Rural and remote Australians are being encouraged to speak with their local doctor about changes to memory, thinking or behaviour during Dementia Action Week.

GrainGrowers is calling for stronger fuel security measures ahead of a near-record harvest, warning disruptions could affect food production and freight across regional Australia.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has announced agriculture will be elevated back to a priority sector under the skilled visa processing system, after a recent slowdown left migrant applications facing lengthy delays and farmers across the country struggling to fill their workforce needs.

Grain Producers Australia and Operation Grain Harvest Assist are again recruiting former Australian Defence Force members to work on grain farms during the 2026 harvest.

The National Farmers’ Federation says a three-month processing timeframe for Working Holiday Maker visas will leave farmers struggling to secure workers ahead of harvest.

The Victorian Farmers Federation says a pause on compulsory land acquisitions for the Western Renewables Link should lead to a broader rethink of Victoria’s transmission rollout, including VNI West.

NSW Farmers says producers will be frustrated after a move to disallow regulations underpinning the state’s firearms buyback scheme failed to gain sufficient support in the NSW Parliament. The organisation says farmers have repeatedly raised concerns about the practical and financial impacts of the reforms, with firearms used for legitimate purposes including pest and feral animal control.

Grain Producers Australia has welcomed the Federal Government’s recent decision to prioritise migration for key industries including agriculture, but says concerns remain over labour shortages ahead of this year’s grain harvest, following a recent slowdown in Working Holiday visa processing.

A New South Wales business has been fined $375,000 after a worker suffered serious injuries while using a grain mill to prepare cattle feed.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator is urging motorists to take extra care around heavy vehicles during the school holidays, as more families and caravanners are expected to take to the roads over the break.

Hundreds of workers at the Whyalla Steelworks have had their jobs axed this week after the facility's administrators confirmed the permanent closure of its ageing blast furnace - the heart of the city's steelmaking operations. Steelworks administrator KordaMentha announced on Monday that further attempts to restart the more than 60-year-old furnace would be abandoned after repeated failures.

The latest global dairy industry outlook report from Rabobank suggests Australia’s dairy sector will continue growing through 2026-27, although at a more measured pace.

Grain Producers Australia is urging grain growers to strengthen farm biosecurity following detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in wild seabirds.

New data from Meat and Livestock Australia has revealed more than eight in 10 Australian beef producers have maintained their herd intentions, despite mixed seasonal conditions.

A virtual fencing trial in southern New South Wales is showing potential to improve livestock management and reduce reliance on traditional fencing.

The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine is urging people in regional communities to keep checking in on friends, family and neighbours, as recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows the suicide rate in remote and very remote Australia is almost two-and-a-half times that of major cities.

GrainGrowers is encouraging farmers to make use of free mental health resources, following new findings showing more than one in three Australian farmers are experiencing moderate to high psychological distress.

NSW Farmers is warning delays in Working Holiday Maker visa applications could leave farmers without the workers they need for the upcoming harvest. The organisation says grain growers have already made arrangements with international workers, but uncertainty over visa processing means some may not arrive when they are needed.

The Victorian Farmers Federation says almost half of Victoria’s roads are now in poor or very poor condition, following a damning report from the state’s Auditor-General.

Farmers are warning delays to Working Holiday Maker visas could leave regional businesses short of workers ahead of harvest.