Farming

NSW Farmers is thanking the NSW Government for amendments to the Biosecurity Act that will save the agriculture sector an estimated $2 billion annually through better pest and weed management. On Thursday NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty introduced amendments to the Biosecurity Act 2015, which would establish the state’s first independent Biosecurity Commissioner, an important step towards improved land management.

Australia’s agricultural workforce is steadily growing and changing, with more women and young people joining the sector. The ABARES Insights Snapshot of Australia’s agricultural workforce shows the changing state of the agricultural workforce based on data from the 2021 Census of Population and Housing.

The Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) has welcomed yesterday’s release of the new Queensland Water Strategy by the Queensland Government. The release of the strategy, which marked the commencement of National Water Week 2023, aims to outline how government will deliver a sustainable and more secure water system for Queensland.

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has published new analysis of the broader market conditions and economic contribution of the red meat industry in the latest State of the Industry Report 2023. The report produced by MLA provides an overview of Australia’s red meat and livestock industry from the prior calendar year.

Wimmera farmers have provided a valuable insight into changes in farming practices, future priorities and key challenges in Australia’s longest running research project of its type.

Harvest is fast approaching and Nhill Free Press and Kaniva Times contacted Graincorp for an update about Nhill, Kaniva, Lillimur and the Wimmera regions in the lead up to harvest, and this harvest, GrainCorp is excited to introduce remote tailgate operation for trucks equipped with compliant air-operated tailgates ... The initiative is aimed at optimising truck turnaround times while upholding the highest safety standards in the industry.

At 3 o’clock the annual speed shear at the Kaniva Show kicked off with 50 entries between intermediate and open ... Some very fast times, under 40 seconds to gain a place in the 6-person final for intermediate and under 30 for the open section with a few legendary shearers making their way to the truck to shear one young merino lamb.

The Rural Bank Australian Farmland Values Report has tracked every farmland sale annually for almost three decades and is the longest running analysis of the farmland market in Australia.  This special edition, supplemented by farmland sales data from DAS (Digital Agriculture Services), is a mid-year market update to inform vendors and purchasers about movements in transaction volumes and sale prices around Australia since the issue of the annual edition in May 2023.

After three consecutive strong harvests, Australian grain and oilseed production is set to return to more modest totals for the current season as drier growing conditions ‘hit home’, Rabobank says in its just-released 2023/24 Australian Winter Crop Forecast. The bank says Australia is on track to harvest a total winter crop of 48.72 million tonnes for the current season.

Patrick Goldsmith. Yorke Peninsula Council will spend the $405,114 in extra rates revenue garnered from primary producers, on road-related efficiency improvement. YPC rates increased by eight per cent this year, with an extra three per cent hit taken by primary producers.

Australian grain producers have delivered another firm message to Canberra about their unambiguous opposition to paying the Federal Government’s proposed 10 per cent biosecurity levy ... “GPA understands the Federal Government’s intent to deliver a sustainable funding model for biosecurity, but the proposed policy fails to deliver this outcome on multiple levels”: GPA Chair and WA grain producer, Barry Large.

Australian sugar, barley and feed grain prices were stronger in September, in contrast to cattle prices which have reached their lowest levels since late 2014, according to NAB’s October Rural Commodities Wrap ... the Wrap reports the NAB Rural Commodities Index* fell 4.6% in September and is now 34% below the peak in rural prices back in June 2022.

The Rock Show Society

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has told the Federal Government it opposes a new biosecurity levy on farmers, saying the proposed levy may erode farmer confidence in the entire levy system. In the NFF’s submission to the Introduction of the Biosecurity Protection Levy: Consultation Paper, Chief Executive Tony Mahar said while the peak farming body supports ongoing efforts to ensure Australia’s biosecurity system is well resourced, it does not support this policy.

Coonalpyn & District A & H Society Inc

Jeparit Show

Charlton A&P Society

Tooraweenah PA&H Association committee have endorsed a new idea to provide an opportunity to learn from experts about Hot topics. This year we have decided on the Topic of Carbon.

Come and celebrate the 166th Longford Show on Saturday the 21st of October. We are a very family friendly show, there is lots of free entertainment to see throughout the day.

The Elders Back Lismore Show will return to the Lismore Showground on 19, 20 and 21 October. For 138 years, the Show is where our community comes together to have a bit of fun.

The Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) met on 11 October in person on Ngunnawal Country (Canberra) ... Having returned from a 4-day listening tour of the lower Murray across South Australia and Victoria, Sir Angus shared reflections from farmers, local governments, First Nations, and communities impacted by the 2022 and 2023 floods who now face the prospect of hot and drying conditions.

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has sent a clear message to the Albanese Government: The Closing Loopholes Bill is fraught with issues that will make it harder and more expensive than ever to create employment opportunities in farming. The NFF Workforce Committee Chair Tony York told the Senate Committee responsible for the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill would only add layers of complexity to the industrial relations system, push up costs and make doing business more difficult than ever before.