Farming 76 I Australian Rural & Regional News

Regenerative farming – Land to Market’s Tony Hill in conversation

The Editor - 8 April 2021

Regenerative, sustainable farmland is better for biodiversity and the planet, and done right it can also be more profitable. Land to Market Australia, a program led by Australian producers, is on a mission to promote sustainability and share the agricultural skills needed to regenerate farmland, all with an eye on market realities.

Largest ever global promotion of Australian wine to launch in April

The Editor - 8 April 2021

Wine buyers around the world will be able to discover and connect with Australian wines on a first-of-its-kind virtual platform launching 27 April ... With already over 230 exhibitors registered and total of over 1900 wine products, Connect will be a go-to resource for Australian wine over the next 12 months. Trade will be able to conduct business with Australian wine brands in the Expo, as well as Explore and gain Education on Australia’s extraordinary and commercially robust wine scene.

NRLX sells $10m in a record week

Susanna Freymark, Richmond River Independent - 8 April 2021

In an inspiring turnaround since the devastating drought and bushfires, the Northern Rivers Livestock Exchange has celebrated its biggest ever week with a combined revenue from three days of sales exceeding $10 million ... NRLX operations manager Brad Willis said the sale results proved the strength of the region’s market. “Many buyers commented it was the strongest sale they had ever seen, including several who came from as far afield as the Victorian border,” Mr Willis said. “Demand for high quality cattle remains exceptionally strong, and it’s fair to say the selection of cattle on sale last week was some of the best quality stock in the country." Mr Willis said people had said the Casino market was so strong and the prices were unbelievable. “Many of the local producers who sell their stock through the NRLX were hand feeding their herds at the peak of the drought in mid-2019. Then many were hit by the fires,” he said.

A united fight for fair, farmers and the future

The Editor - 2 April 2021

Deep anger, fear and resentment has been exposed during the first public meeting at Newlyn to discuss the proposed Western Victorian Transmission Network ... The Western Victorian project is earmarked as the first of eight across Australia, including Victorian Government plans to ‘grid the state’. “Locals are very alert that the fight for their rights and livelihoods is being watched by communities across the nation. These residents are setting the precedent,” Mrs McArthur said.

Commonwealth, Queensland on front line for fighting fire ants

The Editor - 1 April 2021

“Red imported fire ants are one of the world’s worst invasive species due to their devastating economic, environmental and social impacts, They are a danger to people and our way of life, destroy agricultural and domestic infrastructure, and are a serious environmental threat."

Are high Ag land prices sustainable?

The Editor - 1 April 2021

Rabobank. Rabobank expects that 2020 would have been the sixth straight year for land price growth, which according to ABARES data, is an increase of 41% nationally over the six-year period. While price growth has been sharp, and strong, we expect prices are sustainable at these levels, with a downward correction very unlikely.

Milko makes cow-to-cup deliveries

Susanna Freymark, Richmond River Independent - 31 March 2021

The milko is back — the clinking of glass bottles, the layer of cream at the top of the milk — harks back to a time long gone. Dairy farmer Shane Hickey delivers fresh bottled milk straight from his Jersey cows to homes around Kyogle ... Shane said bypassing the supermarkets meant people could connect to a farmer who “farmed in a way that was ethical and sustainable”.

March 2021: seeds of doubt

The Editor - 30 March 2021

Rabobank. The long price surge in Agri commodities markets subsided last month, as la Niña weather worries eased and South American crop advances pushed frenzied speculators to catch their breath. Wary consumers start to think of the most consequential US summer harvest in the last eight years. Then, as now, high US acreage and inputs will be no panacea; corn and soy must also yield well to keep corn and soy stocks from falling into scarcity.

Rising commodity prices underpin positive outlook

The Editor - 23 March 2021

A record-breaking 2020-21 harvest and rising prices across all agricultural commodities have seen the NAB Rural Commodities Index rise 2.6% in February to now be 1.8% higher than the same time last year.

