Media Release

Buffel and gamba grass are highly flammable and increase the intensity and frequency of bushfires and impact the biodiversity of the natural environment ... The TWG provided its findings, which recommend a Weed Advisory Committee be formed to build on the findings and develop a management plan, with the view of declaring buffel grass a weed.

The 2024 Rural Bank Australian Farmland Values Report finds that Australian farmland values have now recorded a full decade of unbroken growth. While 2023 saw a rise in the national median price, capping off an extraordinary period for farmland values, it also marked a shift in the market as the pace of growth slowed considerably.

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.

A united passion to ensure the welfare of thoroughbred horses by educating and training a skilled workforce is at the heart of a new Thoroughbred Breeders Association (TBA) online learning platform. TBA Learning ... was initiated in response to a desire to improve horse welfare, but the end result offers so much more.

The world has witnessed a surge in interest surrounding superfood Moringa oleifera, a fast-growing tree known for its extraordinary nutritional benefits. Almost every part of the moringa tree, from its high-protein green leaves to its seed oil, is edible and packed with essential nutrients.

Australian farmland prices are set for further growth in the year ahead – but at a slowing pace – Rabobank says in its just-released annual Australian Farmland Price Outlook. The global agribusiness banking specialist says after three consecutive years of "double- digit" growth, the momentum in agricultural land price increases is expected to further slow in 2024, as farm profitability levels come off record highs.

The peaks body for Tasmanian Farmers today welcomes TasNetworks as the first signatory to the Farm Access Code of Conduct, reaffirming their commitment to collaborating with the Tasmanian Agricultural Community. In February of this year TasFarmers, in partnership with the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) launched, the Farm Access Code of Conduct aimed at promoting respectful and sensible access to agricultural land.   

Farmers are calling for more resources to tackle pigs as millions of the pests rampage across the state. NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said the state’s pig problem was out of control, with official estimates suggesting there could be up to 100 million feral pigs in Australia at present.

South Australia is the only state in the nation to grow its exports according to latest trade stats as trade with China continues to soar – up nearly 40 per cent year-on-year. The state’s merchandise exports reached $17.7 billion in the year to March 2024, growing by 2.8 per cent, against a nationwide decrease of 10 per cent over the same period.

Mango growers on the Atherton Tablelands have been facing severe challenges due to the catastrophic effects of Ex Tropical Cyclone Jasper, which occurred in December 2023. The industry has experienced significant setbacks ... necessitating a call for fair disaster recovery support ... The disparity in recovery funding between the agricultural sector and other industries, notably tourism, has sparked significant concern and mistrust among growers.

A new database has been launched to provide people working in Australian agriculture a clearer view of compliance expectations regarding sustainability and ESG activities. The Sustainability-related Regulations Database (SR-Database) provides information on current Australian legislation and regulation relevant to the sustainability of the agricultural industry.

The time for talking is over! Immediate, large-scale, effective action is what’s required if we’re to have any hope of halting the march of Red Imported Fire Ants, CANEGROWERS Chairman Owen Menkens has said.

Organisers of the Centenary celebrations for Outback Queensland’s last horse-drawn Cobb & Co mail coach have today announced the full ten-day program for the Cobb & Co Festival – with tickets to the event also going on-sale for the first time today ... The Cobb & Co Festival will run from Friday August 16 through to Sunday August 25 in the Maranoa region...

Some long necks were seen parading around Australia’s quarantine facility recently with the arrival of 5 llamas to our shores ... “After a significant search, I selected these animals for their quality and genetic diversity,” said importer Jane Ackland of Everlong Llamas. She said llamas haven’t entered Australia from the USA since the mid-1990s.

Australia’s cattle market is sitting in a "state of balance" – with improved beef production waiting on an increase in demand – but an upside in prices is expected towards the end of the year, Rabobank says in its Australian Beef Seasonal Outlook 2024. The current absence of any strong demand – along with a higher herd inventory, with no real liquidation or rebuilding urgency...

A recent Rabobank report highlights a complex scenario for the global fertiliser market – fertiliser costs are down, but so are commodity prices, squeezing farmers’ margins. Demand for certain fertilisers, such as phosphates, is experiencing a downturn.

Australian beef cattle prices are expected to remain elevated over the next year, supported by improved restocker demand on the back of better seasonal conditions and healthy export demand. NAB’s Beef in Focus Report released today reports that after falling to a nine-year low in October 2023, reaching 349c/kg, the benchmark Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) is now above the 2015-19 average.