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Farming

NFF calls out Federal Government’s failure to protect the Great Artesian Basin

The National Farmers’ Federation has expressed profound disappointment and frustration at the Federal Government's ongoing neglect in safeguarding the Great Artesian Basin (GAB), one of Australia's most vital groundwater resources. As AgForce prepares to bring its case before the Federal Court next month, the Government has questioned the agricultural organisation's right to take legal action.

Enough is enough says Murrumbidgee Council Mayor

Councillor Ruth McRae OAM, Murrumbidgee Council Mayor. Enough is enough...things you all should know. Crippling water buybacks will see many communities, currently with their back to the wall, disappear, and the shiny trinkets offered by the Federal Government as compensation are $300 million. The Federal Government plans to buy back up to 450GL of water which, at our estimates, will cost them $8 billion. No surprises, there is an undisclosed amount in the Federal Budget to buy water ...

Deeper reforms needed as Fed Govt celebrates biosecurity cost win: GPA

These fees and charges, largely applying to importers and travellers entering and leaving the country, had remained unchanged for the best part of a decade until July 2023 and have since brought in an additional $47.1 million.  Grain Producers Australia Chair Barry Large said having fees and charges for these activities match the actual costs of managing these processes, whether it be for inspections and assessments or potential incident management, was commonsense.  

Farmer crushed and killed by auger

Worksafe is issuing a reminder about the safe operation of powered mobile plant on farms. A 61-year-old farmer died when a large self-propelled auger he was operating tipped over, killing him instantly ...  Agriculture makes up only 2 per cent of Victoria’s workforce, but 14 per cent of workplace deaths.

Farmers welcome fairer biosecurity funding: NSW Farmers

Farmers have welcomed a $47.1 million dollar boost to the nation’s biosecurity system thanks to the Australian Government’s new fees and charges system for importers. NSW Farmers Biosecurity Committee Chair Ian McColl said the new cost recovery mechanism was a strong step towards better biosecurity funding for the future, with the proposed biosecurity tax on farmers now defeated in the Senate.

Can drones provide farmers with early warning?

Tristan Steventon. Finding time to scout for weeds or monitor paddocks after a spray application is almost impossible as growers are typically managing larger cropping areas than ever before. Tristan Steventon, StevTech drone and data specialist says ultra-high-resolution cameras on drones provide a practical way to rapidly and remotely collect weed data for spray jobs and to monitor changes over time.

Corporate buyers may end family cattle industry

How come the value of cattle stations is skyrocketing? The bar of the Centralian Beef Breeders Association was a good place for a pub test ... The  [Alice Springs] News  spoke to several of the bar’s patrons on the condition of not naming them, about what is clearly a historic switch from a 150 years old family-based industry to investment opportunities for big companies, some from overseas, and superannuation firms.

Farmers urged to reach out for help: Rural Aid

Australia’s most trusted rural charity is encouraging farmers to reach out for assistance this Farm Safety Week. “This year’s Farm Safety Week theme is 'in safe hands',” Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said. “Rural Aid’s mission is to stand with farmers when they need it most.”  

Reach out and ask for help: Farmsafe Australia’s ‘In Safe Hands’ campaign prioritises workforce wellbeing for farmers and farm workforce

This National Farm Safety Week, Farmsafe Australia’s ‘In Safe Hands’ campaign extends the regular work, health and safety conversation beyond physical safety to address the role of wellbeing in our capacity to make safe decisions on farm. Recognising the unique challenges faced by farmers, their families, and the broader farm workforce, the campaign aims to ensure that farmers know vital, practical support is available to them.

50 years of depreciation?

The whereabouts of 50 years of depreciation for the Naracoorte saleyards is under the spotlight following questions by Cr Cameron Grundy. Cr Grundy has further queried if livestock owners have paid for the yards twice - once via fees when they sold their stock, and again as ratepayers via their council rates. He raised the matter at council’s June 25 meeting following a motion on notice by Cr Craig McGuire regarding the Naracoorte Regional Livestock Exchange (NRLE).

Landowners asked to remove Sleeman River salinity barrier

Landowners whose property joins the mouth of the Sleeman River have been asked to dismantle the remnants of a disintegrating weir which has been in place for more than 30 years. The weir was built to block salt water from entering the river so landowners could exercise their riparian rights.

