New South Wales regional councils are calling for urgent government investment in council-run childcare services following a parliamentary inquiry into the early childhood education sector.

The Australian Electoral Commission says the formal declaration of the Farrer by-election result is unlikely to occur until late May, with early counting indicating One Nation candidate David Farley has secured the seat.

New South Wales farmers are calling for urgent reforms to local government funding, warning deteriorating rural roads are placing pressure on regional communities and farm businesses.

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

The Australian Electoral Commission is encouraging voters in the Farrer electorate to plan ahead for the upcoming by-election, with a focus on reducing unnecessary travel.

A major new drought resilience research initiative for the horticulture sector has been launched in New South Wales, backed by nearly eight million dollars in Federal funding. The five-year project will focus on practical strategies to help producers manage increasingly variable climate conditions.

The Young Farmers Business Program will officially launch at the Sydney Royal Easter Show next week, targeting the next generation of agricultural leaders.

NSW Farmers is calling for urgent government intervention, following a high-level roundtable on the state’s escalating fuel crisis. The meeting, held earlier this week with senior ministers, heard firsthand accounts from rural producers facing tightening diesel supplies and rising costs.

Goat meat may be one of the world’s most widely consumed proteins, but in Australia it has long struggled to shake its niche status. In central west New South Wales, Jo and Craig Stewart from 'The Gourmet Goat Lady' have been working diligently to change that.

The Minns Labor Government has announced an expansion of drought assistance measures as dry conditions continue across southern and western New South Wales.

NSW Farmers has welcomed a parliamentary vote supporting the establishment of a Royal Commission into water management, describing it as a critical step towards restoring confidence in the system.

NSW Farmers has criticised the state government’s approach to feral pig control, saying recent culling efforts amount to little more than “bits of bacon” as pig numbers surge across regional New South Wales. The criticism follows reports that just over 53,000 feral pigs were culled by authorities in the past year — a figure NSW Farmers says barely dents a population estimated by farmers to be in the tens of millions.

The New South Wales Government has announced a $4.2 million expansion of shark safety measures, aimed at improving protection for swimmers and surfers this summer, following a spate of recent shark incidents off the state’s coast.

After a year of drought, flooding and limited summer rainfall, New South Wales farmers are entering 2026 facing continued seasonal pressure and policy uncertainty.

The New South Wales Government is progressing a major reform of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, proposing the most significant update to the state’s animal welfare laws in years.

NSW Farmers is urging shoppers to choose Australian-grown food this Christmas, as farming families continue to face climate extremes and mounting pressures on land and water.

Meat & Livestock Australia, in partnership with The Gourmet Goat Lady – a NSW business specialising in premium goatmeat products - has completed a successful proof-of-concept project to develop Australia’s first commercially approved goat salami. The initiative responds to growing consumer demand for premium deli meats and pork-free smallgoods, and was funded through the MLA Donor Company. The project secured NSW Food Authority approval confirming that salami can be produced

NSW Farmers is urging rural communities to prioritise mental health as drought in the state’s south and west and ongoing flood recovery along the coast place pressure on farming families. The organisation says worsening land-use conflicts are adding further strain.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is urging residents to remain alert for signs of avian influenza in poultry and wildlife. While Australia remains free of the H5N1 strain circulating overseas, authorities warn the disease could enter the country through migrating wild birds, particularly during spring.

NSW Farmers has told a state inquiry that better roads are the key to reducing the rising road toll in regional areas - not slower tucks. The organisation says farm workers are four times more likely to die on the nation’s roads than other drivers, with local councils facing a $3.4 billion backlog in road repairs.