A grapevine virus known to affect plant growth and fruit quality has been detected in Australia for the first time. The Grapevine Berry Inner Necrosis Virus has been identified in vineyards in South Australia, Victoria and Queensland. Authorities say the virus has been found in both symptomatic and asymptomatic vines, with the full extent of its spread not yet known.

Grain Producers South Australia is calling on farmers to report increasing locust activity across key cropping regions. Sightings have been reported in the Riverland, Mallee, Eyre Peninsula, Flinders Ranges and Yorke Peninsula during early seeding operations.

Australian farmland values are expected to record modest growth in the year ahead, according to Rabobank’s latest Farmland Price Outlook.

Victoria’s official fire danger period will end at midnight on April 30, with the final restrictions lifting in Glenelg Shire.

Fruit fly detections in South Australia’s Riverland are continuing to decline, but authorities say the risk remains as seasonal conditions change.

Australia’s sheep and wool sector is entering a new phase of sustainability reporting, with fresh leadership appointed to guide the national framework.

Concerns are being raised that new road repair funding in Victoria will do little to address the worsening condition of regional transport networks. The Victorian Farmers Federation says the state government’s one-billion-dollar commitment largely keeps pace with inflation rather than tackling a growing maintenance backlog.

Rural organisations are urging regional households to review their emergency contact preparedness, warning gaps in understanding communications systems can delay critical help.

Victoria’s Country Fire Authority has welcomed a significant funding injection aimed at strengthening frontline emergency response. The State Government has committed more than 148 million dollars toward new vehicles, upgraded stations and improved equipment over the next decade.

South Australian motorists are being reminded to slow down near schools, after more than 1,100 drivers were caught breaching new 40 kilometre per hour school-zone limits. The figures come as students return for Term Two, with authorities urging greater awareness during peak drop-off and pick-up periods.

More people died on South Australian roads per capita than any other state in the first three months of 2026, leaving the state well off-track to meet its road safety targets, new analysis from the RAA reveals.

GrainGrowers is calling on the Federal Government to make national food security a priority in the May Budget, as global tensions drive up the cost of key farm inputs.

Farmers and regional communities in Victoria's North-West are once again pushing for the state and federal governments to finish the long-delayed Murray Basin Rail project and restore a direct freight link to key ports. Regional advocacy group Ouyen Inc has stepped up its campaign advocating for the project's completion ahead of the November state election, arguing the time is right to prioritise regional infrastructure and address a critical gap in the state’s freight netwo

Regional charity Rural Aid is warning of mounting mental health pressures across rural Australia, as conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt global fuel and fertiliser supplies.

Grain growers across Western Australia and South Australia are being urged to provide detailed evidence of mouse activity, as part of an emergency permit application for stronger bait.

SA Power Networks is urging farmers to prioritise safety following a sharp rise in incidents involving machinery and high-voltage infrastructure. Fifteen such incidents have already been recorded this year, including three in a single 24-hour period across regional South Australia last week.

Dairy farmers across South Australia and Victoria are shelving infrastructure projects as the cost of poly and PVC piping surges by up to 60 per cent. The increases, driven largely by rising global oil prices, are placing additional strain on producers already managing drought and broader inflation pressures.

A recent fire at a Victorian refinery has renewed concerns about Australia’s fuel security, with Grain Producers Australia warning it highlights ongoing exposure in key supply chains.

The Federal Government has announced changes to streamline fertiliser imports in an effort to improve supply and reduce costs for Australian farmers, while maintaining biosecurity protections.

Australia’s horticulture sector is set to gain improved access to crop protection tools, following new funding under the Australian Government’s AgVet Access Grants program.