Rural

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Rural News

News

Euroa and Violet Town standpipes turned off

People will no longer be able to buy water from the Euroa and Violet Town standpipes. Goulburn Valley Water will temporarily close the pipes from Thursday, February 27, until further notice. The authority will use raw water instead of treated...

Country News
News

Colbinabbin silo art will be a movie star

The small town of Colbinabbin has hit the big time, with a German film crew to document the painting of its silos. German film company ARTE is shooting a documentary on Australian silo art, which will feature the development of the Colbinabbin Silo...

Jamieson Salter
Water

New water minister tours region

New Federal Water Minister Keith Pitt took a whirlwind tour of the region last week, including a boat trip along the Barmah Choke and a short stopover in Echuca.

Sophie Baldwin
Dairy

Murray Dairy holds seasonal workshop

Autumn is fast approaching and with this in mind, Murray Dairy recently held a ‘Progress with Less’ workshop in Kyabram. The workshop included a presentation from Luke Nagle from Advanced Agricultural Products and Systems who spoke about...

Sophie Baldwin
News

Winton solar farm construction commences

Construction on a new solar farm near Winton has started after the developer secured financing for the 85 MW project. The company behind the project is FRV Services Australia, a leading global developer of renewable energy projects, which is...

Simon Ruppert

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Dairy

Dairy

New year marks a new era for dairy industry

2020 will deliver a fairer go for the more than 5000 Australian dairy farmers who now have more sway with processors under the dairy industry’s Mandatory Code of Conduct.

Rodney Woods
Dairy

Kyabram the home of new milk processing factory

A new milk processing factory is coming to Kyabram, with the Kyabram Jam Company set to invest $40 million to $50 million to diversify the former SPC-owned IXL site.

Rodney Woods
Dairy

Coles reimburses milk suppliers

Supermarket giant Coles has been forced to pay $5 million to a group of farmers after accusations it short-changed them on a scheme to provide drought relief.

Geoff Adams
Dairy

Chinese company buys Lion dairy labels

The Chinese dairy heavyweight behind the $1.5 billion bid for organic infant formula maker Bellamy’s Australia has agreed to acquire another of Australia’s biggest dairy operations. China Mengniu Dairy will pay Japanese beverage giant Kirin...

Geoff Adams
Dairy

Farmer Power cools the pressure on Bridget McKenzie for now

Farmer lobby group Farmer Power is giving Federal Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie “the benefit of the doubt” over issues the group had with the mandatory dairy code of conduct, after meeting with the minister recently. The group’s chief...

Rodney Woods

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Horticulture

Horticulture

New podcast for horticultural growers

A new resource designed to arm horticultural growers with everything they need to grow their business has been released by Hort Innovation. The podcast series, titled Growing Matters, is now freely available to download or stream through Apple...

Rodney Woods
Horticulture

Automation the future of packhouses

A report written by 2018 Nuffield scholar Olabisi Oladele from Orrvale examined the business decision-making around automation in packhouses. Dr Oladele is a technical manager at Geoffrey Thompson Holdings in Shepparton, an apple and pear...

Country News
Horticulture

Cobram trials to stop Queensland fruit fly

Two million sterile Queensland fruit flies will be released near Cobram in an attempt to manage pest populations. Goulburn Murray Valley Regional Fruit Fly co-ordinator Ross Abberfield said the release of sterile flies over Cobram was an innovative...

Country News

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Cropping

Cropping

SunRice slashes jobs

The Federal Government must develop a “bail-out package” for SunRice. That’s the message from NSW Member for Murray Helen Dalton, following the announcement last week another 100 jobs would be lost from the Deniliquin and Leeton rice mills...

Zoe McMaugh
Cropping

Understand the effects of carryover herbicides

To help growers better understand the issues involved, the Grains Research and Development Corporation has produced a fact sheet: Rotational constraints for pulse crops following the use of aminopyralid, clopyralid and picloram herbicides

Rodney Woods
Cropping

Winter crop shrinks

Australia is facing the prospect of a winter crop of just 27.7 million tonnes — the smallest since 2007-08 — as ongoing severe drought conditions continue to take their toll on many of the nation’s main cropping regions, according...

Geoff Adams

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Livestock

Livestock

Red meat industry set to benefit from new pasture grass research

Australia’s red meat industry is set to benefit from new pasture grass research focused on increasing its production and profitability and helping to safeguard it in a changing climate. Agriculture Victoria research scientists have generated...

Rodney Woods
Livestock

Pay-as-you-go rental system for farming equipment

Australian farmers have a new, affordable way to access farm equipment. Ag-tech pioneer Mark Peart, from Toowoomba in southern Queensland, has released a pay-as-you-go platform called AGFIN. AGFIN is a model for farmers nationally to rent devices...

Jamieson Salter
Livestock

Lupin allowed into NSW to feed livestock

In a win for farmers, new biosecurity permits have opened lupin supply lines to feed livestock in drought-affected NSW. NSW DPI plant product integrity and standards manager Janine O’Donnell said access to new sources of lupin would help ease the...

Rodney Woods
Livestock

Beware of nitrate poising, southern Riverina farmer says

A southern Riverina farmer is putting the warning out to other farmers about the risks of nitrate poisoning. The farmer, who wishes to remain anonymous, said he lost 130 of his breeding cattle herd overnight in late February after they had grazed on...

