilla and Mt Mort, and between 3,000 and 4,000 stud and commercial Droughtmasters at Valera Vale.
Wanditta Station bought by Shaw family
The Shaw family of Wanditta Station has bought the neighbouring Mitchell Park property for $8.4 million. The 1,240 hectare Central Queensland property consists of buffel grass country and 2,040 megalitres of water entitlements, while there is irrigation water over three licences, and 1,350ML capacity from the Retro and Sandy Creek dams in the Fitzroy River Basin and potential to build further dam storage infrastructure.
Winemaker awarded ‘Riverina Legend’
Second-generation winemaker Bill Calabria AM has been recognised as the 2021 Riverina Legend at this year’s Riverina Wine Show following his namesake winery’s sweeping of the competition with a total of six trophies and the award for most successful exhibitor for the third consecutive year. Mr Calabria has been a notable figure in the Riverina since first working for the family’s winery at the age of 14.
Cancellation of popular events ‘disappointing’
Rockliffe Winery’s summer events, six in all, have been cancelled, a move which both the Shire of Denmark and winery owner Steve Hall call disappointing ... Via an email he received ... from the Shire, Mr Hall was informed that 30 days was necessary for an event application to be lodged because he did not have an event-approved venue ... Mr Hall has been running events at the winery for 18 years ...
Crushing season ends and Low GI Sugar starts in major retailers
The NSW Sugar crushing season for 2021 officially finished last week with Harwood Mill taking the final delivery of cane on Monday 29th November. The crop for the Harwood area totalled around 575,000 tonnes which was down on the original forecast.
myFARMSMART helps manage the ‘what if’ scenarios of farm business
Founder of agritech forecasting software, myFARMSMART, Lucy Anderton is empowering farmers to take a calculated approach to business and ‘have more fun’. By using integrated science-based algorithms with individual farm data, this predictive tool is helping WA farmers better manage change and increase profitability – and is now seeking investment to scale operations.
New gene technologies to double productivity
“Plants and livestock will be more resilient to the challenges of drought, frost and salinity, as well as more resistant to pests and disease thanks to the research coming out of our new Advanced Gene Technology Centre”: NSW Minister for Agriculture, Adam Marshall.
Ag production value and volume soar to historic heights
Despite recent flood and rain damage in the eastern states, the ABARES Agricultural Commodities: December Quarter is forecasting a history-making agricultural gross production value of $78 billion – $5.4 billion more than predicted just a few months ago. The value of agricultural exports is forecast to hit a record $61 billion.
ABARES survey confirms growers at the heart of industry growth
Hard work and a willingness to adopt new technology and practices are behind the positive results in an ABARES survey of sugarcane farms according to peak grower group CANEGROWERS.
Sweet survey results for sugarcane farmers
The ABARES Financial performance of sugarcane farms 2020–21 to 2021–22 survey finds Australian sugarcane farm cash income was 91 per cent higher compared to 2013-14, reaching an average around $190,800 in 2020-21. ABARES Executive Director Dr Jared Greenville said the the improved financial performance of sugarcane farms since the previous survey in 2013-14 is due to adjustment in the industry, increased sugarcane production per farm and higher average yields.
