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Important koala population discovered in Kosciuszko National Park: Griffin

Evidence of an important koala population in Kosciuszko National Park has been revealed by new surveys ... conducted in November 2021 and February 2022 that recorded male koalas at 14 sites within the park’s Byadbo Wilderness Area. “This is good news because until these recent surveys, there had only been 16 recorded sightings of koalas in Kosciuszko in more than 80 years,” Mr Griffin said ... ARR.News asks some questions of the Minister.

Gene bank strengthens global agricultural efforts in a changing climate

A new state of the art gene bank has been opened in Morocco by the  International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). Gene banks play a crucial role in providing the materials required by researchers and global breeding programs to develop high yielding, resilient and climate adapted crops.

The 39th at Kokoda

Warwick O'Neill. Imagine you’re a young 20 year old bloke. You’ve just struggled across sixty miles of some of the toughest terrain on earth. You’ve had bugger all training, your weapons are obsolete because you’re “just Militia” and all the best stuff is being used by the Second AIF in North Africa. But here you are on the pointy end of the attempt to defend Australia from direct attack.

Sand slug choking the Murray River could impact water delivery within 10 years: MDBA

Delegates at the River reflections annual water conference today heard about the impacts of the massive sand slug in the Barmah-Millewa reach of the Murray River and the consequences to water users, the environment and local community if no action is taken to address it.

‘Hopes for a hat trick’ – forecast record Australian winter crop planting sees potential for third consecutive bumper harvest: Rabobank

Australia is laying the groundwork for a third consecutive bumper harvest, with this year’s total planted crop area forecast to reach a record 23.83 million hectares, Rabobank says in its just-released 2022/23 Winter Crop Outlook ... Locally, the bank says, “hopes are on” another large winter crop to allow Australian farmers to secure good margins in the face of high costs for inputs including fertiliser, fuel, freight and agrochemicals.

First battle of El Alamein: Australia holds the line

Fergus O'Sullivan, History Guild. The North African campaigns of WW2 were two years of back and forth action across Libya and Egypt ... When the end eventually came to this seesaw action at El Alamein in 1942, again it was Australians were integral to carrying the day. In this article we’ll see this pivotal battle through the eyes of veterans from rural and regional Australia.

Project Kingfish

Loved for both their great taste and awesome sport fishing, the yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) is one of Australia’s most economically important fish species. Despite their importance, little is known about the species’ large-scale movements, fine-scale population structure or behaviours ... Project Kingfish aims to deploy satellite transmitters on mature-sized kingfish across the NSW east coast and key offshore habitats such as the Lord Howe Island Marine Park to gain further insights ...

Tracking the impact of plastics

Dr Jennifer Lavers. Since 2007, the Adrift Lab research team based in Tasmania has been fortunate to visit Lord Howe Island in Apr/May to study plastics ingested by two mutton-bird species, Wedge-tailed and Flesh-footed Shearwaters. The database contains a wealth of information on the origin of items (e.g., bottle caps, balloon clips) and amount consumed by each bird species. Over time, it’s become one of the longest-running plastic monitoring programs in the world (certainly in the Southern Hemisphere).

Opportunities and risks for Australian agriculture amid global volatility

Ongoing inflationary pressures, a weaker global economic outlook and the prospect of a wet winter across many production regions of Australia is causing volatility for the agriculture sector... NAB Senior Agribusiness Economist, Phin Ziebell, said Australian agriculture was facing a number of opportunities and risks as a result of current global conditions.

Queensland signs bioeconomy partnership with German Government

The Joint Declaration of Intent for Cooperation in Bioeconomy was signed by Queensland Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick and German Federal Minister of Education and Research Bettina Stark-Watzinger. Bioeconomies are an emerging model for government and business, with a greater focus on sustainably using renewable biological resources to produce food, energy and industrial goods.

