Anameka Saltbush – Science and research helping to regenerate the plains
Old Man Saltbush (Atriplex nummularia), a salt-loving, native shrub, that thrives on the plains but in the paddock this humble shrub is proving vital to production ... Recognising an opportunity to improve shrub systems, CSIRO worked to select and develop a special variety for farmers to use as a supplementary feed. It’s called Anameka Saltbush.
145th Australian Sheep and Wool Show, 19-21 July 2024
Onwards and upwards is the theme for the 2024 Australian Sheep and Wool Show, which captures the camaraderie and community spirit of an agricultural sector that is constantly adapting to meet changing market conditions. The 145th annual event will be held at the Prince of Wales Showgrounds in Bendigo from July 19-21, bringing together stakeholders from all aspects of the sheepmeat and wool industries.
Live sheep export legislation passes Australian Parliament
Australian Alliance for Animals. The Australian Senate has this week passed historic legislation enshrining the phase out of live sheep exports into law. The Export Control Amendment (Ending Live Sheep Exports by Sea) Act 2024 prohibits exporting live sheep by sea from Australia by May 1, 2028 and unlocks a $107 million industry adjustment package. Australian Alliance for Animals spokesperson, Dr. Jed Goodfellow, welcomed the passage of the legislation, describing it as a pivotal moment in the history of animal welfare in Australia.
Labor ignores WA farmers at Parliament House, passes Bill to phase out live sheep exports: Littleproud
Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud said Labor has turned its back on the farming industry today, after ignoring a delegation of Western Australian farmers and obtaining the numbers needed in the Senate to phase out live sheep exports. Mr Littleproud said Labor had once again treated farmers with contempt, ignoring pleas from groups including Keep the Sheep ... who spent the day at Parliament House in a last-ditch attempt to persuade Senators to save live sheep exports.
Farmers gutted by live sheep ban passing parliament: NFF
In a devastating blow to farming communities, Parliament tonight passed legislation to end the live sheep trade, disregarding proper process, extensive evidence and pleas from farmers across Australia. NFF President David Jochinke said the decision had been met with widespread dismay from farmers who had invested into significant reforms for the trade, resulting in world-leading animal welfare outcomes.
Keep the Sheep + Live export inquiry: Littleproud, McKenzie
Well, thanks for coming today. It's important we've got Keep the Sheep Movement here. They have come from Western Australia. They're showing respect to this Parliament by coming in and trying to talk to Senators and give them the opportunity to learn of their lived experience of their livelihoods that are going to take to be taken away.
Rural Commodities Index lifts again as wheat prices rally: NAB
The NAB Rural Commodities Index* has continued its upwards momentum, increasing 1.4 per cent month-on-month in May, driven by rising prices for wheat, barley, canola and lamb. The Index is now around levels last seen in February 2023, according to NAB’s June Rural Commodities Wrap released today.
Ending Live Sheep Export Bill: Report released: House of Representatives
House of Representatives. The Australian Parliament’s Agriculture Committee has presented its advisory report for its inquiry into the Export Control Amendment (Ending Live Sheep Exports by Sea) Bill 2024, which will end the live sheep export trade by sea by 1 May 2028 ... Committee Chair, Ms Meryl Swanson MP, said: ‘The bill fulfils the Albanese Government’s election promise to end the live export of sheep by sea while providing time and money for the orderly transition of industry to new avenues of production and trade.’
Local breeders in the winners circle at 2024 Hay Merino Sheep Show
Local merino breeders from Hay NSW were among the winners at the 2024 Hay Merino Sheep Show ... Poll Boonoke took out the champion medium wool March shorn ram, champion strong wool March shorn ram and the prestigious Elders champion March Shorn ram ... SA Stud Mulloorie took home the supreme champion prize, with their magnificent Merino ewe, ahead of Alfoxton’s champion ram.
Nothing Royal about the RSPCA
Does RSPCA approved extend to King Charles? Last week the RSPCA spent some of its donor’s money plus a share of the funds given to them by the taxpayers of WA to continue their long running anti-farming campaign by publishing a letter to the community in the West Australian. The paid advertisement reads like it was written by radical university animal activists, rather than what was once a highly respected animal welfare organisation.
Ewe see what’s going on here?
