International

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.

Australia's beef and sheepmeat sectors can expect continuing demand from China despite its slowing economy and continued lockdowns impacting how the country consumes animal proteins. Speaking on a newly-released podcast, Is the Chinese meat market still firing?, Rabobank's Hong Kong-based senior animal protein analyst Chenjun Pan said China's lockdown policies have affected the population's protein consumption habits, with the major short-term change being where people are consuming food.

The Port of Mackay has broken a decade-long record to post its greatest trade year by volume. Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick said the 3.6 million tonne throughput for 2021-22 beat the previous record for 2012-13.

Escrow.com, the leading provider of secure online payments and a wholly owned subsidiary of Freelancer Limited (ASX: FLN, OTCQX: FLNCF), has announced a partnership with ONFARM, a world-first agricultural meeting and marketplace founded in Australia and available worldwide. The partnership will help secure farmer-to-farmer transactions for livestock, hay, grains, machinery, farming equipment and more.

Serena Kirby. Denmark newcomer Emma Dellar is playing a game which is not for the faint-hearted, American football, or gridiron, against the world’s best in Finland. Emma, 37, is one of the 45-strong squad making up the Australian women’s team competing in the 2022 International Federation of American Football World Championships held over July and August in Finland.

The perfect storm. This is the name of the life of Ukrainian farmers now. Because of the war, automobile fuel is becoming more expensive, agricultural machinery is being destroyed. Inventories, warehouses and crops in the fields are being destroyed. The war has made it more difficult to transport and sell crops. Farmers die during the fighting actions.

Victorian irrigation innovator Rubicon Water is maximising water use on farms from the Murray Darling to India and beyond, driving jobs growth at its key Shepparton base ... In Karnataka, the Rubicon Water system manages the water supply to more than 400,000 hectares of farmland through 1,250 kilometres of canals.

A small central Queensland state school now has a secure drinking water supply, after six years of dry taps and plastic bottles. Australia’s most trusted rural charity, Rural Aid, has facilitated the installation of a SOURCE Hydropanel array at Valkyrie State School and believes that this technology could help facilitate drinking water security for other struggling schools.