Listen to the call of the Albert’s Lyrebird this June

Citizen scientists are once again being called upon to help record the call of the rare Albert’s Lyrebird to map and protect this vulnerable bird ... Data from the 2019, 2020 and 2021 winter calling seasons has been collected from sites at Mount Nullum and Numinbah near the NSW/Qld border.

WICC sets sights on net zero with biochar plan

Shaun Ossinger, Patricia Gill. A Wilson Inlet Catchment Committee project, Green waste towards net zero, will target the conversion of Denmark’s green waste into biochar ... Instead of burning the green waste at Denmark’s Waste Transfer Station or transporting it to Albany’s Hanrahan Road tip, WICC is seeking solutions that benefit farmers and the community.

Review of prescribed burning and wildfire burning across Australia: John O’Donnell

John O'Donnell discusses the significance of a graph showing areas burnt by bushfire and by prescribed burning across Australia since 1960.

Desperately seeking big policy ideas for our smallest youngest people

A Charles Sturt University early childhood education expert asks where in the 2022 election campaign is the commitment to big investment and to big policy ideas that ensure free and accessible early childhood education for the long-term? Dr Leanne Gibbs tells ARR.News how the challenges in workforce supply and retention in the ECE sector are even greater in rural, regional and remote areas within Australia.

The koala, unlike science, is in absolutely no danger of extinction: a case study from NSW’s north coast

Vic Jurskis discusses data from historical reports and field surveys and concludes that koalas are in no danger of extinction. ARR.News asked some further questions of Vic.

Koalas: How threatened? Threatened how?

The Australian Rural & Regional News webinar held on 21 April 2022 is now available for public viewing.

Rabobank commentary and report: May 2022 WASDE ‘Outlook on 2022/23 global grain and oilseeds market prospects’

The outlook shows 2022/23 may be the first year since 2012/13 in which the world has to consume less grain than the previous year – due to high prices and low supply, says Rabobank senior commodities analyst Cheryl Kalisch Gordon.   “This is forecast to be a drop of only 0.1%, but that compares to average annual growth of 2.1% over the past decade,” she said.

The effects of biochar feed supplementation on GHG emissions and cattle liveweight gain: is it worthwhile?

Nicoli Barnes, UTas. It has been suggested that biochar improves animal health and liveweight gain. It has also been suggested that biochar reduces enteric methane and, by increasing carbon content in the manure, may improve soil carbon over time. Together these effects would theoretically reduce whole farm emissions. In an MLA-funded research programme, we are testing this theory using in a farm experiment near Deloraine, Tasmania.

Australian wineries and vineyards moving ahead in the transition to net zero emissions and to tackle climate change

Sustainable Winegrowing Australia has released its inaugural Impact Report detailing the wide range of sustainable practices being successfully implemented by vineyards and wineries across Australia. The report outlines the program’s first national data set and the significant steps being taken towards net zero emissions for the sector, with 100% of members measuring and reporting their scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions.

The McGowan logic – sustainable native forest logging not environmentally acceptable, but widespread clearing of the jarrah for bauxite is: Robert Onfray

Robert Onfray gives an in depth examination of bauxite mining in Western Australia, its impacts on the jarrah forests, ineffective anti- mining protests and questions the McGowan government's decision to end native forest logging but support bauxite mining.

Agricultural research cut

Gabrielle Duykers. Localised farm trials in the Limestone Coast and western Victoria will be significantly reduced after a research and innovation body chose to reprioritise its spending ... Historically, the Mackillop Farm Management Group (MFMG) used funds from its members to conduct variety trials in areas throughout the region where there are either no National Variety Trial sites, where nearby trial sites have different growing conditions to those on members' farms, or to conduct specific cropping trials as selected by the committee. Earlier this month the group announced it would cease funding these trials indefinitely, citing rising running and management costs.

New tool helps grain growers preserve beneficial insects on farm

A critical new tool will help Australian grain growers understand what pesticides to select to preserve ‘beneficial’ insects that play a critical role in pest management in the paddock.

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