Agriculture

The Betts/Barbour/Hume family’s 157-year-old agricultural and biodiversity conservation property is at a critical point. It may not survive this latest challenge to its viability. If it fails, it will take with it decades of labour and investment expended on protecting an extremely environmentally, historically, agriculturally and culturally important area.

New and improved agricultural levies legislation will replace the existing framework next year, making the levy system more user friendly for participants and making it easier for them to understand their obligations. More than 50 pieces of legislation governing over 110 levies and charges – across 75 commodities and 18 bodies that receive levies – are being streamlined into five Acts and subordinate legislation.

Introducing rules surrounding earlier indicative pricing and accepted tonnages would benefit Riverland wine grape growers, according to senior local politicians in attendance at a recent industry inquiry ... Chaffey MP Tim Whetstone said suggested changes surrounding a mandatory code – including the earlier release of indicative prices – would provide growers with more business certainty before annual vintages.

CFA is reminding farmers about the risks of improper hay storage after two devastating haystack fires destroyed at least 1700 hay bales in separate parts of the state recently. A fire in Coonooer West on Tuesday (10 Dec) claimed 1,200 bales, a hayshed, and several pieces of machinery, while just last week a fire in Naring saw another 500 bales destroyed.

Rachel Hagan. From farmhand to company director, local entrepreneur Tyson Adams went out on his own, taking a big financial risk, to bring his new career and mobile app FarmTrak to life ... Gulfview Grain’s Todd Woodley was one of Tyson’s first clients and has now fully subscribed to the app because of how effective it was to keep on top of his seed and storage inventory.

Qld and WA farmers reported improved optimism heading into the end of the year, while sentiment was more subdued in other states, the latest Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey has found ... on a national basis farmers were becoming increasingly cautious about the outlook for the agricultural economy, with nearly half (47 per cent) attributing their concerns to dry seasonal conditions, while rising cost pressures are also a worry.

Scott O’Keeffe. Around 15 years ago, people living in the Maleny area of Southeast Queensland noticed a decline in the health of some large mature bunya pines (Araucaria bidwillii). The crowns of the trees began turning brown, quickly followed by foliage well below the crown. Within a short time, all foliage would be shed, branches cast, and the affected tree would be dead ... Araucarian Dieback (AD) is on the move.

Forestry Australia has welcomed a new study published in  Australian Forestry  peer-reviewed journal by the former chief research scientist at the CSIRO, Dr John Raison. The paper, titled "A review of the impacts of sustainable harvesting, non-harvest management and wildfire on net carbon emissions from Australian native forests", investigates the science behind claims that timber harvesting increases greenhouse gas emissions.

Twenty-seven years and 2.2 million boxes later, Sharon Drabsch has called it a day. Shaz, as her colleagues call her, ends her 27-year career as a box maker at the MiniJumbuk in Naracoorte at the end of this month. The 46-year-old with special abilities is not only a box maker but also a beacon of hope to those with special needs in the community.

“The Victorian Government’s approval of two mineral sands mines yesterday through Environment Effects Statements isn’t the end of the matter,” Member for Mallee Dr Webster said on Wednesday. As farmers learned of the two Mallee mines, the Member for Mallee lamented that Victoria’s prime agricultural land and the health of farming communities are not considered as significant as environmental grounds when assessing mining projects.

In weather that could only be described as tropical, around 30 people attended a very hot and humid Murray Plains Meat Co-Operative open day on Friday December 6. After nine years of advocacy planning and cooperation with Murray River Council the micro abattoir has come to life.

The highly anticipated Costello Rural Upper Murray Christmas Cattle Sale saw an excellent yarding of more than 950 locally bred, grass-fed cattle at the Corryong Saleyards, with strong buyer competition both on-site and online via Auctions Plus.

Nationals MPs are urging the Premier to immediately intervene and pause the assessment process for the Great Koala National Park, until claims of serious conflicts of interest are investigated. NSW Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders, Shadow Minister for the North Coast Gurmesh Singh, Member for Clarence Richie Williamson, and Member for Oxley Michael Kemp made the calls in a letter sent to Chris Minns on Thursday.

Queensland’s commercial fishing industry had a chance to be saved from ideologically driven decimation on Tuesday, with the Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) disallowance motion to reverse Labor’s gillnet bans in the Gulf of Carpentaria being debated in Parliament. “The Crisafulli government had a chance to put its talk into action,” KAP Leader and Member for Traeger, Robbie Katter has said.

...Uncle Owen Whyman presented as part of an Indigenous panel at COP29 during the ‘United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’ in Baku, Azerbaijan. Uncle Owen is a respected Wilcannia community leader, volunteer board member of the Indigenous Peoples’ Organisation, Chair of the Paroo-Darling National Park Co-management Committee, Deputy Chair of the Mutawintji National Park Board of Management, board member of North-Western Water Council, and founder and convenor of the Indigenous - Aboriginal Party of Australia (IAPA).

A partnership arrangement between two Maude Road businesses, Fellows’ grain storage facility and Nutrien Ag Solutions has realised $612 for Can Assist Hay. The money was raised through weighbridge operations at the Fellows yard, and are carried out by Sophie Stephens and Riley Jackson (pictured) of Nutrien Ag Solutions when the weighbridge is unattended.

CANEGROWERS has today launched the 2024 Sugarcane Transport Load Restraint Guide, an essential tool created in partnership with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR).  This industry-specific guide aims to enhance road transport safety and streamline compliance for sugarcane growers and transport operators.

Grain Producers Australia is urging growers to be alert, vigilant and proactive, to maintain high standards for pesticide application, and protect crops from spray drift damage. GPA’s timely warning comes after Cotton Australia recently raised their concerns about early signs of off-target spray drift damage, with ongoing wet weather and seasonal challenges, leading to escalating weed growth.

Western Australia’s Premier Roger Cook is becoming one of the more intriguing figures in Australian politics. His latest intervention—opposing the Federal Government’s "Nature Positive" environmental laws—must be leaving the Green Left spluttering into their organic green tea.