Research

Australia is forecast to harvest a larger winter grain crop this year, with Rabobank estimating total volumes to reach 62.8 million tonnes in its just-released annual 2025/26 Australian Winter Crop Forecast.

Australia’s horticulture industry is set to benefit from a major innovation in weed management, announced ... at the Gatton AgTech Showcase. The Next generation weed management project - a three-part project being delivered by Applied Horticultural Research, Nufarm, and La Trobe University, and funded by Hort Innovation - aims to transform how growers tackle weed challenges...

Artificial Intelligence is part of the fourth industrial revolution. The previous three industrial revolutions turned rural life upside down and the fourth revolution will be no exception. The only difference will be in the scale and speed of change ... To make sure this is not a useless test, rural voters will have to actively work with politicians.

On a cotton farm near Emerald in central Queensland, something unusual is taking root. Among the cotton, mung beans and peanuts that typically fill the rotation, a small but mighty crop is showing its potential to change the face of Australian agriculture: sesame.

Australian beekeepers are being urged to share their experiences in the 2025 COLOSS Survey, as the industry faces rising costs and labour demands from Varroa destructor (Varroa) management. The 2024 Australian Colony Loss (COLOSS) Survey revealed that Varroa is costing the honey bee industry more than just dollars, with labour impacts also increasing.

As October arrives, so too does the first flush of mauve from Australia’s beloved jacaranda trees. I trace the jacaranda’s journey from the dry slopes of the Andes to its spectacular springtime display in towns like Grafton, where more than 1,700 trees transform the streets into rivers of purple. With the bloom set to reach its dazzling peak in just a fortnight, it’s the perfect moment to celebrate this fleeting spring spectacle.

An independent, NSW Government-commissioned study released in September 2025 has confirmed there is no evidence that selective timber harvesting harms koala populations in NSW’s North Coast forests. 

The Australian industrial hemp industry is rapidly evolving, supported by legislative reforms, growing consumer interest, and increasing research into hemp’s agronomic potential ... To address this knowledge gap, the Industrial Hemp Variety Trials (IHVT) were initiated to provide independent, regionally specific data on hemp variety performance.

Australia’s goat fibre industry is gaining momentum and there’s never been a better time to get involved. Whether you’re an experienced producer, run a mixed cropping farm business or just curious about what fibre goats could offer your enterprise, the Goat Fibre Gateway is a practical touchpoint to expand your industry knowledge and build networks.

Sarah Herrmann. Garfish, whiting and calamari stock assessment began in Gulf St Vincent last week, with the opposition calling the government's timing "sluggish". The state government announced a "rapid assessment of fish stocks and fisheries" on July 22 to measure the impact of the algal bloom, but more than two months later, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries Nicola Centofanti said there had been little evidence of a rapid response.

QUT has launched an $18 million upgrade to its Mackay-based QUT Pioneer BioPilot, transforming it into Australia’s leading pilot-scale fermentation facility and advancing Queensland’s ambition to become an Asia-Pacific biomanufacturing hub.

Tasmania has emerged as a "standout success story" in Australian agriculture, powered by a vibrant and varied farming sector which has experienced sustained and widespread growth in recent decades, according to a new report. In the report, Gearing up for mature growth in Tasmanian agriculture, agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank says agriculture remains the cornerstone of Tasmania’s economy...

...Crocodiles aren’t just an iconic part of the Northern Territory - they’re powering our economy too. A new report estimates the industry will contribute $151 million in 2025, supporting more than 300 jobs. The Economic Value of the Northern Territory’s Crocodile Industry ... outlines three growth scenarios that could see the industry’s contribution rise to between $176 million and $243 million by 2035.

A team of world-leading researchers from CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, are exploring if a small insect, the stem-boring weevil, Lixus caudiger, could hold the key to tackling flaxleaf fleabane; one of the most invasive and costly weeds in Australian grain production.

Australian researchers are delving into the secret life of bees in a quest to breed more resilient, productive and happy honey-makers. The nation’s first comprehensive honey bee genetic improvement program, Plan Bee, has delivered genetic tools to secure the future of beekeepers.

The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is seeking input from growers to shape investment in 'blue sky' research that could uncover the next game changer for the Australian grains industry. This engagement will build on the grower-informed priorities captured in the organisation's current, 5-year research, development and extension (RD&E) plan.

The Grains Research and Development Corporation thought it could settle the question of whether its budget was “right-sized.” Instead, it has lit a fire under growers. After a run of big harvests and strong prices, levy income has ballooned and reserves now sit at $688.4 million—up more than $100 million in a single year.

New research released ... by AUSVEG has for the first time quantified the cost and scope of the $213 million annual compliance, regulatory and red tape burden hampering the productivity and profitability of Australian vegetable growers, and threating the long-term viability of Australia’s vegetable industry.

Australians are renowned for their love of coffee. From the bustling laneways of Melbourne to beachside cafés in Byron Bay, the daily ritual of the flat white or long black has become woven into national culture. Collectively, Australians consume around six billion cups of coffee each year.

AI is not the future but already the present of agriculture. This creates an unexpected occupation for every farmer in Australia. This occupation is creating a culture of AI consumption in agriculture. Australian Consumer Law can help. So, let's go?

According to Avocados Australia’s latest “Facts at a Glance Report”, Australian avocado growers produced 131,385 tonnes of avocados for FY2024/25, valued at AUD$794 million* (Gross value of production (GVP)). Volume was slightly lower, but GVP was 22.34 per cent higher when compared to the previous period.

Agriculture investment is evolving globally. Once focused on farmland, today’s investors are targeting entire supply chains. Rising costs and flat land prices are pressuring returns, and the focus is shifting to yield, resilience and ESG-linked income.