LLS rates waived for third consecutive year

The Editor - 19 March 2021

The NSW Government has provided another $50 million in relief to the State’s farmers who are still feeling the effects of drought by waiving Local Land Services (LLS) rates for the third year, Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall announced today.

Strategy would make path to $300B by 2030 less steep

The Editor - 18 March 2021

John Lloyd, Agribusiness Australia. This is not a critique of the National Farmers Federation’s laudable $100 billion aspiration. Agribusiness Australia’s own ambition is built on continuity with the NFF platform, and also to ensure it becomes reality. But it’s just a matter of seeing trend against target.

Wrong route for Planning Minister on Inland Rail

The Editor - 17 March 2021

NSW Farmers and the Country Women’s Association of NSW (CWA of NSW) are alarmed by a proposal that would stifle community consultation on the Inland Rail project. It comes as the NSW Minister for Planning the Hon Rob Stokes MP has issued an order declaring the construction of the Inland Rail in NSW as a critical state significant infrastructure project.

Productivity and profits underpin sustained confidence in Australia’s farm sector

The Editor - 17 March 2021

Australian farmers are forecasting another productive and profitable year ahead, with rural sentiment still at historically-high levels thanks to “perfect” summer conditions in much of the nation’s east and exceptionally strong commodity prices.

Standard digital camera and artificial intelligence to monitor soil moisture for affordable smart irrigation

The Editor - 17 March 2021

Researchers at The University of South Australia have developed a cost-effective new technique to monitor soil moisture using a standard digital camera and machine learning technology.

Mice numbers continue to explode – winter crop at risk

The Editor - 17 March 2021

NSW Farmers is seeking urgent action from the NSW Government to support farmers and rural communities in combatting an escalating mice plague. Farmers in many parts of regional NSW are reporting a drastic increase in mice populations, which are decimating crops, destroying stored hay and invading silos, sheds and homes.

Project quantifies kid loss

The Editor - 17 March 2021

For the first time, researchers have established a baseline understanding of the prevalence, cause and cost of kid loss in the Australian goatmeat industry through a project funded by MLA.

Rural land to E zones in NSW

Gordon Wilson, ARR.News - 15 March 2021

The NSW State Government announced on 10 March 2021 that The Minister for Planning will issue a new section 9.1 direction (to the Koala SEPP) to ensure that only the Minister, and not councils, will be empowered to rezone land used for primary production to an environmental zone (E zone), or to rezone land currently in rural zones 1, 2 and 3 to other rural zones.

Rabobank Dairy Quarterly – demand to take the driver’s seat in 2021

The Editor - 14 March 2021

Demand will take the driver’s seat in 2021, as global dairy markets look towards a “palpable return to familiar consumer patterns” by mid-year, the latest Rabobank global Dairy Quarterly report has found.

Government’s extension of international freight assistance a lifeline to farmers

The Editor - 14 March 2021

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has applauded the Federal Government’s announcement on the extension of the International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) to 30 September 2021.

Game-changer for smoke taint risk

The Editor - 14 March 2021

Last year’s world-first discovery that smoke dose is directly linked to the level of smoke taint in wine was an ‘absolute gamechanger,’ according to Professor Ian Porter. ‘We discovered that provided the burn is not right next to the vineyard, it actually takes a lot more smoke to cause smoke taint than we originally thought’, Professor Porter from La Trobe University said.

Lack of consultation on new Koala SEPP a concern for farmers

The Editor - 9 March 2021

NSW Farmers is concerned by a lack of consultation with landholders around new koala regulations and what they will mean for farmers. NSW Farmers’ President James Jackson said it was disappointing the agreement made with the Premier last year to protect koalas and farms had been torn up.

NSW Government delivers Koala SEPP 2021

The Editor - 9 March 2021

“This is a win for regional NSW and balances the interests of farmers and the protection of koalas and their habitat,” Mr Barilaro said. “Land zoned for primary production or forestry in regional NSW will not be subject to the new SEPP, which means farmers will not be strangled by red tape."

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