Farming

Farmers have been left out of the Victorian Government’s pandemic repair plan in today’s Victorian State Budget handed down by Treasurer Tim Pallas. Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) President Emma Germano said the Treasurer’s speech failed to mention agriculture as one of Victoria’s key export industries and the 21,000 farm businesses that play a vital role in Victoria’s economy.

"From Australia’s next Parliament we’re seeking support to help agriculture go further. We want to transform the treatment of agriculture and its intersection with biodiversity protection and enhancement and further develop the developing natural capital sector" : NFF President, Fiona Simson. The NFF wants a commitment from both sides of politics for a minimum $2 billion fund to reward land managers who improve the health of their landscape.

Rising inflation has sent prices up at the checkout, prompting calls from farmers for a crackdown on price gouging. The Consumer Price Index jumped 2.1 per cent this quarter – and is up 5.1 per cent over the past year – but NSW Farmers Horticulture Committee Chair Guy Gaeta said not all was it seemed at the checkout.

The Roma show will be holding an action-packed program with some of the best axemen and women in Australia in attendance.

Two new studies led by Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS, UTAS) scientists provide an approach for accurately assessing the carbon storage capability of seaweed before it is factored into carbon offset initiatives, and highlight the need for further research into the impact of extending seaweed forests offshore into oceanic ecosystems.

The Mundubbera Show is a fantastic two-day event, filled with fun for the entire family.   Our show has proudly showcased the Mundubbera regions livestock, produce and creativity since 1921.

Marburg Show Society

The federal government will help new farmers looking to purchase or establish their own farm by guaranteeing 40% of their commercial loan, as rising land values and access to capital become the main barrier to ownership. Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud unveiled the new pilot and will trial an 18-month $75 million Future Farmer Guarantee Scheme by securing an eligible new farmer’s commercial loan up to a maximum value of $1 million. The scheme is expected to open 1 January 2023.

Australia’s most trusted rural charity, Rural Aid, has helped Northern Rivers farmers turn rotting flood waste into a healthy by-product for soil improvement, through a partnership with Multikraft Probiotic Solutions. Multikraft’s MicroBalance product was last week sprayed by helicopter onto 33 farms in northern New South Wales.

Logan City Council has opened an innovative new facility that turns human waste into energy and fertiliser ... The facility, which is the first of its kind in Australia, blasts sewage with extremely high heat to turn it into a product called biochar. Biochar can be used for a variety of purposes including as a fertiliser for the agricultural industry. It also has potential applications in the building industry.

Research conducted by the Centre for Organic Research & Education (CORE) has developed recycled content technologies that can turn cities and farmlands into Sponges that can adapt to more frequent flooding and drought events to reduce the risk they present to our communities ... May 1st to 7th marks International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) in Australia.

Norco dairy farmers are to receive an immediate price increase of five cents a litre to support them in farm production after the floods. Norco Co-operative’s 281 members will receive the extra five cents a litre paid as a co-operative premium above the normal milk prices, taking the average price to 84c a litre.

GRDC Agronomy Solutions Director Sean Mason ... says the use of pre-season soil testing results from within paddock zones together with test strips can fine-tune fertiliser recommendations and ensure growers are getting the most bang for their fertiliser buck.

The NSW Government is introducing new Farm Forestry Codes of Practice that will ensure long-term sustainability for the industry and provide robust environmental protections across the NSW private forestry estate. The new Codes, which come into effect on Monday, 2 May 2022, are the result of a rigorous review of Farm Forestry in NSW as well as advice from the Natural Resource Commission.

Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries Jonno Duniam said the Farm Forestry: Growing Together strategy recognises the opportunities presented by farm forestry for both farmers and Australia’s forest industries. "We're seeing an increasing demand for timber products, as well as the development of new carbon markets that reward farmers for planting trees,” Assistant Minister Duniam said.

“National parks should not be purchased unless there are funds to fully fence and maintain the park. They are the worst neighbours one could wish for with little to no weed control, no fences, nobody living on the property, little fire-fighting capability, and a propensity to shoot cattle" : Sally Witherspoon, Cape York cattle farmer.

Serena Kirby. The Denmark seed library has given out 1300 seed packets since it began in November 2020. Instigated and run by the Denmark Library, there is a biannual Seed Library gathering held at the start of autumn and spring where library members can meet and access free seeds.

In the UK, Pitchup.com supported a successful campaign to extend permitted development rights allowing change of use of land for camping. This small change to planning rules facilitated the opening of 1,000 pop-up campsites across the country over the summer season, primarily at farms, and helped over 300,000 holidaymakers book a much-needed break in the outdoors.

A Charles Sturt University agribusiness expert suggests Australia can anticipate an increase in wheat exports to countries affected by the Ukraine-Russia conflict and should target those importing nations’ requirements.

The 93rd Bonalbo Show will be held on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 April.   Gate entry this year is free, so come along and support your local show and have a great family day out.

Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 April 2022 the Kempsey Show is back on, and we are going all out to provide the community with an action-packed show.

“Despite all our achievements, we owe our existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil and the fact it rains.” A quote often attributed to long time US radio presenter, Paul Harvey, this quote succinctly captures the critical importance of our topsoil. What is topsoil, how is it formed and how do we improve it?