International

Trade between Ukraine and Australia is actively developing. The total sales of Australian goods and services are growing faster than Ukrainian ones. Australian farmers are also increasing sales faster than Ukrainian farmers. However, this was not always the case. 2023 may strengthen the position of Ukrainian farmers.

Excitement is building as Western Australia’s biggest, best and most prestigious junior surfing tournament prepares for a start next week, with Taj's Small Fries set to splash down in Yallingup for the 18th consecutive year. First run in 2006, Taj's Small Fries has become a rite of passage for many of the Australia's best young surfers, launching the careers of numerous surfing stars since it's inception.

In Australia in 2022 we saw pink sunsets. The evening of 14 December 2022 was one such occasion. Those who follow the heavens might see this as a sign of an auspicious new year present for us all ... The question is what impact Tonga Hunga might have on earth’s weather or climate?

Forestry Corporation of NSW has welcomed five international recruits to its 2022 Bathurst seasonal program, with firefighters coming from Canada and New Zealand to join local recruits and support the organisation leading into bushfire season. Canada is particularly well represented, with four recruits making the 17 hour flight to Australia to join the team this year.  

Emma Pritchard. Ruby Howell has her sights firmly set on a bright future. And the enthusiastic eight-year-old from Grafton is on track to achieve her dreams ... Ruby recently travelled overseas with her family to take part in the Competitive Off-Road Racing Series 2022 National Race Event at Carolina Adventure World in Winnsboro, South Carolina ...

International markets for wool and cotton have seen much volatility through the course of 2022 – with the lingering impacts of Covid and escalated geopolitical and economic uncertainty affecting the trade – and the year ahead could be equally turbulent, agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank says in a new industry podcast.

The National Farmers’ Federation’s (NFF) Horticulture Council is calling on the Federal Government to ensure its much-heralded solution to the growing workforce crisis works for the whole of the sector. Following Covid-19 disruptions, there was a swift shift towards a greater reliance on the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, but with that came headaches for smaller employers who previously relied mostly on backpackers.

Allora local Mary Higgins, who is a student at Griffiths University, studying Psychological Science and Business, has been awarded a Scholarship under the New Colombo Plan ... “Growing up in Allora, a small town of just 1200 people, I’ve seen my community come together through droughts, floods and many other crises, which has inspired me to work further toward social justice on a grander scale,” Mary said.

During the war, quail could save millions of Ukrainians from hunger and poverty. Only 1m2 is needed to grow this bird. For this, 200 dollars is enough. Investments begin to make a profit after 2 months. The income is 25-40 per cent of the invested funds per month. However, several reasons do not allow the quail to become a national bird in Ukraine.

New GP with Ochre Medical Centre Cohuna, Dr Gilda Geranmayeh, is delighted to finally be here. Originally from Iran, Dr Geranmayeh spent four years of her childhood in Adelaide while her father completed a PhD in geochemistry and she has been keen to return ever since.

Animal protein producers and processors face an “inflection point” with a need to respond to structural changes in the market even with production levels and prices likely to remain elevated next year, according to a new report by agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank.

Two of the world’s leading palaeontologists along with scientific researchers and educators have gathered to discuss the importance of the Bass Coast Dinosaurs Trail in Inverloch ... "It is a true legacy project for Council to be at the forefront of creating a world class tourism experience that celebrates the work of scientists, volunteers and the international significance of polar dinosaurs to the Australian Continent": Bass Coast Mayor Michael Whelan.

Internationally recognised geologist Dr John Jackson’s exhibition “The Art of Scottish Geology” opens at the Old Kirk, Yamba Museum on Tuesday December 13 ... The artworks depict what the earth’s activity and landscape looked like from 350 million years ago moving into the present day, including Australia.

Amid extreme market volatility and record-high prices, fertilizer consumption suffered in 2022. According to a new Rabobank report, a recovery in consumption is possible in some regions in 2023, with fertilizer prices lowering and commodity prices at historically high levels.

This year the theme of World Soil Day is ‘Soil: Where food begins’, highlighting the importance of healthy soil as a crucial element of food production ... “Soil in good condition is more productive. It has higher water-holding capacity, supports biological activities and resists erosion during extreme climate and weather events": Lisa Nitschke, DAFF.

Premium South Australian wine continues to gain recognition in key Asia-Pacific markets after the latest group of international wine ambassadors was assembled in Hong Kong. Eight of Hong Kong’s leading wine importers have been hand-picked to raise the profile of South Australia’s best wines in their own regions and boost trade demand with our state.

How do you honour the incredible life and memory of our late Sovereign, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II? That is the question Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio would like to ask residents as the Council seeks community engagement to consider memorial options for Queen Elizabeth II.

Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, has endorsed the efforts of Australian grain producers to help Ukraine farmers and rural communities with their recovery from the war. Mr Myroshnychenko met with members of Grain Producers Australia’s farmer sub-committee recently to discuss the #GRAIN4UKRAINE initiative and thank them for supporting his people.

ProAgni (Lavington, NSW) has been named the $1 million grand prize winner of the Grow-NY business competition, a food and agriculture startup challenge focused on enhancing the emerging food, beverage, and agriculture innovation cluster ... ProAgni ... created a revolutionary range of supplements and feeds for livestock that lowers methane emissions from sheep and cattle without the use of antibiotics ...

The US – the world’s second-largest importer of beef after China – is likely to be looking for even more beef from global markets over the next three years, as its own domestic production declines, Rabobank says in a newly-released report. And – while Australia is among the major global beef exporters that could help fill the gap – its own supply constraints mean it will be challenged to find additional export volumes.

Sarah Martin. A group of Indigenous women rangers, led by Cape York environmental warrior Larissa Hale, has been named as the first Australian finalist for Prince William’s prestigious Earthshot Prize ... “To be showcasing these amazing projects right across the world is a powerful way for First Nations women to see and imagine their futures in conservation management": Larissa Hale.