Farming

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.

Information that is relevant, accessible and trusted is critical to those farmers seeking to adapt their agricultural businesses to changes in climate according to a study which examined the results of surveys taken by the North East Catchment Management Authority (CMA) while working with approximately 1800 land managers in the region during the past four years ... A significant majority of the land managers surveyed (88%) believed the local climate and weather patterns in north east Victoria had changed.

Representatives from the farming community and food manufacturers have united to express their concerns about Commonwealth water buybacks meeting with the Victorian Water Minister in Echuca on 28 June 2023. The meeting convened by the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) with Minister Harriet Shing included representatives from Northern Victoria’s major food processors...

The system which protects and manages Aboriginal cultural heritage in Western Australia will be modernised and improved from July 1 to prevent another incident like what occurred at Juukan Gorge. The improvements include new practical exemptions and a simpler, fairer system to manage activities that may harm Aboriginal cultural heritage across WA ... The State Government has also announced the appointment of four new members to the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Council, including former Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister and respected Yamatji and Wongi Elder Ken Wyatt.

The average price of broadacre farmland per hectare has almost doubled over the last three years, increasing by 93 per cent from 2020 to 2023 ... Median farmland prices have grown most in the high rainfall zone, increasing by 125 per cent over the last 3 years to almost $9,000 per hectare.

The new WA Aboriginal Cultural Heritage laws will have far reaching consequences to the farming community, many of which are only just coming to light as the WA Department of Heritage workshops the changes across the State. This is how WAFarmers responded to one of the workshops in the central Wheatbelt.        

Australia’s peak wool marketing body has welcomed strong demand for wool classing training at TAFE NSW Yass as the industry confronts a growing skills gap. TAFE NSW has seen demand surging for the Certificate IV in Wool Classing this semester, with record enrolments across a number of campuses in the region.

Farmers are asking for more resources to combat an exponential rise in the number of highly destructive feral pigs, with fears for safety and property. NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said millions of feral pigs were breeding and rampaging across the countryside, thriving after years of high rainfall, attacking native animals and livestock, and causing massive damage to crops and infrastructure.

The independent panel appointed to consult with stakeholders on the phase out of live sheep exports by sea will complete its public consultations this week. The panel was appointed by Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Senator Murray Watt to provide advice on how and when the Australian Government can give effect to a phase out of live sheep exports by sea.

Ukraine could become the first country in the world where the evolution of agriculture will be replaced by devolution. The war makes farms and large agricultural holdings inefficient. These enterprises use large capital, hired labor, complex machinery, large plots of land and work for export. But war cannot destroy the private farms of the rural people.

The NAB Rural Commodities Index* is now 25.2% below year-ago levels, largely reflecting steep declines in cattle and lamb prices and a high chance of an El Nino event forming in coming months. The Index dropped 0.7% in April and a further 3.4% in May, reports the NAB June Rural Commodities Wrap released on 21 June 2023.

Brett Jewell of Kaniva said, "Our sowing program is nearly done with about 100ha to go, haven’t got much in the ground this week due to the wet weather, but we won't send that away. Canola and beans are up and the first of the wheat is coming through now. We have double-knocked most of the weeds this year which has done a great job but has required a lot more time on the sprayer."

When two retired farmers founded the Jeparit Waterwatch Group in 1995, they wanted to track the Wimmera River’s water quality and health for the benefit of the whole community. The impact of the Millennium Drought, 2010 floods, water for the environment releases and everything in between is part of a 28-year data set that builds a fascinating picture of Victoria’s only inland waterway that doesn’t flow into the sea.

NSW Farmers has welcomed a Parliamentary Inquiry into undergrounding powerlines, calling it a win for common sense and community safety. Multiple renewable energy projects proposed or under construction in regional areas would require new power lines to connect them to the grid, Energy Transition Working Group chair Reg Kidd said, but too often landholders were being ignored by the big developers.

Bellingen Show made a triumphant return this year with a bumper event that attracted large crowds and a jam-packed program that offered something for everyone.

We are on track for a magnificent Show, action packed full of entertainment and activities for all ages. We are the biggest Show on the Tablelands and will have some of the best entertainment happening daily from Dinosaur Adventure park, Airtime FMX death defying stunts to Road Crash Rescue Demonstrations by the local SES and QFRS members.

The growth of the Australian national cattle herd is on track to increase throughout 2023, resulting in a high supply of both young cattle and finished weight animals to market well into 2024. This is according to the latest Cattle Industry Projections update from Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), which notes that the national cattle herd will reach its highest level since 2014 at 28.7m head.

The National Farmers’ Federation has warned a consultation panel assessing the phase-out of live sheep exports that Australia’s status as a favoured food exporter will suffer should the ban proceed. In a submission to the consultation process, made public on 20 June 2023, the NFF has named broader trade impacts among several reasons the phase-out plan must be scrapped.

Signs of weakening demand for dairy are spreading across markets. According to a new report from Rabobank, the cumulative effects of high food price inflation over the past 24 months, along with slowing economic activity in 2023, have translated into lower dairy demand in developed and emerging markets.

The National Farmers’ Federation has released a new certification scheme, aimed at helping farmers choose tools and services which protect their farm data. The new scheme – which builds on existing schemes available in the United States and New Zealand – will certify products marketed to farmers to ensure they comply with the Australian Farm Data Code (the Code).