Fruit fly eradication gets $30 million funding to build and manage national resilience
A vital plan to further build resilience into Australia’s fruit fly management has received a $30 million funding boost from the Federal Government. The funding will enable rural and regional communities to fight back against the impacts of fruit fly, a significant pest for our horticultural industries. Australia produces around $6.5 billion worth of crops […]
Call for a strong policy to save ag from billions in bushfire costs
A report from researchers at the University of Sydney and WWF Australia confirms what farmers already knew: the Black Summer bushfires inflicted huge damage on Australia’s agriculture sector. The Fire on the Farm report estimates agriculture lost between $4 billion and $5 billion due to the fires, which came at the tail end of a […]
Computer generated bushfire uses virtual reality to study responses
Virtual reality experiment shows most people living in high-risk fire zones are “woefully unprepared” Allowing people to “safely” experience a raging bushfire from a 3D headset has exposed some harsh truths about Australians living in high-risk fire zones: most are woefully unprepared. By replicating a computer-generated bushfire using virtual reality, University of South Australia researchers […]
Recent rain could push sheep prices up even further in 2022
The recent rain across much of Australia’s sheep country may see sheep prices rise even further, heading into 2022. According to ANZ’s latest Agri Commodity Report, the extra green clip as a result of the rain could not only see sheep gaining extra condition, but could substantially reduce feed costs for farmers. “Apart from those […]
High cattle prices have the potential to squeeze beef processors
The ongoing record levels of cattle prices could increasingly put pressure on meat processors heading into 2022. According to ANZ’s latest Agri Commodity Report, with the growth in cattle prices exceeding the rise in retail beef prices, margins for some of Australia’s meat processors could tighten considerably in coming months. “On their own, the high […]
Majority of Ag businesses need stronger cyber-security defences for IoT solutions
Research by Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, reveals most agricultural businesses face security challenges when deploying IoT solutions. Those surveyed said poor network security and internal data regulation and compliance requirements are their two biggest concerns, underlining the need for stronger cyber-security defences for their IoT solutions. The research also shows businesses […]
Fruit and vegetable prices pushed up by COVID disruptions
Increasing fruit and vegetable prices has been seen throughout the COVID period, with both sectors reflecting an increase in costs particularly associated with labour shortages. According to ANZ’s latest Agri Commodity Report, since just prior to COVID’s advent in 2020, retail vegetable prices have increased by over 8% – while fruit prices have actually fallen […]
Weather impact on grain crop could have been much worst
It’s a case of so near yet so far for some grain growers as weather events across the country have seen some uncertainty descend over what was forecast to be another stellar year for the sector. While grains prices continue to perform strongly in comparison to previous seasons, quality is becoming a big factor for […]
Soil management is aided by $13.8 million for over 200 soil extension activities
The final round of the Federal Government’s Smart Farms Small Grants program has now been finalised, with $13.8 million funding 32 grants and over 200 individual activities to improve soil health and soil management. Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia, David Littleproud said the grants will help farmers and land managers change the way they […]
PHA revamps online learning by offering three courses
Plant Health Australia (PHA) has recently revamped three online courses that now offer greater interactivity and designs to enhance the online learning experience. The three online courses, Plant Biosecurity in Australia, Pest Reporting and Responses (for Growers and Researchers) now have improved graphics and interactive elements such as pop-up text boxes and flip text boxes. […]