Farming

Shaun Ossinger. Regional Development Minister Alanah MacTiernan has announced a grant of about $35,000 to help colonise winter-active dung beetles in the Wilson Inlet catchment. Part of the natural ecosystem of cattle, dung beetles have evolved alongside the animal throughout Europe and Africa, breaking down cattle dung and recycling nutrients.

This map is demonstrative of the unrelenting push by Australian bureaucrats and politicians to force rural and regional Australians out of the bush and into the cities and large regional centres.

This research release from the Australian Farm Institute, Stronger ag, Stronger regions highlights the interdependence of agriculture and regional economies. The paper considers how the agriculture sector can leverage stimulatory regional investment to ensure enduring economic stability and social benefits by establishing a virtuous cycle of beneficial impacts.

Grain growers and advisers are invited to take part in a national Australian Fungicide Resistance Extension Network (AFREN) survey to gauge awareness of fungicide resistance issues and management.

Sunday’s Uraidla and Summertown H&F Show has been described as a “spectacular success” by locals and visitors alike ... Show President, James Sadler, was over the moon to see not only the sea of smiling faces but the huge support the Show had from so many volunteers who all helped to make it happen.

Bernice Shepherd. In the Adelaide Parklands, the annual gathering of Greek and Italian locals spreading blankets and bashing olive trees is quite the spectacle. Olive trees proliferate around that city and no self-respecting ex-European would dream of letting that bounty go to waste ... In Casino, we have the Junbung Walkway bush tucker trail ... But could we go further?

Farmbot, a leading Australian agritech business, has now sold over 5,000 units, deploying to farms in every state and territory ... Farmbot gives farmers real-time insights into their water levels, consumption rates, flow pressure and more to improve overall water management on-farm via sensors which provide insights and alerts through an online dashboard.

Minister for Agricultural, Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner said the Queensland Dog Offensive Group (QDOG) developed the new five-year strategy in consultation with stakeholders. “The Queensland Wild Dog Management Strategy 2021-2026 provides state-wide coordination and direction to wild dog management,” Mr Furner said.

By all reports, the Gidgegannup Show held on Saturday 30 October was a roaring sucess with over 6,000 patrons attending the one day event.

A new study  has found that Alnus trees in agroforestry systems significantly contribute to capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Researchers discovered that the fast-growing Alnus tree, common in most Rwandan households, capture substantial amounts of carbon in aboveground biomass—live or dead matter from trees—with amounts varying depending on the age and elevation of the tree.

In the lead-up to the G20 meeting in Rome and the COP 26 Summit in Glasgow, and after some necessarily tough negotiations with their Liberal Party Coalition partner, the National Party obtained some concessions it says are designed to prevent the 'heavy lifting' of emissions reductions being placed unduly on rural and regional Australia.

As the only IP holder globally for Asparagopsis, Australian innovation start-up, FutureFeed, is the founding authority on the natural seaweed that helps fight climate change and produce more food with fewer resources. Built from strong scientific foundations based on proven results, FutureFeed exists to support the growing use of Asparagopsis as a natural ingredient for livestock to significantly reduce carbon emissions.

The prestigious Greenham’s Trade and Export (Carcase) Cattle competition is going ahead. The competition has been held annually since 1983 and in recent years producers have been entering the National Beef Expo which is held every three years at Rockhampton with much success.

As the Spring temperatures rise and plants bud and grow it’s time to come up to Uraidla to visit a traditional agricultural show in the Adelaide Hills.

The Eudunda Show is all systems go! Albeit with some variations on the norm due to COVID regulations.

Minister of Agriculture Adam Marshall and Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke have opened the $2.1 million state-of-the-art glasshouse precinct at the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Cowra Agricultural Research and Advisory Station. Mr Marshall said the new facility would advance the State’s research and development capabilities, enabling new science to help increase the productivity and profitability of the agriculture sector.

The majority of farmers surveyed in an ABARES study are using sustainable land management practices to improve the natural resource base and drought resilience. ABARES’s acting Executive Director Jared Greenville said the findings of the Natural Resource Management and Drought Resilience – survey of farm practices demonstrates the agriculture sector’s commitment to sustainable land management.

In 2018, the NSW Government introduced the Land Management (Native Vegetation) Code as part of the wider NSW Land Management and Biodiversity reform framework. Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall said the inaugural NSW Land Management Report 2018-2020 showed how farmers had used the Code to increase agricultural production, while restoring valuable native vegetation.

Did you know Queensland stock routes cover around 72,000 km and 48 local government areas? Drovers are herding cattle along the stock routes passing through the Central Highlands at Yan Yan Road through to Lilyvale Road, Gregory Highway and Capricornia Highway through to Springsure and Rolleston areas. These roads are subject to change depending on conditions and motorists are urged to be patient and vigilant whenever they are driving along a stock route.

Sheryl Lowe. The $2.1m Penola-Coonawarra Rail Trail project is shovel-ready, but the public may not be aware the trail will now pass through the middle of a working agriculture farm via a service road, due to a recent change in the route. Peter and Elke Hocking bought the Glenroy property ‘Churinga Park’ 18 months ago. At the time of purchase, they were unaware of any plans for a change in the use of the road reserve.