WA farmers looking to the sky and Canberra
... the water reserves in WA farmers' dams are now running dangerously low and farmers are being forced to quit stock at rates that are competitive with the price of a bullet ... What's the trade got to do with the weather? For our farmers, the link is so obvious they remain dumbfounded that the Government has not joined the dots.
What’s Watt got to say now?
Minister Watt, it's time to face up to the reality and accept the consequences of the government’s policy to ban live exports ... Your policies have contributed to driving away buyers and the boats that are essential for alleviating the pressure on the sheep market ... The fact that the live export report you commissioned remains concealed speaks volumes about the economic motivations behind the political decision. The report reportedly confirms what every farmer knows, that the local processing industry cannot replicate the competitive dynamics provided by exporters in the market.
Wool industry leads metrics for environmental reporting
With consumer demand for “nature-positive” wool outstripping supply, a new project is underway to provide consistency and certainty for woolgrowers around measuring and reporting on environmental performance ... the Natural Capital and Environmental Performance Measures for Australian Wool Growers project aims to support woolgrowers with on-farm decision making and reporting to their customers, using consistent, science-based, practical metrics.
Eagle slayer myth hard to kill off
Shaun Hollis. A trio of majestic wedge-tailed eagles rises out of the paddock stubble as our farm ute approaches ... Honiton farmer Matt Smith said he likes the huge birds living in the scrub beyond the bottom paddock because they help clean up the remains of any lambs which have become too weak to survive on their own. He said he has never seen an eagle kill a healthy lamb on his farm.
Dechra welcomes Numnuts® into the Gold Standard for pain relief
In a significant stride towards elevating pain relief standards for farm animals, Dechra Pharmaceuticals proudly welcomes Numnuts® into its product offering. Numnuts®, a revolutionary solution for ring marking in lambs, will be distributed alongside Dechra’s flagship wound care, anaesthetic, and antiseptic product, Tri-Solfen®.
Foreign land buyers quietly backing the Live Exports Gone movement
Notice how there is a deathly silence by the big foreign pension and sovereign investment funds on the merits of the Government's planned end to the live export trade. These are the foreign entities that have been quietly buying up millions of acres of Australian farmland.
Shearing legends to be honored at 11th Festival of the Blades
Five notable shearing legends will be honoured at Shear Outback’s 11th Festival of the Blades over the October long weekend, Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th ... “These legends are famous in the world of shearing, and should be acknowledged for their outstanding contributions and achievements to the shearing industry,” Shear Outback board chair, Sam Barnes said. They are Deniliquin’s Brian Sullivan, Alan Williams (Moama), Peter Black (Dongara, WA) and Damien Boyle (Broomehill West, WA).
Wild dog program could close
"The order was renewed last year for only 12 months, during which time farmers and other stakeholders were promised consultation and a count of the wild dog population across Victoria," said Libbe Paton, North East Wild Dog Action Group. "Neither of these promises have been upheld to date."
Slaughter to the lambs – dingo protection: Bev McArthur
"This retrograde choice will take us back to the bad old days, of savage attacks, extensive stock losses, and financial and mental anguish for the farmers who just want to protect and care for their sheep. While entitled animal justice warriors claim the ideological high ground wearing their ‘save the dingoes’ badge, they fail to acknowledge the animal welfare of sheep, especially lambs, family pets and small wildlife": Bev McArthur, Member for Western Victoria.
Baa’ing fast
On a perfect racing day, the annual Wakool Sheep Races were held at the Wakool Recreation Reserve on Saturday evening. The ewe ‘jockeys’ stayed safe behind the seven-lane barrier draw while their sheep were motivated to run faster to the finish line by the ringing of hand-held bells.
Ermenegildo Zegna Group celebrates its 60th wool awards edition
The Ermenegildo Zegna Group began sourcing Australian wool back in the early years of 1900. The inherent excellence and unique characteristics of this incredible natural fibre have allowed the Group to continue to perfect the beauty, the quality, and the performance of its products. In particular, Australian superfine wool has been, and continues to be, key to creating many of the Group’s most precious fabrics and exclusive garments.
