Farming

The State Government has announced extended recovery support to cane farmers to help remove dangerous flood waste found in cane paddocks at the beginning of the cane harvest. The NSW Environment Protection Authority has agreed to work with local cane farmers to remove the waste at no cost to the farmers.

Projected high industry growth, an appetite for expanded trade and increasing sustainability priorities have driven the new Hort Innovation Strategy 2024-2026. Released on 31 July 2023, the strategy was informed by feedback from growers across the nation through farm visits, surveys and advice garnered through industry advisory panels and meetings.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) has been advised by the Indonesian Agriculture and Quarantine Agency (IAQA) that Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) has been detected in a small number of Australian cattle exported to Indonesia—after those cattle had arrived and spent some time in Indonesia. “Australia is and remains free from lumpy skin disease, as confirmed today by Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer,” RMAC Chairman, Mr John McKillop, said.

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) welcomes the Albanese Government’s decision to extend the timeframe for implementing the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. VFF Water Council Chair Andrew Leahy said common sense had prevailed following Minister Tanya Plibersek’s announcement to allow efficiency projects to progress and be counted towards the Plan’s targets.

Commonwealth Bank (CBA) has entered a strategic alliance with plant nutrition company RLF AgTech, financing an innovative pilot program that aims to generate soil carbon credits ... RLF AgTech, a specialist in plant nutrition, has launched a soil carbon pilot program with Australian farmers who will utilise its Accumulating Carbon in Soil System (ACSS) technology.

NSW Canegrowers are annoyed and frustrated by government inaction and the failure to utilise the $5 million dollars allocated to the Northern NSW Drainage Reset Program in February this year. "Governments are very good at coming into disaster areas and promising money for recovery, but are extremely poor on delivery," Chairman of NSW Canegrowers Association Ross Farlow said.

WAFarmers met with the Western Australian Minister for Heritage recently. We had an interesting discussion on the roll out of the State's new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Laws. The Minister clearly believes that the new laws won't impact farmers the way our lawyers tell us it will; in his view the roll out is smooth and all it needs is some tweaking ... Minister, some more advice.

Ukrainian chicken producers have made a good marketing move. Thanks to this, the retail price of boneless chicken meat is about US$3 for one kilo. This is the most affordable meat in Ukraine. Beef and pork producers have yet to strike back ... Private entrepreneur Lyudmila Koloshko speaks about how profitable it is to sell "Leg meat".

The latest agricultural lending statistics provided by the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA) show an increase in aggregate lending to the farm sector of 9 per cent in 2021–22. ABARES Executive Director Dr Jared Greenville said the cumulative value of loans outstanding has increased from $100.7 billion at 30 June 2021 to $109.9 billion at 30 June 2022.

John Hassell, President WAFarmers. Sheep farmers in Western Australia have been told by the Federal Labor Government that we have lost our social licence for live exports ... If it was a rash decision then it's time to reverse it and accept that the industry has done everything it has been asked for by the Government and should be allowed to continue.  If not then this decision marks the end of agriculture in Australia as we know it and the Government should tell us.

The George the Farmer story began in 2012 when founder Simone Kain was trawling the internet looking for farming books and apps for her farm-obsessed son George ... "I quickly discovered there wasn't a human farming character globally who was telling sequential stories about life on the land for children, let alone a modern Aussie farmer telling real, relatable yarns," she said.

Yeppoon in Central Queensland will host Australia’s pineapple industry this week for their annual Pineapple Field Days. Organised by Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers (QFVG) on behalf of Australian Pineapples, the two-day event brings together growers, government, researchers, and supply chain members to showcase the latest research and development occurring within the industry.

On behalf of the Texas Show Committee, I am thrilled to extend a warm welcome to all Texans, visitors, exhibitors, and participants to this year’s eagerly awaited Texas Show.

Giru Agricultural, Horticultural and Industrial Society Inc.

An attendance of 350 of all ages was entertained by George the Farmer at the Birchip Public Hall ... “I think it’s very important, especially living in a rural location, that we give our young people equal opportunity and expose them to live productions,” organiser Carling McEvoy said. Whilst also providing entertainment, George the Farmer concerts aim to educate children on where their food comes from and inspire the next generation of farmers.

Kristin Murdock . While the Adelaide Royal Show is not until September, the Naracoorte High School Agricultural Studies students are already preparing for the challenge ... At the start of this term, six keen Year 9 Agriculture students from NHS attended the SE Cattle Handlers Camp.

Dust storms pose a significant threat to the environment, public health and the economy ... In this article, we will delve into research insights from our scientists, discussing the impact of dust storms, the importance of land management practices, and measures that can be taken to prepare for these natural phenomena.

South-west Victorian dairy farmers have learnt about the potential benefits of virtual fencing to manage herd grazing and movement, during a New Zealand study tour. Farm consultants Angus Drummond and Fiona Smith organised and led the tour of the SW Farm Business Discussion Group (SW FBDG) to Christchurch, New Zealand.

Commercial beef producers will be able to market and sell their cattle through FarmGate Auctions with verified data backed by genomic testing and on a new digital platform, taking them to next-level marketing and product branding. The new platform will allow producers to add their biodiversity credentials, emission reduction programs, previous product performance, product branding and transaction data, and then decide how much of this information is passed onto the buyers.

The Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) and Queensland United Egg Producers (QUEP) are carefully considering the ministerial endorsement of a national update to the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Poultry (S&G) following a joint meeting of the federal and all state agriculture ministers in Perth last week ... As part of the update to the S&G, conventional cage egg production will be phased out, with each state left to decide the timeframe for this transition.