Farming

Sophie Baldwin. They often say things change with time but when it comes to water and the basin plan, it doesn’t seem to make much difference, especially for the Upper Goulburn River Catchment Association (UGRCA). The UGRCA has been concerned about the impacts of flooding on their properties and their towns ever since the MDBA floated their Constraints Management Strategy ... Landowner John Baynes's property is now so sodden, he has lost twenty-four 300-year-old river red gums, which have fallen over in his paddocks.

A record number of young cattle handlers from around Australia and New Zealand converged on Parkes for a packed program of learning new skills, competing and forming lifelong friendships at the Herefords Australia National Youth Expo ... the expo drew a record 143 young handlers aged from five to 25 from NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and a team from New Zealand Herefords.

Climate change is having an impact on Australian agriculture, with farmers having to contend with higher temperatures and lower winter rainfall ... The latest ABARES figures show climate adjusted productivity in Australia’s broadacre industries grew by 0.6 per cent per year on average between 1988–89 and 2021–22.

This year, Australia’s sheep flock and its breeding ewe numbers reached their highest levels since 2007 at 78.75 million and 46.14 million head respectively, according to the latest Sheep Projections update from Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) ... Carcase weights in 2023 will remain 7% above the 10-year average.

Tony Mahar. Australian negotiators must continue to hold the line to ensure a fair and commercially meaningful deal with the EU. This was always going to be a tough negotiation. Fair access to the EU market is something the farm sector has sought for decades.

Stock agent Darren Perkins from George & Fuhrmann has said the agents will not sign Richmond Valley Council’s agreements to let them sell cattle through the Northern Rivers Livestock Exchange. “Council is saying they’re not backing down. We agents are not going to sign the agreements, we are not backing down and if we have to, we will send cattle to other centres – even if it takes till Christmas,” Mr Perkins said.

Australia’s first raw sugar shipment to the United Kingdom under the new Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA) was loaded in Townsville on 10 July 2023, opening an important new market for the Queensland sugar industry. Under the new agreement, which came into place on 31 May 2023, tariff-free raw sugar exports to the UK have resumed for the first time in 50 years...

Pine Rivers Show Society

It’s getting harder and harder to find large animal veterinarians, farmers say, amid calls for increased training and targeted skilled migration. Shane Kilby, a cattle producer from Dubbo, will take the issue to the NSW Farmers Annual Conference next week.

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has expressed concerns about misleading information being provided to farmers who may be impacted by the proposed VNI-West transmission project. VFF President Emma Germano said the Australian Energy Market Operator (which is planning the project on behalf of the Victorian Government) had released information to landholders designed to pressure them into signing away access to their land.

Kununurra Agricultural Society

One of the world’s fastest and most iconic bowlers, former Australian cricketer Brett Lee, is taking Australian avocados to consumers in India. Hort Innovation has announced that the popular sportsman, at home and across the globe, has signed up as the new Australian Avocados ambassador.

The decision by the Federal Government to establish a Community Engagement Review to maximise engagement around electricity transmission and renewable energy developments has been welcomed by GrainGrowers as a positive step forward ... Mr Turton said the GrainGrowers National Policy Group had recently considered the issue of agricultural land use and had called for meaningful engagements with landholders and communities about proposed development sites.

Training fruit pickers using virtual reality equipment, employing robots to move fruit containers and wearing exoskeletons to support physical labour are all possibilities being considered by Australian berry growers to boost labour efficiency. Delivered through Hort Innovation and led by The Growth Drivers in consultation with berry growers, the research aimed to identify practical technology-based solutions to address one of the industry’s biggest challenges.

Sheep and cattle farmers are planting hundreds of thousands of an elite variety of Oldman Saltbush across Australia’s southeast this winter to supplement feed during dryer conditions heralded by a potential El Nino. Anameka Saltbush is a specially selected variety of the drought-tolerant native shrub, developed over 15 years by CSIRO.

AgriFutures Australia is proud to announce the release of its latest report: "Listen up: Young people’s perspective on the future of Australian agriculture and rural industries" – a compilation of thought-provoking perspectives and provocations from the future leaders of the agriculture sector ... The report highlights the crucial role that young people play in shaping the future of Australian agriculture and emphasises the need for industry and government to invest in, listen to and collaborate with this vital demographic.

New analysis released by ABARES examines Australian Agriculture’s extensive sustainability credentials—and the importance of demonstrating them to consumers and investors in the future ... “Compared to other significant agricultural producers, Australian farmers use less fertiliser, have better nutrient balances on their land and use more sustainable cropping practices”: ABARES Executive Director Dr Jared Greenville.

Rural Bank’s Australian Agriculture Mid-Year Outlook 2023 report finds that favourable seasonal conditions and strong production over the first half of 2023 ensured strong winter crop establishment and pasture growth, particularly on the east coast, but despite a positive start to the year, softening commodity prices are now impacting Australian farmers following several seasons of strong prices.

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has written to Commonwealth Water Minister Tanya Plibersek this week following a key document setting out the socio-economic criteria under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan being removed from the government’s website. VFF Water Council Chair Andrew Leahy said farmers should be concerned by the Commonwealth’s moves to walk back from the socio-economic test for recovery of the 450GL up-water target.

The final report of the Trials Review, Information and Genetics (TRIG) project, has been released along with advisory information and updated data. According to TRIG Steering Committee Chair, Dr Kevin Harding, the project sought to leverage the past work of Victoria’s farm forestry sector by accessing legacy information and datasets to ultimately deliver new, updated tools and information for the next generation of farm forestry plantings.

Some of our district’s leading farmers rolled into the Naracoorte Town Hall recently, eager to hear the latest about cyber security, farm finance, carbon farming and livestock health. Additionally, motivational speakers included Naracoorte raised Jess Stenson, a Commonwealth Games gold medallist, and her brother Jack Trengrove, a former AFL footballer who found success within the finance industry.