International

Emma Pritchard. Members of the Clarence River Historical Society were saddened to hear of the passing of Britain’s longest serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II last week. President Steve Tranter said Her Majesty was a friend of Australia who was widely loved, respected and admired by many people.

Australia woke to the news that Queen Elizabeth had died in the early hours of the morning. Memories and tributes to the Queen filled posts on social media ... On February 10, 1954, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip visited Lismore before flying out to the Evans Head aerodrome in the afternoon.

Matt Nicholls, Sarah Martin, Samuel Davis. Just 450 people lived in Cooktown when Queen Elizabeth II sailed in on April 22, 1970. It was actually quicker for Her Majesty to travel by sea than road back then, such was the state of the road. Accompanied by His Royal Highness, the late Prince Philip, and their daughter Princess Anne, there was a buzz in the air when the Brittania appeared in the Endeavour River.

May we all aspire to play our part in this life with such unwavering dedication, grace and, yes, majesty.

An elite stable of dedicated Post Entry Quarantine officers is ensuring some of the world’s most valuable shuttle stallions are happy, healthy – and won’t pose a biosecurity risk while on stud duties in Australia. The 55 horses – hailing from Europe, Japan, the USA and Canada, and worth a combined $450 million – have touched down in Australia for the Southern Hemisphere Thoroughbred breeding season.

In the summer, Ukrainian farmers adapted to work in wartime. However, Ukrainians will have to forget about fruits and vegetables in winter ... With the onset of winter, many Ukrainians will stop buying vegetables. Farmers won't be able to grow it. The reason is the lack of gas or the high cost of gas.

David Lee. There aren’t many people who can say they have stared into the face of danger in order to show the world a story that needs to be told, but Narrandera resident and cinematographer Jordan Bryon has done just that; and one of those ventures has led him to work on a feature film for the New York Times (NYT). For almost six years, Jordan has been living in Afghanistan and more recently working alongside colleague, Farzad Fetrat on the feature film.

Exceptional growing conditions and high global prices are continuing to benefit Australian agricultural production and exports. The ABARES September quarter Agricultural Commodities Report is forecasting agricultural export earnings to climb to a record $70.3 billion for 2022-23 – almost 50% more than what it was 10 years ago after accounting for inflation.

The resistance of green peach aphid (Myzus persicae, GPA) to numerous chemical mode of action groups makes it an ongoing management challenge. In Australia, GPA has evolved resistance to synthetic pyrethroids, carbamates, organophosphates, neonicotinoids, and quite recently, to sulfoxaflor. And now, Australian researchers have found populations of GPA with resistance to spirotetramat, the active ingredient in Movento® 240 SC Insecticide, as well as several generic products containing the same active ingredient.

Vincent Savolainen. Professor Vincent Savolainen has come back to Lord Howe Island to set up new research about the role that underground fungi may play in generating and maintaining plant diversity ... Our understanding of how species originate has changed considerably since Darwin's seminal work. One aspect, however, that has been totally ignored is the role that microbes can play in driving plant and animal diversity.

Global demand for cheaper cuts of beef is expected to increase in the year ahead as rampant inflation and slowing economic growth see consumers trade down, Rabobank says in a newly-released report. And Australia - as one of the largest exporters of beef "trimmings" (the cheaper meat cuts which remain after prime cuts are removed) - is expected to be among the best-positioned countries to benefit from this increased international demand, particularly from the US, the agribusiness bank says in its Q3 Global Beef Quarterly.

The greatest threat to the long term independence and security of Australians is the naïve belief of many that countries desperate for energy will allow us to cease exporting fossil fuels.

While the risk remains low, the threat of a widespread outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is hanging over a well-prepared Australian livestock industry ... The Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Analysis increased its assessment of the probability of such an outbreak in Australia over the next five years, reaching 11.6% in June 2022, a 9% rise on March 2021.

Samuel Davis. Megastar athletes are nice but meat pies, roadhouse burgers and hugs from daughter Talei are what really fuel this truckie ... The hardest working man in Australian basketball is finally taking a break ... Junior Virantuleo, the Cooktown truckie, who swapped the cabin for courtside at some of the biggest arenas in the world, returned home this month.

Agricultural industry leaders have taken a tour behind the scenes at Sydney International Airport to scope out Australia’s biosecurity measures. Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and Australia's Director of Biosecurity, Andrew Metcalfe AO said the visit was a chance for industry leaders to see biosecurity protections in action.

Mount Isa might be the rodeo capital of the southern hemisphere, but Donovan Rutherfurd has his heart set on conquering the north in the not-too-distant future. The Australian champion is in superb form, having ridden time in two of his three rides at the Curry Merry Muster on the weekend and is well placed to pick up a buckle at his hometown event.

Kirstin Nicholson. The 2022 Commonwealth Games might have wrapped up, but for 20-year-old Kye Mason, his athletic journey has just taken off. Kye has secured a scholarship in the US that will enable him to develop and strengthen his prowess in the 400m event and steer him towards reaching his goal of competing in the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist and local hero Matthew Denny never forgets his home town of Allora. During an interview on Channel 7 Matthew said “Hello to everyone back in Allora. Thank you Allora for supporting me” and to John - “Dad we got it done, Mate!” During one interview he made reference to the Welcome Home Parade after Tokyo when he came 4th so maybe this time Allora will be given a public holiday?

On the 16th of August local, state and international heritage experts will come together at the Burra Town Hall to involve the community in a conversation about Burra's World Heritage bid. The panel will include renowned UK world heritage consultant Mr Barry Gamble who will be working with the Regional Council of Goyder, Copper Coast Council and National Trust on a joint World Heritage bid of the Cornish Mining sites in Burra and Moonta.

Rodney Stevens. The sporting talent of Yamba was on show on the international stage over the weekend with former Buccaneer’s junior Jed Holloway earning his first Wallabies cap, plus Cameron Pilley and cousin Donna Lobban playing for bronze in the mixed doubles squash.

This story is about the impossible challenge of feeding a growing world population while staying true to net zero emissions targets ... Something strange happened in June this year when two of the world's most bullish emissions reduction advocates, Germany and Britain, panicked at the huge spike in grain prices and called for temporary waivers on biofuels mandates to combat soaring food prices.