Farming

Since 1971, Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO has been partnering with Cotton Seed Distributors (CSD) in plant breeding and agronomy to put globally competitive cotton varieties that are pest and disease tolerant into the hands of Australian farmers.

It is a common, but complex question for grain growers: Do I grow my farming business by purchasing more land, or by improving the hectares I already own? The answer may come from an innovative co-investment by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), the University of Southern Queensland and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) endeavouring to provide growers with the cost benefits of improving or ameliorating soil to boost both farm productivity and long-term land value.

Farmers are being urged to touch base with a Rural Aid counsellor for a mental wellbeing check-in, as mouse plagues continue to ravage rural communities. Rural Aid CEO John Warlters has urged primary producers to get in touch with Rural Aid. “Rural Aid can help farmers with a range of measures including financial, fodder and mental wellbeing assistance,” Mr Warlters said.

Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management David Littleproud said $233.6 million in new funding will be used to help implement the National Soil Strategy and associated measures as part of the Commonwealth Interim Action Plan ... Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said the government was committing an additional $37 million in the 2021–22 Budget to support a National Soil Carbon Innovation Challenge.

The development of ‘long coleoptile’ genetics that allow wheat plants to establish on moisture deeper in the soil has attracted strong interest from grain growers looking to improve crop establishment and therefore yields in a drying climate.

Healthy soils are fundamental to ensuring productivity and sustainability on‑farm – and winter through spring is a good time to have a look in the paddock to see what’s happening. Producers can access practical tips to maximise their soil health and drive pasture performance with a new, three‑part video series.

Pollies visited timber operations in Kyogle and surrounds to see how environmental factors could work with the industry’s economics to strengthen sustainability. The focus for the visit was state parliament’s inquiry into the sustainability of the timber and forest industry.

The first BunkBot demonstration at Mort & Co’s Pinegrove Feedlot near Millmerran, Queensland, was deemed a huge success with lot feeders describing the new technology as a real game changer for the industry. Five more demonstration days are planned until September 2021.

A new research investment by GRDC, led by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has enabled evidence-based increases to zinc phosphide (ZnP) mouse baits that will help grain growers battling above-average mouse numbers in eastern Australia. ZnP-coated wheat bait is the only registered in-crop rodenticide for the management of mice damage in broad-scale agriculture in Australia. The new Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Authority emergency use permit increases the concentration of zinc phosphide active per wheat grain from 25 mg/kilogram to 50 mg/kg.

“The smell is horrific. You can pick up all the mice you see but there is always more. I did 38 loads of washing in three days. My house is pretty much packed up in boxes,” Lisa Minogue, Farmer, Barmedman.

George Muirhead of Bioenergy Plantations, a commercial pongamia plantation company, said there are two key factors that have substantially changed the economic potential of pongamia. “Initially pongamia was explored purely as a renewable energy, with the oil used for bio-diesel. Significant research has shown the value of the meal, which alters the economic model completely. “In Indonesia and the United States, removal of the alkaloids from both the oil and meal have made them suitable for human and animal consumption, which considerably increases the financial viability of pongamia.”

We select a wine, in a restaurant, a bottleshop, or - so as to not show my age – online. In making this choice one considers variety, region, vintage, style as well as reputation of the brand, price, medal stickers on the bottle and personal preferences – just to name a few ... Winemakers like to pick grapes at what they consider to be optimum ripeness, a balance of sugars, acid and flavour development which best suits the wine they wish to make.

Armidale producer Bill Mitchell has won the 2021 Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) Producer Innovation Award for his remote cattle weighing system, Optiweigh, that enables in-paddock weighing and monitoring. Mr Mitchell was presented the award last night at the Rabobank Beef Industry Awards presented by Queensland Country Life, at Beef Australia 2021 in Rockhampton. Optiweigh is a fully portable in-paddock weighing system that works in all environments, does not require animal training, and does not require installation of additional infrastructure.

In a first for the Australian agriculture sector, farmers will be able to physically see water infrastructure, gates, fences or other assets with the touch of a button on their desktop, tablet or mobile device.

In solving the rising challenge facing the agriculture industry of producing high-quality protein, traceably, sustainably and at scale, AgriWebb’s new Individual Animal Management offering will provide a world-first — granular livestock data at a per-animal level.

Agriculture is the next frontier for space tech, with billion-dollar opportunities to super-charge technology adoption for farmers, fishers and foresters over the next five to ten years. That’s according to a new report by AgriFutures Australia, commissioned to give producers awareness of the depth and breadth of available space technologies, the potential uses and insights into what is coming over the next decade.

Researchers at The University of Western Australia have identified the cause of the devastating faba bean gall disease for the first time, a disease that causes significant destruction of bean crops in Ethiopia and China ... Faba bean is of critical importance for food security in Ethiopia, and faba bean gall disease is especially devastating for this East African community ... Australia is the world’s leading exporter of faba bean, producing up to 500 thousand tonnes annually and supplying one-third of faba bean traded internationally.

A healthy herd and healthy habitat are possible. The Casino Food Co-op worked with Coffee Camp landowners Gary and Clare Brown in water catchment health and in establishing a koala habitat ... “It’s a win all-round, the cattle have clean safe drinking water, the creek banks get a facelift after years of erosion and weed infestation and the koalas get a new home,” Casino Co-Op chief executive Simon Stahl said.

Granular Products, in collaboration with Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), have launched the new Regain 750WG herbicide for control of Prickly Acacia and other woody weeds - with the new formulation providing graziers with an option to manage infestations as they arise, while using existing spray equipment and their previous knowledge of spray chemicals.

With seeding ramping up across many parts of the southern region, growers are being reminded of the importance of monitoring and maintaining soil phosphorus levels in order to maximise yield and profit.