Research

Virtual reality is set to revolutionise Australia’s $24 billion forestry industry by training workers risk-free, remotely, and much faster. A VR immersive training tool developed by the University of South Australia with the support of the Green Triangle Forest Industry Hub is also expected to save the industry millions of dollars in the long term.

Victoria's once-thriving business events sector is in crisis, with recent data from Tourism Research Australia showing a dramatic drop in market share from 36 per cent in 2014 to just 21 per cent in 2024. Victoria was once the leader in business events, far ahead of New South Wales (27 per cent) and Queensland (15 per cent) in 2014.

National preparedness to manage future incursions of Asian black-spined toads into Australia has been strengthened with today’s launch of the National Preparedness Plan: Asian Black-Spined Toad by the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions. Andreas Glanznig, CEO of the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, said the Plan provides a valuable roadmap for governments to prevent, plan and respond to a possible Asian black-spined toad incursion.

GWMWater has recently provided an update on a study entitled “Donald Community Power Plant Study” investigating the feasibility of a community power plant and potential microgrid infrastructure to supply the residents of Donald with locally harvested and stored green energy. This is not the first time the concept has been investigated for the town.

Sebastian Calderon. An innovative project based in the Riverland is aiming to improve the potential use and benefits of groundwater. Last month, a small reverse-osmosis (RO) plant was installed on Century Orchards, in Loxton, with the objective of identifying different pathways to diversify water sources and relieve resource pressure on the Murray River.

Dr Gary Bacon AM. Rare it is to have a definitive historical date and place for the discovery of a natural renewable resource that is the foundation of an industry which prospers to the present day. Tuesday 21 September 1824 is that note-worthy date and we have a precise record of that discovery on the banks of the Brisbane River.

Cattle prices surged by 6.3 per cent month-on-month in August, highlighting strong demand and boosting the NAB Rural Commodities Index*, which remained unchanged overall despite significant variability among individual agricultural commodities. NAB’s August Rural Commodities Wrap, released today, notes that while the overall index held steady, global dairy prices also partially recovered after sharp declines in July, contributing to the positive momentum in cattle prices.

Skyrocketing cocoa prices are putting strong pressure on chocolate producers around the globe, who will likely pass on the burden to consumers, according to a new international report by food and agribusiness banking specialist, Rabobank. In the report Soaring Cocoa prices: The worst is yet to come, the bank says the main impact of the cocoa crisis still lies ahead, as companies hedge prices and supply contracts up to a year in advance.

In a mission to develop a long-term sustainability program for the Rubus Berry industry, Hort Innovation and Lifecycles are embarking on a Life cycle assessment (LCA) project aimed at generating comprehensive information and metrics about the environmental performance of raspberry and blackberry production in Australia.

Urbanisation has a negative impact on the Ukrainian family and the renewal of the population of Ukraine. In the conditions of catastrophic population decline, Ukraine needs to renew the ancient family values ​​laid down by rural residents hundreds of years ago.

Despite a good start, Australian table grape exports have declined for the 2024 season, off the back of lower demand from China, which has been consistently decreasing its imports, according to new industry research. In its just-released Table Grape Update 2024, agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank said Australian exports of table grapes were down 19 per cent for the 2024 season.

Number 8 Bio has successfully raised $7 million in its seed round, marking a significant milestone in its mission to dramatically reduce methane emissions in the livestock sector. ARR.News asked some questions of Dr Tom Williams, CEO and Co-Founder of Number 8 about 90 per cent reductions in stock emissions and, goodness, even carbon negative cattle.

Bumble bees in Tasmania are being geared up with micro radio transmitters and cameras to help scientists uncover their environmental impact and crucial role in crop pollination. Delivered through Hort Innovation’s Frontiers investment program and led by Western Sydney University, the $3.3M initiative will produce a comprehensive large-scale study of the Buff-tailed Bumble bee.

Confidence has returned to Australia’s farming sector following a mid-year dip in sentiment, as more favourable livestock markets and beneficial rain in some cropping areas fuel renewed optimism. The quarter three Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey ... found sentiment among the country’s agricultural producers had rallied heading into spring, although farm sector confidence remained just shy of net ‘positive’ levels...

GrainGrowers has made it easier for growers to understand greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with the release of a report today that compares available carbon calculators.  GrainGrowers’ General Manager Major Projects and Thought Leadership, Sarah Hyland, said the report was designed to improve carbon literacy among grain growers.  

The live export of dairy heifers – particularly to China – has been a lucrative market for Australian dairy farmers in recent years, offering significant trade opportunities and attractive prices for dairy cattle. But with Chinese demand for dairy heifers waning … and trade risks around Australia’s live export policy, the future prospects for the sector are far less certain, according to a new industry report by Rabobank.

The Global Methane Budget 2024 ... highlights methane emissions from human activities have increased by 20 per cent in the past two decades.  Methane is one of three core greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. It lasts in the atmosphere for just a few decades, which is shorter when compared to its counterparts, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide.

Rural Bank’s Australian Agricultural Exports Report 2023/24 has found that the value of Australian agricultural exports fell by -8.5 per cent to $72.4 billion or $6.7 billion lower than the record high achieved in 2022/23. States with large cropping industries saw the most significant declines, with Western Australia, New South Wales and South Australia most impacted by the dip in this sector.

Researchers at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, are leading the five-year ‘Landscapes’ program, looking at the health and function of Australia’s natural and managed ecosystems.  Administered through the innovative TERN project (Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network), the team will deliver important soil and landscape environmental data to support sustainable ecosystem management.  

Australian agriculture is set to benefit this financial year, as the gross value of agricultural production is forecast to increase by 4 per cent. ​The ABARES Agricultural Commodities and Crop Reports show a significant growth in the sector, from $82.5 billion in 2023-24 to $86.2 billion in 2024-25.

Australia’s milk production continues to recover, as global supply is forecast to grow at a modest rate in the coming year, Rabobank says in its newly-released Global Dairy Quarterly. In the Q3 report, titled Market Narratives are Shifting, the global agribusiness bank says positive – though modest – milk supply growth is expected from the world’s major dairy-exporting regions through the remainder of 2024 and in 2025.

Acting President of Forestry Australia Dr Bill Jackson says the paper answers questions around active management - and how it relates to forest management - by stating that active management is principally about human engagement in shaping forests and is  deliberate tending of forests by humans for diverse purposes and goals relating to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services and function including resilience.