Letter from a sheep farmer to Senator Ghosh
Hugo Bombora. Dear Senator Varun Ghosh, Congratulations on your recent appointment to the Australian Senate. Nice to bump into you at a wedding last Saturday night. Thanks for the insightful questions. As acknowledged, it’s hard to put together one’s thoughts with Taylor Swift playing in the background. But as promised, here they are via email.
Can this senator save live exports?
Meet newly appointed senator, the former barrister Varun Ghosh who recently took his place in the Senate after he was officially confirmed as Labor’s choice to replace the retiring Patrick Dodson.
... The bit in Ghosh's CV that talks about constitutional law is what every sheep farmer in WA should be interested in, as it hints that our new senator might actually understand the concept of States' rights and that any move to ban a trade that is almost exclusively out of one State may well impinge upon section 52 of the Constitution.
Cook Labor Government deserts live sheep export industry: Love
Premier Roger Cook has deserted farmers and shown his true intentions after admitting in Parliament last week to talks with Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt to end the live sheep export industry. Deputy Nationals WA Leader and Member for Roe Peter Rundle MLA asked the Premier … to explain why the Minister for Agriculture had been in secret talks with Canberra around a transition package for farmers.
Record lamb slaughter reduces flock size
After three years of consecutive growth, the Australian sheep flock is set to decrease by 2.9 per cent to 76,500,000 in 2024, according to the latest Sheep Industry Projections from Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA). During the 2020-2022 rebuild phase, producer focus on productivity and genetics has led to impressive marking rates across the sheep flock.
Farmers issue warning on EID: NSW Farmers Association
NSW Farmers has warned it will walk away from controversial traceability reforms unless states and territories implement the same system with the same compliance requirements. NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said jurisdictional harmonisation of mandatory sheep and goat eID traceability was increasingly at risk as state and territories moved in a different direction...
Milton Park takes home the prize
For many years the Blue Cow Hotel at Allora has sponsored the Supreme Ewe and Ram of the Allora Show. This year the award went to Milton Park Suffolk and White Suffolk Stud from Hendon.
Australian agriculture “moving confidently into 2024” – Rabobank annual outlook
Australia’s agricultural sector is "moving confidently into 2024", with an overall positive outlook for the nation’s farmers and agribusiness industries in the year ahead, Rabobank says in its newly-released annual outlook ... while agri commodity prices are "well down on the highs seen over the previous two years", the bank’s price forecasts point to "continued positive farm margins in key agricultural sectors in 2024"
Swap the grocery aisle for a farm in 2024 – here’s how and why!
Scenic Rim producer collective launches the Towri Growers Market – time to make farmers famous, and bring your family and your fur babies ... where a full monthly shop can be done direct from the farmers, on the farm at Towri Sheep Cheeses just outside Brisbane, near Beaudesert in the Scenic Rim on the first Saturday of each month, commencing February 3.
Review – Ships, Shops and Sheep – The Remarkable Life of Paul Simons
This is the very personal life-story of a charismatic Welsh seaman who moved to Australia for love and once there became a captain of industry. The work is ‘as told to’ by Paul Simons to the writer Terry Larder and contains many anecdotes that illuminate aspects of life in wartime Britain and in postwar Australia ... Most of the book is concerned with Paul's life and career, enlivened with some quite racy anecdotes and more serious reflections on the way of the world. Paul has a sense of humour but also a strong moral sense.
Index rises with cattle prices in November: NAB
For the first time in thirteen months, the NAB Rural Commodities Index saw an increase in November, with cattle prices being the single greatest driver. NAB’s December Rural Commodities Wrap ... reports the Index increased 3.5 per cent month-on-month in November, retracing its October fall to be slightly above its September level.
Australian Agriculture Outlook 2024: Rural Bank
Andrew Smith, Rural Bank Head of Agribusiness Development said: “As was the case for 2023, the three key themes that will impact Australian agriculture in the first half of 2024 continue to be seasonal conditions, trade conditions and economic headwinds, but looking to the upside, a more favourable economic environment is expected to begin supporting agricultural markets in the back half of 2024."
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