Agriculture

Up to 100,000 undocumented farm workers would be given a pass to stay in Australia under recommendations made to the Morrison government.

The full extent of South Australia's fruit fly problem won't be known until after the winter, a Riverland MP says as the Labor Opposition claims the Minister responsible isn't up to the job.

A freezing winter in the United States of America and drought in some wheat-growing areas could cause significant damage to the nation's wheat crop - a tragedy for American farmers, but a market opportunity for Australian farmers with a bumper crop already in the silo.

Every week, FlowNews24 brings you the latest data from our sources across livestock, wool and other sectors consolidated in one place for our listening audience. Flow FM's Wayne Phillips wraps the farmgate data on his Morning Show on Fridays from 9am.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data out on Wednesday morning showed another strong quarter for Australian economic growth, with a booming farming sector doing the heavy lifting.

NSW is lifting its ban on genetically modified crops, in a move expected to deliver a multi-billion-dollar boost to primary industry.

Australian farming is on the rebound thanks to record winter crops and breaking drought in western NSW and Queensland - however commodity price projections are mixed, with wool prices on the biggest rebound and a negative projection for beef and veal.

Meat & Livestock Australia has released market reports from the Corowa and Wagga saleyards, reporting lower yardings as producers left their stock in the paddock with abundant feed.

It's fox and wild dog season again from 1 March in Victoria, after 2020's pest control season yielded 9,799 fox scalps and 417 wild dog body parts from 1062 hunters

Australian wool and other fibre prices continue their bull run since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, almost back to the July 2018 levels when prices began to fall.

The recent rains and mild summer in some parts of Victoria has seen the germination and growth of the noxious weed serrated tussock.

The latest price and stock numbers are in from Meat and Livestock Australia's beancounters for cattle and sheep across Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales.

The Victorian government will pay $5,000 towards farm safety upgrades through grants available until 31 December.

Australian agriculture continues to be a standout performer, ABARES reported on Thursday, also demonstrating the heavy reliance farmers have on export markets and some important home truths for China on subsidies to our farmers.

The environmental impacts of eradicating dingoes from the landscape are visible from space, a new study shows, as scientists suggest Australia's tri-state dog fence should be removed. As Victoria considers reintroducing wild dogs in the state's west, the Nationals leader has hit back at the implication that wild dogs and livestock farming could co-exist.

The latest MLA data shows a small slip in cattle prices but continued strength compared with a year ago, while lamb prices trail last year's figures.

Reduced export expectations for the USA and China, and Russia's taxes restricting their output, spells positive news for Australia's grain exporters, the latest ANZ commodity predictions said on Wednesday.

The latest data from Meat and Livestock Australia shows livestock prices are continuing their strong run in the FlowFM broadcast areas, while over 25,000 sheep were sold in Naracoorte, Mount Gambier, Dublin and Horsham saleyards on Tuesday and Thursday.

From automation, genetics, and synthetics to global power struggles and tariff threats, the CSIRO and ABARES have put their heads together to lay out five 'megatrends' farmers need to consider as the nation thinks longer term about agriculture.

The Cattle Council of Australia has hit back at criticism of beef as a major contributor to Australia's greenhouse gas emissions, posting data demonstrating that the energy and transport sectors are, by some magnitude, far higher contributors.

Regional Australia has a one in 100-year opportunity to achieve a brighter and more prosperous future for the bush, a National Farmers' Federation-led Regionalisation Agenda paper claimed on Tuesday.

South Australian authorities have issued an urgent recall for produce from Victoria found to be infected with fruit fly larvae that could threaten SA's $1.3billion horticulture industry. The discovery has not been classified as an outbreak as swift recall has hopefully contained the situation.

The National Farmers Federation has decried a lack of capital for farm growth in Australia, as FlowNews24 releases information from the federal government's Regional Investment Corporation on its state-by-state lending to farmers.

New biosecurity legislation will give courts access to higher penalties that reflect the true seriousness of non-compliance — new maximum penalty is $1.11 million.

Citrus SA's Mark Doecke took a break from spraying his crop to talk with Jason Regan on Country Viewpoint about his industry's work with South Australian government to bring Pacific Island workers in from low-risk covid-safe countries to harvest their crops. Mr Doecke said that SA alone needed at least 1000 Pacific Island workers. He also addressed the perpetual challenge of getting Australian citizens to do work on farms.

The latest Meat and Livestock Australia data published on Thursday shows that beef and sheepmeat sectors are facing increased supplies as drought-affected farms improve output, while beef exports and slaughter are off to sluggish starts in 2021. However, the mid-term outlook is for strong export market opportunities.

The citrus season will be upon fruit growers fast enough, with growers concerned about a shortage of workers. The situation will be worse if governments can not settle how to ensure enough workers are available from home and abroad to pick the fruit.

Water NSW has declared that the water allocation for irrigators in the NSW Murray will rise from 46% to 50% - however, it comes with a catch.

The Victorian government's plans to require farmers to have a licence to use manure has the state Opposition up in arms. Shadow Treasurer and Member for Ripon Louise Staley says the Andrews Labor Government's plan to proceed with plans to classify animal manure as industrial waste is another blow for farmers.

ABARES reports that Australia is on track to lodge its 2nd biggest winter harvest ever in 2020-21, with a surge ahead of expectations coming from better production from New South Wales and Western Australia

Karoonda Farm Fair & Show, the Mallee’s biggest annual event is back – 9th and 10th April 2021.

Friday 12 February presents as a big day for fruit and vegetable producers, with the Australia-NZ health rating body determining whether it will downgrade fruit juice to a 2½ star rating due to its natural sugar content.

The NAB have painted for Australian farmers a similar rosy forecast to that highlighted by Rabobank late last month.

South Australia has committed $25 million to restore 400km of its section of a national 5,400km Dog Fence spanning SA, New South Wales and Queensland to prevent dingoes and feral dogs attacking livestock.

As national horticulture crop losses tick past the $40 million mark on the National Lost Crop Register, the National Farmers Federation shares stories of the raw challenges farmers face due to politicking over importing workers to harvest the crops.

A series of Livestock Ag Technology Expos will get underway across regional South Australia this month.

Viterra's receival sites across SA continued taking in product from the state's producers as harvest winds down for season 2020/21.

Kangaroos aren’t typically considered a threat to Australian vegetation however the results of a new study may change that perception.

The federal government's Regional Investment Corporation has slashed interest rates to 1.77%, the lowest rate in its 2½ year history. The RIC supports drought-affected farmers and those looking to refinance in hardship or make a start in farming.