Anameka Saltbush – Science and research helping to regenerate the plains

Old Man Saltbush (Atriplex nummularia), a salt-loving, native shrub, that thrives on the plains but in the paddock this humble shrub is proving vital to production ... Recognising an opportunity to improve shrub systems, CSIRO worked to select and develop a special variety for farmers to use as a supplementary feed. It’s called Anameka Saltbush.

NFF condemns ‘appalling attack’ on cattle class action victims: NFF

National Farmers’ Federation President David Jochinke has labelled the Federal Government’s recent correspondence on the live cattle class action as an “appalling attack on victims”. In a letter the Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus sent to the NFF and provided to media last week, the Government has accused the victims of trying to line their pockets.

International business through the eyes of a Ukrainian gardener

The state will lose taxpayers, and entrepreneurs will face additional difficulties in doing business. The state budget and entrepreneurs will lose in order to curb terrorism and international crime. In the case of bank accounts for foreigners, a long-standing rule of humanity applies. Namely, they choose the lesser of two evils. This is an unspoken rule of the global financial system.

Devastating water buybacks on the way for Northern Victoria: Lovell

The Commonwealth government has betrayed Northern Victoria by announcing further water buybacks from irrigation districts that will drive up costs for irrigators and devastate farming communities. Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek announced on 4 July that as part of the plan to recover 450GL of water in the Murray-Darling Basin, the Government will put out an open tender to purchase 70GL of water from the southern Basin ... latest plan does not apportion additional recovery fairly between states, but merely seeks to buy the cheapest water wherever it is, which could hurt Victoria further.

Labor’s unfair water buybacks system means South Australia will do the heavy lifting: Centofanti

South Australia is at risk of being taken advantage of as Labor prepares to open tenders for water buybacks to meet the recovery target of 450GL for the Murray-Darling Basin. The Albanese Labor Government has mounted its recovery goal on the destructive model of water buybacks, but there is no fixed volume to be recovered from each state, or each catchment or each water right type, which puts South Australia in the firing line.

Agriculture needs to do more to attract and educate young people: Nuffield Australia

As Australia’s agriculture industry continues to struggle with labour shortages, universities in other countries better prepare their students to work in agriculture. That’s the finding contained in Kathryn Fleay’s Nuffield Scholarship report ... Kathryn, an agronomy and operations manager from Western Australia’s wheatbelt, researched how Australia could shore up its agricultural workforce, particularly through university degrees with strong ties to the industry.

Commodity prices, production and exports ‘beefing up’ and some consumer pressure expected to ease, says Rural Bank

Commodity prices, production and exports have broadly lifted in the first half of the year, with beef the standout performer in Rural Bank’s Australian agriculture mid-year outlook 2024 (the Outlook), released today. With an overall outlook favourable for the second half of the year, despite some variability across sectors, some cost-of-living relief is also expected to reach beyond the farm gate.

Transformed freight vision can supercharge Victorian economy: VFF

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says the Victorian agriculture industry can propel the state’s economy and surpass $20 billion dollars of food and fibre exports by 2030 if the Victorian Government focusses on road maintenance, lowering costs and improving freight efficiency. In a submission to the Refresh of the Victorian Freight Strategy, VFF President Emma Germano said having a plan to maintain and fix regional roads would be key to reinforcing agriculture…

145th Australian Sheep and Wool Show, 19-21 July 2024

Onwards and upwards is the theme for the 2024 Australian Sheep and Wool Show, which captures the camaraderie and community spirit of an agricultural sector that is constantly adapting to meet changing market conditions. The 145th annual event will be held at the Prince of Wales Showgrounds in Bendigo from July 19-21, bringing together stakeholders from all aspects of the sheepmeat and wool industries.

Why don’t more farms go off grid?

Last month, I attended the AgZero - WAFarmers PowerShift Forum, where we got the good oil on the exciting future that awaits us as we turn off coal and gas and turn on renewables ... it got me thinking about the cost-benefit of taking our farms across to the green side of the electricity equation and cashing in on all this free sunlight we have.

Live sheep export legislation passes Australian Parliament

Australian Alliance for Animals. The Australian Senate has this week passed historic legislation enshrining the phase out of live sheep exports into law. The Export Control Amendment (Ending Live Sheep Exports by Sea) Act 2024 prohibits exporting live sheep by sea from Australia by May 1, 2028 and unlocks a $107 million industry adjustment package. Australian Alliance for Animals spokesperson, Dr. Jed Goodfellow, welcomed the passage of the legislation, describing it as a pivotal moment in the history of animal welfare in Australia.

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