“Life is 10 per cent what happens to us and 90 per cent how we react to it” started Dr Mark Ferguson, CEO of NeXtgen Agri Ltd as he addressed a packed house at the Wakool sheep management night. “Everything we can’t control is often the stuff we are whinging about; the stuff we can control is often the stuff we’re not talking about.
Live sheep exports – House of Representatives Standing Committee public hearing: NFF
Today the House of Representatives, Standing Committee is holding the first of two public hearings on the legislation to end live sheep exports by sea ... From the moment this policy was inadvertently announced via an animal activist organisation just two weeks from the Federal Election, the process has been a farce, and the hard-working people of our industry have been treated with absolute contempt.
A woolly good weekend in Barmera
The Barmera Sheep Dog Trials concluded on Sunday, with “particularly good crowds” over the weekend. Around 40 dogs competed over the five days, with 440 sheep coming from around the Riverland ... Highlights over the five days included the iconic ‘Running of the Sheep’ event down Barwell Avenue
Keep The Sheep: WAFarmers
WAFarmers sets out 13 killer arguments to keep the live sheep trade.
Labor announces disingenuous live sheep phase out committee: Littleproud
Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud said Labor’s inquiry into the phase out of the live sheep export trade is once again disingenuous. Mr Littleproud said Labor has allowed just one week for submissions and has requested the committee report back in just over two weeks from now, by June 21, despite two public hearings in both Western Australia and Canberra.
New inquiry – Ending Live Sheep Export Bill
The House Standing Committee on Agriculture has today commenced an inquiry into the Export Control Amendment (Ending Live Sheep Exports by Sea) Bill 2024, which will end the live sheep export trade by sea from 1 May 2028. Committee Chair, Ms Meryl Swanson MP, said that the Bill fulfils the Government’s election promise to end the live export of sheep while providing time and funding for industry to adjust to the end of the trade.
I went with Ed Sheeran cos he was a big red fella – Mini goats named after musos bleat their way to ag shows
Chloe Stubbings. In green fields of manicured grass Rochelle Deenen’s Pygmy goats bleat through the fence ... “Our first buck that we named, I had to go with Ed Sheeran because he was a big red fella,” she said. And so she has stuck with a musical theme, naming each new kid after a singer or song.
Statement on Perth farmer protests: NFF
David Jochinke. The Prime Minister, Ag Minister and all parliamentarians need to take a good look at what’s unfolding in Perth this morning. This is a grassroots farmer demonstration of historic proportions ... This latest call on live sheep exports has lit a fire under the industry and brought people together like you wouldn’t believe.
Budget 2024: What does it mean for you?
When Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down the Albanese government’s 2024 budget last week it was touted as a ‘cost-of-living budget’, aimed at relieving the pressure of everyday costs. Member for Farrer and Opposition Party Deputy Leader, Sussan Ley is concerned at the lack of money for the bush. “My key concern is the $315 billion in new spending by Labor risks adding further to inflation and keeping interest rates higher for longer,” Ms Ley told The Riverine Grazier.
Open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese: NFF
Last week, for the first time in 39 years, farmers from across Australia determined that they no longer have confidence in your government to represent their interests. This vote followed an unprecedented walk-out by farmers on your Agriculture Minister’s budget address. This is not how we usually operate at the National Farmers’ Federation ... But decision by decision, your government is pushing farmers away and eroding their trust. Frankly they’ve had enough.
Australian agriculture passes vote of no confidence in the Albanese Government: NFF
The National Farmers’ Federation’s Members Council, comprising Australia’s state and commodity agricultural organisations, has today carried three motions: 1. That the NFF no longer has confidence in the Albanese Government to act in the interests of Australian agriculture ... “Farmers, fishers and foresters feel they are being treated with contempt as this Government pursues its single-minded policy agenda": David Jochinke.
Murray Watt is a wounded Minister
Yesterday in Canberra, the WAFarmers and the National Farmers' Federation (NFF) joined a walk out of the federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt during the budget breakfast, with industry leaders wearing a ‘Keep the Sheep’ tee shirt. The Minister was not impressed ... The farmers might be irrelevant to the ALP, but the voting public are suspicious of governments that are seen to sell out the farmers that grow the grain used to breed the geese that feed the workers that mine the gold that the government uses to buy votes.
