Farmers Challenged with Fire Risks like a ‘Time Bomb’ Farmers have been warned to be fire-ready due to widespread rain and hot weather in several parts of the country. Heavy fuel loads combined with high temperatures, according to National Farmers’ Federation President Tony Mahar, entail greater fire danger. Despite the extensive rain, a few hot, […]
South Australia Eradicates Fruit Fly Outbreaks The state’s $1.3 billion agricultural sector has been relieved of fears after a series of Mediterranean fruit fly infestations were eradicated across metropolitan Adelaide. After a successful two-year operation involving 350 personnel who visited 177,000 homes and properties and released 677 million sterile flies, restrictions on the transit of […]
Clonal Trees Help Meet Demand for Avocados Australian technology is rethinking the avocado business at a nursery in the distant regions of Northern NSW. Scientists have been collaborating with the Anderson Horticulture nursery and many other avocado farmers for the past six years to develop tissue-culture-based avocado clonal plants. The nursery has now been awarded […]
Wine Inventory Soars Following Record Vintage Following a record vintage and a drop in overall sales, wine stockpiles are at their peak point in 15 years. According to Wine Australia’s Wine Production, Sales, and Inventory Report, the national wine inventory levels for the 2020-21 financial years were the highest since 2005-06. After a record-sized vintage […]
Tearless Onions Go on Sale Chefs, cooks, parents, and anyone with a kitchen will be able to purchase “tearless” onions in the UK starting next week, in a world first. According to Waitrose, the Sunion onion is good for those with sensitive eyes and for cooking with children because of its mild flavour, which makes […]
Extreme Flood Reminds Australia of the 2019 Monsoonal Floods After the 155 mm of rainfall between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning in western Queensland, flooding occurred and many highways were shutdown. One grazer in the north-west is concerned that the downpour may lead to a rerun of the 2019 monsoonal floods. Deborah Smith of Limbri Downs reports […]
Heated Debate Rages on about Solar Panel Farms As the number of solar farms in Australia grows, so does the controversy over heavy metals in solar panels and the difficulty of recycling them. Lynette LaBlack, a farmer in the Riverina region of southern New South Wales, has been questioning everyone who will listen with uncomfortable questions. […]
Contamination Fears Suspected in Eight Butter Products Eight butter-based products sold in stores around the country are being recalled due to contamination concerns. Saputo Dairy Australia has issued a recall for certain Devondale and Woolworths butter and butter blend products, owing to possible microbiological contamination. This refers to the contamination of pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, or […]
Grant Approved for Flood Affected Farmers in NSW and QLD Farmers in NSW and Queensland may now apply for up to $50,000 in incentives to help them rescue damaged crops and livestock, rebuild fences, and replace machinery. The funds are co-funded by the state and federal governments to aid agriculture’s recovery from the November floods. […]
Australia Offers Visa Refund Fee to Attract Student Backpackers The federal government would grant a fee reimbursement to any student or backpacker who returns to Australia in the coming months in an effort to support a variety of businesses battling workforce shortages. The charge, which is roughly $600, will be waived for international students arriving within the next […]
The Farming Community Orders their own RATs Victoria’s top farming advocacy group has teamed up with Fruit Growers Victoria and Food and Fibre Gippsland to provide members with direct access to fast antigen tests. Expressions of interest in procuring the testing kits are extremely rampant, according to VFF president Emma Germano. Food and Fibre Gippsland, […]
$163 Million Reef Plan Announced During North Queensland Tour With a federal election on the horizon, opposition party leader Anthony Albanese recently toured Queensland’s north and far north in an attempt to sway voters. While much of his focus was on COVID, the Great Barrier Reef, and the tourist industry, he did speak with farmers in Tully […]
Aldi Tops the List for Best Organic Fresh Produce Australians appear to prefer the fruit and vegetable selections of a major German supermarket chain. For Supermarket Fruits & Vegetables, Aldi won the Canstar Blue Most Satisfied Customers honours in 2021. It also chose the ward because of its organic items. Canstar Blue is a consumer […]
Staff Shortages Rattle the Agricultural Domain Consumers should be aware that there is no shortage of fresh food in Australia. However, there is a labour shortage across the production chain. Catherine Velisha, managing director of Velisha Farms, said that half of the employees at the company’s packaging factory were quarantined after testing positive for COVID-19 or […]
Australia Ramps up Attempts to Fight Weeds and Pests Pest and weed control will cost around $40 million in federal and state funds, with the goal of reducing the influence on agriculture and the environment. Weeds are the most costly category of agricultural pests. Worldwide, weeds cause more yield loss and add more to farmers’ […]
AusMac 2022 Postponed Due to COVID Fears The national macadamia conference, AusMac 2022, has been postponed due to concerns over the growing COVID situation in Queensland. The event was originally slated for February at the Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast but has been rescheduled for November 7 to 9 at the same location. […]
Irrigation in Australia: The Complete Picture Irrigation covers only 5% of Australia’s tilled agricultural land but delivers 30% of total agricultural output. Agriculture utilises 50-70 percent of Australia’s annual water use, with irrigation accounting for 90 percent of that. Regulations and licences govern the vast bulk of irrigated water use. Irrigators require a permit to […]
Agricultural Domain to Define ‘Close Contact’ According to a proposal being discussed by the national cabinet, only people who reside with a confirmed COVID-19 case would be listed as close contacts. Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared Omicron had ushered forth a “new phase” in Australia’s fight against COVID-19, and the federal government will subsidise quick antigen […]
mRNA Vaccine Capacity Steps Up By the first quarter of 2022, Victorian scientists hope to have perfected Australia’s first mRNA vaccine. The vaccine was produced over a five-month period by Monash University researchers, and phase one clinical trials are set to begin in January, according to Victorian Medical Research Minister Jaala Pulford. The reports are […]
New Herbicide Fuels Excitement in Australia The trial results for BAYER’s soon-to-be-released herbicide Mateno are optimistic. Along with pyroxasulfone and diflufenican, the medicine will include aclonifen, a method of action that is new to Australia. The three modes of action would target various root and shoot zones, according to Rick Horbury, Bayer Australia’s head of […]
