Refinement of Future Drought Fund welcomed by farmers: NFF
Farmers have welcomed an announcement by the Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in Rockhampton today regarding the next phase of the Future Drought Fund (FDF). National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) President, David Jochinke, said the FDF was central to making producers more resilient in the face of current and future droughts.
Council shame – Relief as stand-off resolved: TasFarmers
Tasmania's peak body for farmers welcomes the announcement of critical drought relief feed shipments from Victoria to farmers on King Island via the Port of Welshpool. President Ian Sauer commends the Premier Jeremy Rockliff, Jane Howlett, Minister for Primary Industry and Water, and the Premier's department for resolving the stand-off with the Colac Otway Shire Council.
Transport subsidies vs live export: Geoff Pearson
Geoff Pearson. Two weeks ago 300 farmers from across the South West convened an urgent drought meeting to address what is one of the driest seasons experienced in living memory across what is traditionally the wettest part of Western Australia. It’s at times like these that the State and Federal governments need to step up and support farmers to rectify where they have made things worse through past policy mistakes.
Reports of a catastrophe in the jarrah forest have been greatly exaggerated (after Mark Twain): Frank Batini
Frank Batini. I have observed patterns of foliage scorch, some tree deaths and then recovery in the northern jarrah forest for 22 years. These can be readily explained in terms of soil depth, water-holding capacity, winter rainfall and summer drought ... My hypothesis is that this forest has repeatedly shown resilience to drought ... This is the “good news”, as opposed to the alarmism of other commentators.
Victoria’s Colac Otway Shire engaging in economic and social vandalism: TasFarmers
Tasmania's peak farming body is calling for Federal or State intervention to ensure drought-breaking fodder is moved from Victoria to King Island. TasFarmers said bloody-mindedness is preventing 500 plus tons of fodder from leaving Apollo Bay in Victoria, the closest port to King Island. President, Ian Sauer, said the blocking of shipping to move the much-needed feed displayed a total lack of understanding of the dire situation in which King Island farmers find themselves...
WA farmers looking to the sky and Canberra
... the water reserves in WA farmers' dams are now running dangerously low and farmers are being forced to quit stock at rates that are competitive with the price of a bullet ... What's the trade got to do with the weather? For our farmers, the link is so obvious they remain dumbfounded that the Government has not joined the dots.
The jury’s in: Fresh lakes a death sentence for Murray-Darling Basin
Goolwa South Australian resident, Ken Jury, sees a better way forward for the basin and believes that governments are risking the viability of the whole basin. Ken, an investigative journalist with a passion for marine and aquatic ecology ... is an expert on the South Australian Lower Lakes and Coorong ...
Community advocates tour with Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
Currently, 4,622 gigalitres of entitlements is held by government as environmental water, and Australia’s largest irrigator, Dr Simon Banks, Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, was joined by Central Murray Environmental Floodplain Group, community representatives and Paul Madden OAM of Arbuthnot Sawmills for a tour of local farms and forests. John Toll farms at Gunbower ...
CMA on the lookout for natural drought refuges
The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is on the lookout for drought refuge pools – natural bodies of water that stay full, even during dry times.
Current conditions driving demand for hay
Australian farmers are requesting donated hay at a phenomenal rate as drought and bushfire conditions bite ... Queensland cattle producer Betty Johnson, of Biggenden, this month received hay from Rural Aid ... “We’ve had no rain at all since about January which means that I’ve been feeding stock for ages. If you’re feeding stock, it costs money.”
Murray–Darling Basin Authority communique, October 2023
The Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) met on 11 October in person on Ngunnawal Country (Canberra) ... Having returned from a 4-day listening tour of the lower Murray across South Australia and Victoria, Sir Angus shared reflections from farmers, local governments, First Nations, and communities impacted by the 2022 and 2023 floods who now face the prospect of hot and drying conditions.
Community plans to bolster regional drought resilience: Watt, Spence
Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt and Victorian Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence announced the Drought Resilience Plans for the Gippsland, Goulburn and Wimmera Southern Mallee regions have been finalised. These are the first of nine regional communities across the state to develop community-led Regional Drought Resilience Plans through the Future Drought Fund’s Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program, jointly funded by the Albanese and Allan Governments.
When next drought hits … farmers left high and dry
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says claims by Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek that Basin farmers are thriving under a decade of water buybacks is untrue, and the reality is farmers are fearing the next big dry ... “The truth is her own Department website produces a summary table of all recoveries and it clearly states 12.2GL has been recovered with a further 13.8GL under contract. That's a total of 26GL towards the 450GL, not the 2GL she keeps suggesting”: VFF Water Council chairperson Andrew Leahy.
Emergency drinking water requests from Australian farmers up 250 per cent: Rural Aid
Rural Aid has been delivering water tank refills to registered primary producing families for a number of years ... Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said dry times have hit early and hit hard. “Farmers around the country have been unsettled by how quickly the rain ‘tap’ has been turned off,” Mr Warlters said ... Victorian dairy farmer Mark Laity said the water tank he received from Rural Aid was a huge boost.
Drought of time to end the drought-funding drip
What would focus the minds of farmers to be more drought resilient is if the State and Federal governments come out together and simply say to all Australia's farmers that 'you are on your own, we are no longer handing out grants when the rains fail' ... If they are going to continue with the Drought Fund, then they should focus on funding some big game-changing projects, not the rats and mice ones that won’t move the dial.
