Agriculture

Public claims that timber harvesting increases bushfire risk are based on narrow and contested evidence, and should not be generalised across Australia's diverse forests, according to a new evidence review released by Forestry Australia. The review, Contested Evidence About Timber Harvesting and Bushfire Risk in Australian Landscapes, examines claims that timber harvesting increases forest flammability and bushfire risk.

South Australian farmers received $4.7 million in tag discounts and rebates during the first year of mandatory electronic identification (eID) for sheep and farmed goats. The state’s farmers continue to implement a national roll-out of individual eID tags for sheep and goats to strengthen our world-leading livestock traceability systems and support rapid responses to biosecurity threats.

If you ever wondered why so few of our political class appear genuinely effective, the answer can largely be explained by three principles that govern human organisations everywhere: the Pareto Principle (1890s), Price’s Law (1960) and the Peter Principle (1969).

Renowned environmentalist Bob Brown made his ‘little bit' of contribution recently to preventing ‘pyromaniacs' from burning a national treasure – the Walpole-Nornalup National Park tingle forests. He joined the Tingle Action Group and WA Forest Alliance to see both the beauty of long-unburnt tingle forest, thriving as it has for centuries, and the impact of prescribed burning, which has felled hundreds of ancient tingle trees.

The Animal Health in Australia (AHiA) Annual Report 2025 and the Animal Health in Australia System Report (Second Edition) are now available.

Grain Producers Australia (GPA) has secured a national emergency permit allowing grain growers to access stronger mouse bait as significant mouse numbers plague several states. Australian grain growers have been desperately calling for permits to access stronger mouse bait to tackle the growing problem, with the standard available bait proving inadequate. 

On the show today, Jessica Lingard talks you through how she puts your farming weather together, plus Fiona L Fox answers that burning question, what is a Dingo?

Queensland’s 2026 sugarcane crush will officially get underway this week, with harvesters rumbling into life across the state’s far north. Tableland crews will fire the starter gun on the 7 month harvest, with the first rakes of cane due to go through the rollers at MSF’s Arriga mill on 18 May. 

The month of May marks the approaching end of the fiscal year for many businesses and a rush to find receipts and finalise financials, but for one Tiwi Islands organisation, the focus is firmly on planting for the future. Tiwi Plantations Corporation - based 80 kilometres north of Darwin on the Tiwi Islands - has released the Tiwi Forestry Workforce Plan 2026–2030...

Grain growers are urged to check their paddocks for signs of mice, with reports of activity in SA, WA and parts of northern NSW. CSIRO rodent expert Steve Henry, who is one of the lead researchers on GRDC-supported investment into mouse management, is reminding growers that conditions are ripe for mouse breeding at this time of year.

Hughenden Show Society

TTV met with six parties yesterday, calling for pre-election commitments on three policies, one of which proves technology that has already detected 90 unplanned fires across Victoria in two seasons.

South Australia’s $16 million Forestry Centre of Excellence is now complete, putting Mount Gambier on the international map of forestry research, innovation and collaboration. The centre is a key project of the Malinauskas Labor Government in its long-term commitment to deliver stronger forest and timber industries for South Australia.

The Brisbane major parties need to get over their egos and remember they govern for Queensland, not for political point scoring, Leader of the KAP and state Member for Traeger Robbie Katter has said. Mr Katter praised the KAP’s Member for Hill, Shane Knuth, for tabling a biofuels mandate bill that would force big oil companies to use more ethanol and biodiesel, kick starting a revitalisation of the biofuels industry in Queensland.

The Seedbed Conditioner creates the perfect seedbed and root zone for crops at a fraction of the current power (HP/KW) requirement and cost of seeding. Over 15 years of paddock-scale research this machine always produced large yield increase, which averaged 25 per cent with a range of 10–40 per cent.

BCG was pleased to welcome Victorian Minister for Agriculture and Regional Development Michaela Settle to Birchip last month. Minister Settle was eager to visit BCG, the leading agricultural research organisation in north-west Victoria, to learn more about the work we are doing to support farmers across the region.

Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food and Member for Central Wheatbelt Lachlan Hunter has slammed Labor for siding with the Greens and the Animal Justice Party in support of a radical anti-farming agenda that would cripple wild dog control across regional WA ... The motion, moved by Hon Amanda Dorn MLC of the Animal Justice Party, called on the Government to remove dingoes as declared pests and end critical control measures including 1080 baiting and trapping.

The May Budget delivered by Treasurer Jim Chalmers has elicited criticism, and some praise, from many quarters, as illustrated by the following statements from the National Party, Beyond Zero Emissions, National Farmers' Federation and the NFF Horticulture Council, National Seniors Australia, Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals, TasFarmers, Grain Producers Australia and NSW Farmers.

Janet Heenan and Cheryl Lowe share a love of wool, fibre and the slow, skilled art of spinning. The two fibre artists, who both began spinning in the late 1970s, are members of the local spinning group ... Their early spinning days began with raw fleece...

Matt Barrie. The freight industry doesn't ask for much attention on Budget night. But when the shelves are stocked, the construction sites are running, and the mines are operating – a truck driver made that happen. Last night's Budget should have done more for them.

This is a responsible Budget that is all about resilience and reform. It’s all about getting Australians through the global oil shock and building an economy that works for more people. We’re delivering more cost-of-living help and building a more productive economy, a better tax system, a fairer housing market and a stronger and more sustainable budget.