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31 May 2005 | Parmalat stabilises profit
The operating profit of the Australian operations of dairy processor Parmalat Australia - which makes Paul's milk and Vaalia yoghurt - increased by two per cent in 2004 to $56 million, despite a steep rise in its interest bill. ...... FULL STORY
31 May 2005 | Bureau still expect a dry winter
Warmer than average water in the Pacific Ocean makes it likely dry conditions will continue in most of Australia’s agricultural belt this year, even if there is no actual ‘El Nino’ event. ...... FULL STORY
31 May 2005 | Soil temperature will soon be too cold for most grain
While timely rainfall gave grain growers in West Australia’s wheat belt a solid start to their season, farmers will find that soil temperatures in eastern Australia will soon be too cool to plant. ...... FULL STORY
31 May 2005 | Half of all farms qualify for drought relief
About 10,000 additional farmers are expected to be eligible to benefit from additional drought relief measures announced by the federal government. ...... FULL STORY
31 May 2005 | Grain receivals weak for ABB
ABB Grain said grain production in the 2004/05 season was well below average in South Australia and Victoria, with grain receivals into the storage and handling network of just 4.2 million tonnes... ...... FULL STORY
31 May 2005 | Farm subsidies minor by standards of Europe and North America
By international standards, Australian farmers receive little government support. ...... FULL STORY
31 May 2005 | More than one third of farmers expect conditions to worsen
Farmers are more pessimistic about the rural economy than they have been in almost three years. ...... FULL STORY
30 May 2005 | Kidman sells out of New South Wales
Cattle ranchers S Kidman & Co cattle will sell their mixed-enterprise property Kiargathur west of Condoblin on the Lachlan River. ...... FULL STORY
30 May 2005 | Waste water dream revived by Darling Downs farmers
A group of Darling Downs and Lockyer Valley farmers and Brisbane financiers are lobbying to revive an old plan to pipe waste water from Brisbane to Toowoomba. ...... FULL STORY
30 May 2005 | One farmer in eight qualifies for drought aid
The federal government is likely to relax the assets and income test on off-farm activities, providing access to drought relief for hundreds of farmers that do not qualify now. ...... FULL STORY
30 May 2005 | Farm deposit scheme more of a tax shelter than drought relief
Treasury and the Australian Taxation Office believe some farmers are using Farm Management Deposits Scheme – designed to help them ride out the drought - as a tax shelter. ...... FULL STORY
27 May 2005 | Barley may be a better bet than wheat this winter
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics said the drought was expected to result in lower wheat output this year, but warned the forecast was preliminary. ...... FULL STORY
27 May 2005 | Adequate rain allows AACo to increase breeding herd
Australian Agricultural Co said all but two of its 25 properties had received adequate rainfall this year and that it expected to achieve high prices for prime cattle. ...... FULL STORY
27 May 2005 | Graincrop’s winter receivals decline
GrainCorp said the dry summer and autumn pushed down grain receivals for the six months to March 2005 to nine million tonnes, from 11.1 million tonnes the previous year. ...... FULL STORY
27 May 2005 | McDonalds chips Tasmanian potato contracts
Fast food giant McDonald's will buy only half its potatoes from growers in Tasmania rather than buy all of its potatoes from Simplot’s growers in the state. ...... FULL STORY
27 May 2005 | Drought out deferred
The federal government will not announce additional drought relief measures until next week. ...... FULL STORY
26 May 2005 | Cotton prospects more promising
Australian cotton production is expected to increase by 70 per cent this season. ...... FULL STORY
26 May 2005 | Alpine grazing ban supported by Canberra
Victoria's mountain cattlemen may find little support in Canberra for a proposed heritage listing. ...... FULL STORY
26 May 2005 | Wheat starts well in the west
AWB said that Western Australia, which typically accounts for up to 45 per cent of Australian wheat production, had seen a very strong start to the growing season. ...... FULL STORY
26 May 2005 | AWB optimistic on winter wheat crop despite the dry
Agribusiness group AWB brushed aside chatter about the drought on the east coast, and said it expected an average wheat harvest and a full-year profit similar to last year's. ...... FULL STORY
25 May 2005 | Alpine grazing ban imposed
Victoria's government said it would not renew any licences for cattle grazing in the Alpine National Park. ...... FULL STORY
25 May 2005 | Grazing ban driven by science and politics
The scientific evidence on the damaging ways of cows on alpine pastures has been well documented for more than 50 years. ...... FULL STORY
25 May 2005 | Rice the worst water waster
