International

Jack Bradshaw. Australia, along with 16 other countries, has recently committed to the “Initiative for Greening Construction with Sustainable Wood” at COP28 in Dubai ... How will Australia support this initiative with insufficient forest resources to service even the present demand?

The Australian Government signed the “30 x 30” target at COP15 of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in December 2022, with a commitment to ensure that 30 per cent of the earth’s land and sea is protected through the establishment of Protected Areas (PAs) and Other Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) ... The WWF has urged the Australian Government to set up a $5B Green Fund to acquire forests, productive land and reforest wheat fields.  The land needed to meet the 30:30 objective has to be “high biodiversity value” land in accordance with the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Andrew Smith, Rural Bank Head of Agribusiness Development said: “As was the case for 2023, the three key themes that will impact Australian agriculture in the first half of 2024 continue to be seasonal conditions, trade conditions and economic headwinds, but looking to the upside, a more favourable economic environment is expected to begin supporting agricultural markets in the back half of 2024."

The South Australian Government welcomes the Chinese Government’s decision to lift suspensions on the Naracoorte abattoir – along with two other Australian facilities. Eased restrictions will enable the Teys Australia meat facility to recommence sending its products to China.

Isi Campbell is doing what most teenagers only dream of… she’s travelling the world to go surfing ... Isi’s wins have been many including being named as last year’s WA Junior Surfer of the Year and collecting the 2022 Under-18 Girls State Championship Title. She has also achieved a silver medal as part of Team Australia at the International Surfing Association’s World Junior Surfing Championships in El Salvador.

Farmers across the globe have united on climate with the newly formed Agriculture Climate Alliance. The Alliance has released its first statement from COP28 in Dubai ... “Farmers around the world are at the front line of climate change..." the statement says.

It’s been a decade long journey lifting thousands of kilos in the gym and last month Maclean bodybuilder Beccy Pateman achieved her dream when she was crowned overall winner of the Professional Figure category in the Natural Olympia contest, plus overall winner of the Professional Fit Body category at the WNBF World Championships.

Michelle Daw. Both bulk grain handling companies operating at Wallaroo have accepted lentils into their local storage facilities for the first time this season. T-Ports loaded export lentils from the port for the first time yesterday ... Viterra will load lentils — including from YP and Mid North growers — onto a vessel at Inner Harbour ...

Sixty nurses from the UK and Ireland have been recruited to work in the Northern Rivers ... Indian national Kavitha Mathew will work at Kyogle Multi-Purpose Service ... “I’m very happy to work in Kyogle,” Kavitha said.

John Hassell. The ban on live sheep is inherently unfair and Australians can see it. Roger Cook can see it. Let’s hope for the Albanese Government’s sake they recognise it too before the next election. Underestimate Australia’s farmers at your peril.

Ukrainian agriculture has suffered catastrophic losses due to the war with Russia. However, compensation for these losses does not have clear prospects. This means that the prospects for the recovery of this sector of the economy are in doubt ... ARR.News asked US experts one question: What political decisions can be made by the USA governments to compensate for Ukraine's losses from the Russian invasion?

In Spanish, Reposado means ‘calm or peaceful rest’, but being shipwrecked could hardly be described as a ‘peaceful’ event ... It was an inglorious end to a top-end boat that had begun life as the Taconite, a luxury motor cruiser commissioned by Bill Boeing, the founder of the Boeing Aircraft Company.

It was a memorable occasion last Friday when local food pantry provider, Corryong FoodShare Services, offically opened its new premises in Harris Street. The honours were carried out by Member for Indi, Helen Haines, and the French Ambassador to Australia, Jean-Pierre Thebault.

The state government has committed to nominating Moonta Mines for World Heritage Listing. The Australian Cornish Mining Sites: Burra and Moonta Mines is now one step away from tentative listing after Deputy Premier Susan Close announced the government would support the bid...

We are excited to announce that the Indigo Shire and Baw Baw Shire Councils are joining the Goldfields World Heritage Bid, taking the local government partnership from 13 to 15. Following the advice of World Heritage experts, the investigation area now encompasses not just Central Victoria but areas further afield…

A new collaboration between Deakin University researchers and Australia’s largest commercial linen supplier Simba Global is tackling a critical global issue, the spread of harmful microplastics through our laundry.

Meeting in London, Global Sugar Alliance members celebrated the sugarcane industry’s positive contribution to sustainable global food and energy security, acknowledged the role of ethanol, derived from sugarcane, as an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels and renewed their call for all countries to fix the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Southern hemisphere beef-producing nations – including Australia – are continuing to increase production volumes, despite a global trend of production decline, Rabobank says in its recently-released Q4 Global Beef Quarterly report ... "we forecast that 2024 will play out in a similar fashion": Rabobank.

23-year-old Karim was born in Grenada, an island in the West Indies, but moved to London at an early age. He has the unique opportunity of splitting his time between England and the Caribbean, spending six months in each and playing cricket in both countries.

Occasionally I come across a speech in parliament by one of our elected representatives that needs to be shared loud and wide.  The following was made by Western Australian Liberal Senator Slade Brockman, President of the Senate, ex farmer, lawyer, PGA staffer and tireless defender of the people who make their income from primary industries. All those who oppose the live export trade should take the time to read what he has to say.