Dust storms may be on the horizon
Dust storms pose a significant threat to the environment, public health and the economy ... In this article, we will delve into research insights from our scientists, discussing the impact of dust storms, the importance of land management practices, and measures that can be taken to prepare for these natural phenomena.
Drought-resilient shrub goes east to support farmers in dry times: CSIRO
Sheep and cattle farmers are planting hundreds of thousands of an elite variety of Oldman Saltbush across Australia’s southeast this winter to supplement feed during dryer conditions heralded by a potential El Nino. Anameka Saltbush is a specially selected variety of the drought-tolerant native shrub, developed over 15 years by CSIRO.
Study reveals rainfall and bushfires are major concerns
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.
Gina Rinehart announced as Rural Aid patron
“Having grown up on stations which I loved very much, stations and farms have and always will be close to my heart. Rural Aid is an organisation that ‘stands with our mates in the bush’ during their hard times, and it does get tough in the bush, with floods, fires and severe drought, in addition to the usual dangers of snakes, spiders and in some northern areas, crocodiles too,” Mrs Rinehart said.
Resilience ignited at BCG event, Swan Hill
Igniting Resilience, hosted by BCG at the Lower Mallee Inn at Swan Hill recently, lived up to its name. Young farmers and agribusiness professionals heard from guest speakers The Unbreakable Farmer Warren Davies, farmers Simone Murdoch (Swan Hill), Jarrod Kemp (Nullawil) and Will Simpson (Berriwillock), who shared how they navigate the challenges of life and farming.
Upgrade works at Leslie Dam complete
Part of the Queensland Government's $19 million Southern Downs Drought Resilience program included upgrade works to the intake pump station at Leslie Dam. Water Minister Glenn Butcher said the upgrade work includes replacement of three 55-year-old pumps, pipework and the electrical switchboard.
Think fire, know fire: Roger Underwood
I have recently re-read Think Trees, Grow Trees, a 1985 publication from the Institute of Foresters of Australia. This excellent little book was the brainchild of, and was edited by Dr Wilf Crane, one of my contemporaries at the Australian Forestry School, a notable forest scientist and famous and eccentric character ... To me, the most important part of the book (in terms of contemporary relevance) is the chapter called Living with Fire. It is written by Phil Cheney.
All categories
About ARR.NewsACTAdvertisementAFLAgingAgricultureAquaculture & fishingARR.News eventArtsAthleticsBankingBasketballBeefBiodiversityBook ReviewBowlsBuilding & ConstructionBusinessCarbonCharityClimateCommunicationsCommunityConflictCottonCouncilCraftCricketCyclingDairyDams & waterDanceDroughte-commerceEducation & trainingEmploymentEnergyEngineeringEquestrianEventExhibitionFamilyFarmingFederal politicsFeedFertiliserFestivalFilmFireFishingFloodFloraFoodFood & BeveragesFootball NetballForestryGardeningGoatsGolfGrainsHealthHealthHistory & heritageHockeyHorticultureHospitalityIndigenousIndustry reportsInfrastructureInland waterwaysInternationalInternationalInterviewInvasive speciesLand & environmentLaw & orderLetters & responsesLifeLiteratureManufacturingMarineMediaMedia ReleaseMeet the publishersMilitaryMilitary historyMiningMotorsportMurray RiverMusicNetballNew ReleaseNewsNewsletters - SportNSWNTOpinionOut nowOut now - Archive - April 2021Out now - Archive - April 2022Out now - Archive - April 2023Out now - Archive - April 2024Out now - Archive - August 2020Out now - Archive - August 2021Out now - Archive - August 2022Out now - Archive - August 2023Out now - Archive - August 2024Out now - Archive - December 2020Out now - Archive - December 2021Out now - Archive - December 2022Out now - Archive - December 2023Out now - Archive - December 2024Out now - Archive - February 2021Out now - Archive - February 2022Out now - Archive - February 2023Out now - Archive - February 2024Out now - Archive - February 2025Out now - Archive - January 2021Out now - Archive - January 2022Out now - Archive - January 2023Out now - Archive - January 2024Out now - Archive - January 2025Out now - Archive - July 2021Out now - Archive - July 2022Out now - Archive - July 2023Out now - Archive - July 2024Out now - Archive - June 2021Out now - Archive - June 2022Out now - Archive - June 2023Out now - Archive - June 2024Out now - Archive - March 2021Out now - Archive - March 2022Out now - Archive - March 2023Out now - Archive - March 2024Out now - Archive - May 2021Out now - Archive - May 2022Out now - Archive - May 2023Out now - Archive - May 2024Out now - Archive - November 2020Out now - Archive - November 2021Out now - Archive - November 2022Out now - Archive - November 2023Out now - Archive - November 2024Out now - Archive - October 2020Out now - Archive - October 2021Out now - Archive - October 2022Out now - Archive - October 2023Out now - Archive - October 2024Out now - Archive - September 2020Out now - Archive - September 2021Out now - Archive - September 2022Out now - Archive - September 2023Out now - Archive - September 2024PaintingPerformancePetsPhotographyPicnic RacesPlaguepoetryPoliticsPopulationPoultry and eggsPowerProfilePropertyQldRacingRailReligionResearchRetailRoadsRowingRugby LeagueRugby UnionRunningSASailingSaleSculptureSheepShowsSoccerSoilSportState politicsSteelSugarSupply chainSurfingSwimmingTalkiesTasTechnologyTennisTheatreTimberTourismTradeTransportTravelTriathlonUncategorisedVicVolunteeringWAWaterWeatherWebinarWildlifeWineWoolYouth