Farming

A move from fossil fuels to renewables is a significant long-term challenge for Australian agriculture, balancing economic viability and practicality of emerging technologies in the push for a greener more secure energy future. A GrainGrowers report, Fuels, Inputs of the Future, examines possible fuels for farm machinery and equipment in the future...

The peak body for Tasmanian farmers is alerting agricultural producers to an alarming rise in scam activities targeting their community. TasFarmers has received reports revealing a troubling trend where farmers seeking to purchase hay are falling victim to substantial financial scams.

The upcoming Words in Winter festival promises diverse sessions exploring crime, ideology, farming, self-publishing, history, and memory. Attendees will delve into the impacts of crime in small communities, the influences of political ideologies, the journey of saffron farming, the intricacies of self-publishing, Melbourne’s history and ancient memory techniques applied in the modern world.

John Hassell. Western Australia’s farmers are facing ‘Walls of Legislation,’ which is exactly what our members and in fact every farmer across Australia are facing under this current federal government. Walls of Legislation… or as I prefer to call it, “Another Brick in the Wall, Stopping Farmers from Farming.”

A mentoring session for Narrandera High School Boys to the Bush participants brought together a group of 10 enthusiastic participants. The session aimed to promote community spirit, resilience, engagement, confidence building and respect among the students and activities were designed to provide opportunities for meaningful interactions and personal growth.

Last week, local farmers, investors and Western Murray Land Improvement Group (WMLIG) celebrated the next step in their Murray Inland Delta Landscape Impact Project. With the financial world falling over themselves to get a piece of the carbon trading arena, an ambitious project has been initiated to ensure that meaningful, tangible environmental benefits can be achieved while delivering financial benefits to landholders.

The spectre of water buybacks, plus the absence of a targeted support package for Riverland grape growers, risk turning local communities into "economic wastelands", a local MP has warned. Liberal Barker MP Tony Pasin has labelled a $3.5 million federal funding package as "too little, too late" and accused both Labor governments of ignoring the crisis confronting inland wine regions like the Riverland.

The NSW Assistant Branch Secretary for the Australian Workers' Union (AWU) Ron Cowdrey has slammed farm owners and managers that he describes as ‘cowboy operators.’ “If cowboy operators want to come here and roll out modern slavery like practices, or bully and underpay staff, or flout our customs laws and import pests and endanger our entire industry, then they can think again,” he said.

Local merino breeders from Hay NSW were among the winners at the 2024 Hay Merino Sheep Show ... Poll Boonoke took out the champion medium wool March shorn ram, champion strong wool March shorn ram and the prestigious Elders champion March Shorn ram ... SA Stud Mulloorie took home the supreme champion prize, with their magnificent Merino ewe, ahead of Alfoxton’s champion ram.

The race is on to get Mossman’s cane crush underway, following confirmation the State Government would chip in up to $6 million towards the cost of transporting the cane 100kms south to MSF’s Mulgrave Mill ... the local Douglas Shire Council, Douglas Chamber of Commerce, MSF Sugar and the Queensland Government, Premier Steven Miles announced the government would cover nearly half of the  transport costs.

The National Farmers' Federation (NFF) President David Jochinke and CEO Tony Mahar, along with the Special Representative for Australian Agriculture (SRAA) Su McCluskey, are championing the vital message of Australia’s trade and sustainability credentials in Europe. The delegation has been showcasing the Australian Agriculture Sustainability Framework (AASF), an industry-led initiative that highlights Australia's dedication to sustainable agriculture.  

The hype, excitement and planning is well underway for the 2024 Malanda Show! The three-day show will this year take place on the 5th, 6th and 7th of July which is the LAST weekend of the school holidays – perfect timing for families from afar to plan a trip to the Atherton Tablelands.

Burdekin Show

There is so much for the entire family to see and do as this historic and iconic Gold Coast event with a full two-day Showjumping and Equestrian program, a two-day woodchop program, pony rides, baby animal farm, rides, showbags, show food, arts and crafts, Lego and wood turning.

Biosecurity threats are big news from fire ants in Wardell to white spot in prawns in the Clarence Valley. The State Government announced its budget of $945.7million for biosecurity measures.

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says the Albanese Labor Government’s plan to take water from food production in the Murray Darling Basin Plan in exchange for a $300 million sugar hit is yet another slap in the face for regional communities. VFF Water Council Chair Andrew Leahy said the funding package announced by Water Minister Tanya Plibersek will go nowhere close to what will be required to support communities targeted for water buybacks.

“Life is 10 per cent what happens to us and 90 per cent how we react to it” started Dr Mark Ferguson, CEO of NeXtgen Agri Ltd as he addressed a packed house at the Wakool sheep management night. “Everything we can’t control is often the stuff we are whinging about; the stuff we can control is often the stuff we’re not talking about.

The Albanese Government's legislation change to allow additional water buybacks shocked farming communities that rely on this precious resource ... To add insult to injury, the recent $12 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign used fake computer-generated images of death and destruction in the basin, along with emotive language that only fuels misunderstanding through the misinformation campaign.

Mixed seasonal conditions across the country – coupled with economic pressures – have seen the nation’s farm sector confidence take a U-turn in the latest quarter, declining after a resurgence in optimism at the start of the year. he quarter two Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey ... found sentiment among the country’s agricultural producers had dipped into ‘negative territory’ – with fewer farmers expecting a better year ahead than those holding a negative outlook.

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