Rodney Woods

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Water

Water

Irrigated farming faces more threats

Victoria’s irrigation industries and related communities seem to be ending 2019 with a potential threat of even more water leaving our agriculture. I sense Canberra and city-centric sympathy to adjusting water sharing in the Murray-Darling...

Country News
Water

Trading rules and constraints measures top of agenda at MinCo

Basin states have acknowledged concerns around foreign ownership and monopoly behaviour in the water markets and agreed to ask the ACCC to look at whether changes to trading rules are required and consider registration of brokers across state...

Rodney Woods
Water

MinCo meeting on today

An independent report commissioned by the Victorian and New South Wales governments has found a key element of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan has “a high chance of failure” if changes are not made.

Rodney Woods

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Management

Management

Rating system useful

DAIRY FARMERS seeking a way of assessing the agronomic performance or economic benefit of different rye-grass cultivars can use a rating system to determine the best choices for their property. Australian dairy farmers invest more than $100 million...

Dairy News
Management

Tips for autumn pasture

DURING SUMMER in south-eastern Australia, with limited rainfall on rain-fed areas of the farm, leaf emergence rates slow, pasture growth rates decline and there is increased grazing pressure on any irrigated areas of the farm. As a result, the...

Dairy News
Management

Committed to natural and sustainable farming

A DAIRY farming family’s decision to move away from perennial rye-grass to some new pasture species might be challenging convention, but it is certainly working for the Davis family from Cobden. Reggie and Tanya Davis along with their four...

Dairy News
Management

Getting started on pasture renovation

HOME-GROWN FEED on a dairy farm is most often the lowest-cost feed source. Repairing run-down and severely drought-affected dairy pastures is a high priority, but can be an expensive process. Planning your renovation program Start by assessing and...

Dairy News

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From The Experts

From the Experts

ABV release prompts sire review

The August release of Australian Breeding Values (ABVs) and the upcoming joining season will have dairy farmers around the country thinking about the next best sires to use over their herds. While breeding enthusiasts will delve into great detail...

Dairy News
From the Experts

Sires’ success is proven

THE DESIRE by ABS to make better cows faster has never been more evident than in the August ABV proofs, delivering top sires in both the Holstein genomic rankings and sires with Australian milking daughters. The success of the ABS genomic program is...

Dairy News
From the Experts

Scientists expand genetic horizons

Australia’s geneticists are leading the world in expanding the horizons of genetic selection of dairy cattle. WHAT DO you achieve if you take a team of clever geneticists, give them state-of-the-art research facilities and supply them with...

Dairy News

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Markets

Markets

Australian consumers and the value of premium products

With temperatures heating up, all eyes are on southern Australia’s harvest prospects. As northern parts of the country experience yet another failed harvest, the southern crop will be paramount for any potential impact on current feed costs. While...

Dairy News
Markets

Australian milk production continues to slide, while global markets present opportunities

THE 2018–19 season will most certainly be remembered as an exceptionally challenging season for the Australian dairy industry. Universally high feed costs, record high temporary irrigation water costs and widespread dry seasonal conditions have...

Sofia Omstedt
Markets

Rain will be key to cow value lift: agents

There’s opportunity in current cow values for those who have feed, according to a cow leasing and agricultural finance company boss. This comes as livestock agents continue to report tough selling conditions, as farmers in northern Victoria battle...

Dairy News

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Machinery & Products

Machinery & Products

New range of telehandlers

A NEW range of agricultural JCB Loadall telescopic handlers has been launched featuring increased lift performance, improved safety and driver comfort, and the all-new next-generation Command Plus cab, designed primarily with agricultural operators...

Dairy News
Machinery & Products

Versatile tractors now Trimble powered

VERSATILE TRACTORS Australia, a PFG Australia brand, has begun a new venture with Vantage NSW to offer Trimble Agriculture products on their Versatile range of tractors in the Australian market. Versatile Tractors are currently offered to the...

Dairy News
Machinery & Products

New focus for New Holland

It’s a new year and a new focus for New Holland Agriculture with the announcement of a new brand leader for the company’s Australian and New Zealand operations. Former managing director of Iveco Australia/New Zealand Bruce Healy, will take the...

Dairy News
Machinery & Products

Ag machinery companies join forces

Agriquip Machinery has signed an agreement to become part of LandHQ, a leader for John Deere Agricultural Machinery in the Sydney area. The two companies are passionate about serving the community and will combine their expertise to bring new...

Dairy News

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Animal Health

Animal Health

Do not forget your dry cows during heat stress

ALTHOUGH DAIRY producers are paying more attention to their milking cows during heat stress, many times they will not be aware of how heat stress during the dry cow period has a huge negative impact on the cow and her offspring. This implies...

Dairy News
Animal Health

Look out for cancer eye

The most common type of tumour or “cancer eye” in cattle is squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer eye is an invasive and rapidly spreading tumour and is economically important, representing 58 per cent of all cancers that result in condemnation of...

Dairy News
Animal Health

Heat strategies for summer

With the prospects of another long hot summer in front of us, what can you do to minimise the impacts on your cows? Heat stress can have a very significant impact on your dairy cows, and ultimately your farm income. Heat stress can: Reduce milk...

Dairy News
Animal Health

Nutrition counters stress

Every Australian dairy farmer knows the impact heat stress can have on their herd. New research has found feeding protected B vitamins can help improve reproduction and achieve higher milk production. Jefo Nutrition’s Hélène Leclerc said dairy...

Dairy News