Research

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.

A new round of a vineyard resting trial that enables red wine grape growers to save up to $2,000 per hectare in input, water, and management costs, has opened today. The new trial will provide growers additional time to make diverse business decisions as the state’s wine industry continues to experience an oversupply of red wine grapes, following challenging market conditions and changing global preferences.

Growing production in Australia’s ‘tree nut’ industry – as significant almond and macadamia orchards reach maturity over the next few years – will provide opportunities to meet growing international demand according to new industry research. In its just-released report, Australian Tree Nut Outlook – opportunities and risks in almonds and macadamias … Rabobank says Australia’s tree nut industry is currently in a "period of growth".

An insect species that evolved 130 million years ago is the inspiration for a  new research study  to improve navigation systems in drones, robots, and orbiting satellites. The dung beetle is the first known species to use the Milky Way at night to navigate, focusing on the constellation of stars as a reference point to roll balls of dung in a straight line away from their competitors.

Education and community awareness, removal of problem animals and exclusion areas are significantly more effective in reducing saltwater crocodile attacks in the Northern Territory than a widespread culling program to reduce crocodile numbers, according to a new study. The study outlined why culling the reptiles to reduce density was not a cost-effective, or efficient solution, in reducing crocodile attacks.  

An expected increase in global cotton supply in the 2024/25 season is weighing on prices for Australian producers, as export markets look to absorb large volumes from the US and Brazil, Rabobank says in a recently-released report. The agribusiness banking specialist says expectations are that world cotton stocks will rise in the coming season – largely driven by a recovery in production in the US and a potential record crop in Brazil.

Researchers warn the animals we eat could be the gateway for a pandemic in the form of antimicrobial resistance, unleashing a wave of deadly superbugs ... The researchers analysed this public health and food security challenge in the food animal industry in Southeast Asia for the International Journal of Food Science and Technology.

Researchers from the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) are taking the idea of "try before you buy" straight to the bank to make it easier for farmers to utilise ag tech. The $3.7 million research project … investigates how to better utilise existing and emerging ag technologies to improve drought resilience for grain farmers.

Judy Kennedy. Ticks; a tiny but mighty pain for the Australian beef industry, taking a $146 million-dollar bite out of the sector every year. But after more than 18 years research which began in the Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries (now QDAF), a vaccine is showing powerful potential to disrupt the life cycle of the cattle tick.

Australian researchers are peering into the future to prepare for tomorrow’s biggest biosecurity risks. ​The Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis (CEBRA) has developed forecasting models that analyse changing climates and international trade flows to determine which pests will hit Australia hardest over the coming decades.