Agriculture

Farmers can now apply for mouse bait rebates. NSW Farmers is encouraging farmers to apply now for mouse bait rebates of up to $10,000 per farm business through the Rural Assistance Authority website. Applications for the rebate opened today with a total of $95 million available to assist farmers with

New investment and sustainability awareness drive beef industry innovation. An injection of new investor interest in the livestock sector coupled with increasing awareness of the need to improve sustainability is driving innovation in the global beef industry. In its recently-released Beef Quarterly Q1 2021 – New Drivers in Cattle Innovation,

Australian agriculture looking to profitable year ahead – industry outlook. Australia’s agricultural sector is set to enjoy an overall profitable year ahead – underpinned by high commodity prices, positive seasonal conditions and low interest rates, and despite expected continuing trade tensions with China. In its flagship annual Agribusiness Outlook for

Global fertiliser price outlook positive news for Australian growers. Affordable fertiliser prices helped support Australian agricultural producers’ profits through the 2020/21 winter cropping season. And a plentiful global fertiliser supply – along with stable currency outlook – spells further good news for growers in the year ahead. In its latest

Australian farmers, and the communities where they live, face negative environmental, economic and social consequences if the Federal Government’s plans for a ‘gas-led recovery’ go ahead, new analysis commissioned by Farmers for Climate Action has found. The briefing paper, written by the Australian Farm Institute, found that while gas expansion

Farmers say the state government’s Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap will create a more resilient, productive, and prosperous agriculture sector.   NSW Energy Minister Matt Kean announced a clean energy transition roadmap that aims to create an estimated 6300 construction jobs with 2800 ongoing in regional NSW. The state’s Energy Infrastructure Roadmap

We’re back! Australia on track for above-average winter crop. Australia is on track for a major recovery in grain production, with the winter harvest set to come in at above-average levels. In its Australian Winter Crop Production Outlook 2020/2021, agribusiness Rabobank said that after three successive years of below-average production

A symbol of the show spirit on display throughout October. 2020 has seen the cancellation of many of NSW’s 192 agricultural shows, but the President of the Agricultural Societies Council of New South Wales says the show spirit is still alive and well. The sad old no-show scarecrow at Leeton

Partnership strengthens between the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) and farmers across NSW. The fire season is expected to see an increased threat from grass fires due to wetter and warmer than average conditions. The NSW RFS and NSW Farmers have combined to better protect farming communities. Grass fires can

Better understanding of climate risk could save farmers on interest. Monash Business School researchers found US-based food industry borrowers in high drought-prone areas incurred higher interest rates compared to those in low drought-prone areas. Banks with better understanding of drought risk charged a lower risk premium. Policymakers in Australia and

National farmer confidence declines as COVID and international market concerns grow. Good winter rainfall across much of the country – signalling a turnaround from drought for many regions – hasn’t been enough to arrest a slide in Australian rural confidence as the sector grapples with concerns about COVID-19, overseas trade

Seasonal turnaround sustains NSW farmer confidence amid COVID-19 uncertainty. Exceptional seasonal conditions throughout New South Wales continue to underpin solid business confidence among the state’s farmers. This is despite increased concern about the impact of COVID-19 on trade and commodity prices. The survey results, released today, reveal confidence among NSW

Farmers are concerned by large price drops in the sheepmeat and goat industries. Critical Victorian processing plants have been forced to close or operate below capacity amid Covid-19 restrictions, contributing to softening returns for farmers. NSW Farmers President James Jackson said this change comes at a critical stage for NSW

Alex Mitchell has been appointed to the position of General Manager, NASAA Organic, by the Board of the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia (NASAA). NASAA Chair, Glenn Schaube, said the Board welcomed Alex to the NASAA Organic Team. Alex comes from long involvement in the organic sector, being known

Recent strengthening in China’s economy should be good news for Australian dairy exporters ~ China-based dairy sector expert. In his recent assessment which looked at the critical role China’s economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic will have on Australian dairy commodity and farm-gate prices in the months ahead, Rabobank Shanghai-based

NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has released the Grapevine Management Guide for 2020-2021. DPI Development Officer Viticulture, Darren Fahey said the guide provides articles on grapevine diseases, vine nutrition, vineyard management and wine research. Growers are also informed on the current projects being conducted at the National Wine and

Global grains markets look to Australia to fill impending European export shortfall. Global grains markets look to Australia to offset a poor European harvest hit by drought, an international grains strategist has told local growers. Rabobank London-based global grains and oilseeds strategist Stefan Vogel, speaking on the bank’s Australian Grain