Agriculture

Agribusiness identity David Williams has added to his rural portfolio with the $3 million acquisition of Sorell Creek, spanning 718 hectares on the Derwent River north of Hobart. About 19 kilometres from the capital, the property reportedly may be used by Williams for sheep or salmon farming, and as a future land bank play. It previously held a permit for a 43 lot subdivision. About 241 hectares is zoned for rural living.

Northern Territory pastoralists Roy and Janet Chisholm have sold a central Australian farm for $6.1 million to Caason Group. The 1,047-hectare Oolloo Farm, which produces irrigated hay, sits 200kms north of Alice Springs and included a 1,000-megalitre per year water extraction licence, as well as six centre pivots.

Preliminary results from a Western Australian research project suggest some grain growers are under-estimating herbicide resistance levels in cropping system weeds present on their farms.

Global dairy prices continue to trade at elevated levels, despite being “stuck in neutral” for the past three months, as the market slowly returns to normal from the pandemic-led channel distortion, according to the latest Rabobank Global Dairy Quarterly report.

The 2020-21 brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) season is wrapping up and Australia’s measures have again remained strong against this serious pest ... BMSB is a serious threat for Australia’s agriculture industries and environment, because of the damage it can do to vegetable crops and fruit and ornamental trees.

DNA testing Australian honey can reveal where it was produced and its main floral sources, according to research published today by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, and partners at the University of Melbourne and Curtin University. The $100 million Australian honey industry exports 4,500 tonnes of honey every year, and could benefit from the findings, which could be used for a honey certification program to confirm the floral composition and provenance of commercial honey.

Favourable seasonal conditions for the first half of 2021 coupled with a positive outlook will result in a faster national flock rebuild, according to Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) 2021 sheep industry projections half year update.

The Murrumbidgee valley’s multi-million dollar winter cereal crop has dodged a bullet with minimal mouse damage and recent rain lifting grower’s spirits ... The promising cropping outlook and buoyant land values have resulted in three blue-ribbon corporate holdings in the region hitting the market in the same week.

Check the form of some of the winners at Beef Week at Casino.

A combination of global and localised factors is creating a “very tight” global beef cattle market – with strong demand and record high prices in many regions throughout the world – and this is coinciding with a fundamental shift in international market dynamics, Rabobank says in a newly-released report.

Australia is chairing the 25th anniversary meeting of the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS), which started yesterday. “This meeting is important for Australia, in particular our agricultural sector, to help shape the science-based international standards underpinning food import and export,” says, Nicola Hinder, DAWE.

Australian Property Journal. Low cattle supply across the country is a major driving force in the current tight conditions in the global beef cattle market. According to the Rabobank Q2 Beef Quarterly report, the beef market is so tight, with growing demand, that localised disruptions, including conditions in Australia, are having a far greater impact on trade and prices than typically seen.

Targeted spraying technology can provide a significant reduction in herbicide use in growing crops and fallow ground, as well as night and day applications.

NFF CEO Tony Mahar has called the Australia Institute's latest report a PR stunt and questioned the think tank’s motives in continually ignoring agriculture's achievements in stemming the impacts of climate change. "In fact, Australian farmers are leading the world in reducing emissions, all while continuing to increase productivity."

New research from the Australia Institute reveals that, contrary to claims by the Australian Government of falling emissions, Australia’s national emissions (excluding land use) have risen by 7 per cent from 2005 ... “The Australian government is taking credit for changes in the land sector, that have not been impacted by any federal climate policy. By contrast, key allies like the United Kingdom and United States have decreased their net emissions and are exercising real credible climate leadership," said Richie Merzian.

The Government has heeded the National Farmers Federation's call for a strategy to underpin Australia's biosecurity system, with today's release of Commonwealth Biosecurity 2030. "Achieving a risk-based biosecurity system that effectively, efficiently and sustainably protects Australia’s health, economic, environmental and national security interests is essential to protecting Australia’s $62 billion agriculture industry," NFF CEO Tony Mahar said.

Rabobank. Agri commodity prices have taken a tumble so far in May, dropping by 6% on average, with grains leading losses. US weather has improved permitting quick plantings and that, together with expanding corn acreage expectations, has led to heavy fund profit-taking.

Since 1971, Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO has been partnering with Cotton Seed Distributors (CSD) in plant breeding and agronomy to put globally competitive cotton varieties that are pest and disease tolerant into the hands of Australian farmers.