A CSIRO study found that Australia's 2500 rice farms were found to be 200 times more water intensive than the average industry and to generate four times as much greenhouse gas. ...... FULL STORY
25 May 2005 | Government defends drought aid
The federal government rejected criticism that drought aid for farmers was business welfare. ...... FULL STORY
24 May 2005 | Credit quality in top condition despite the dry
National Australia Bank's general manager of agribusiness said non-performing loans in the agribusiness sector stood at a 15-year low of just a third of one per cent. ...... FULL STORY
24 May 2005 | A wet winter in the Great Southern
Farmers in the Great Southern are looking at their second wettest start to the season on record. ...... FULL STORY
24 May 2005 | Leave the land with dignity
Governments should stop "throwing money" at farmers and find a dignified way to get some to leave their properties, Professor Peter Cullen, a member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists that’s advised Cabinet on water reform. ...... FULL STORY
24 May 2005 | More financial assistance on the way for farmers
Federal cabinet is set to announce new drought relief measures that will include increased assistance and more flexibility. ...... FULL STORY
23 May 2005 | Winter outlook grim for south-eastern grain farmers
The Bureau of Meteorology says there is now a 60 to 65 per cent chance of below average winter rains across southern Australia this year. ...... FULL STORY
23 May 2005 | Cabinet may relax rules on drought assistance
The federal government is considering broader criteria for welfare payments and further interest rate subsidies for farmers. ...... FULL STORY
23 May 2005 | Anderson frets over the decline in farm numbers
Australia was in danger of finding it had too few farmers in a decade because conditions on the land during the current drought were so difficult, the deputy prime minister and National Party leader, John Anderson said. ...... FULL STORY
23 May 2005 | Wool demand slack even as prices creep higher
Wool prices have been rising in recent weeks, but The Woolmark Company says the rise is only due to currency fluctuations. ...... FULL STORY
23 May 2005 | Kiwis threaten WTO action over apple ban
Apple orchardists in New Zealand want their government to take Australia to the World Trade Organisation over Australia’s continued ban on apple imports. ...... FULL STORY
23 May 2005 | Farmers draw down cash reserves in December quarter
Farmers drew down for a second quarter in a row in late 2004 on their tax-advantaged cash reserves held as farm management deposits. ...... FULL STORY
20 May 2005 | NZ coop says costs must fall in Australian dairy industry
New Zealand dairy cooperative Fonterra said it may now seek to buy the NSW group Dairy Farmers. Fonterra tried but failed to buy National Foods. ...... FULL STORY
20 May 2005 | Farmers seeks cash grants rather than loans
Farmers are seeking individual cash grants of up to $100,000 for the worst hit farms, to stave off bankruptcy. ...... FULL STORY
19 May 2005 | Farm property values remain firm
The drought has slowed the level of interest in investment in rural properties, but prices have remained firm. ...... FULL STORY
19 May 2005 | Feds reconsider limits on drought assistance
The federal government said it would reconsider the cut-off point at which income from outside the farm would disqualify a farmer for drought assistance. ...... FULL STORY
19 May 2005 | Milk supplies insufficient to meet demand
Demand for milk is outstripping supply and there is no relief in sight for milk processors. ...... FULL STORY
18 May 2005 | Feds impose conditions of water funding
The federal government plans to tie $2 billion in payments to states to facilitate reinvestment in water and irrigation systems to reform of industrial relations laws. ...... FULL STORY
18 May 2005 | A warm and dry winter beckons
Only a small area of central Queensland can expect a wetter-than-average winter, according to the latest three month forecast prepared by the National Climate Centre. ...... FULL STORY
18 May 2005 | Government leans on banks over farm debt
The deputy prime minister John Anderson held private talks with the National Australia Bank and the Australian Bankers Association to convince financiers to keep bankrolling farmers through the worsening dry. ...... FULL STORY
18 May 2005 | Rain in central Queensland a boost for AACo
Australian Agricultural Company said its Wylarah station in Queensland – one of AACo's two properties affected by the drought – received 80 to 100 millimetres of rain in the past week... ...... FULL STORY
17 May 2005 | Drought cuts farm production but pushes prices higher
The drought is pushing up the price of lamb and beef, while the price of eggs and flowers may also rise if Victoria's drought continues. ...... FULL STORY
17 May 2005 | Some farmers face fourth year of drought
Farmers struggling with years of drought desperately need extra financial help from the government, the NSW Farmers' Association president says. ...... FULL STORY
16 May 2005 | Maintenance funds agreed for Eyre Peninsula rail
The Australian Railroad Group, ABB Grain Limited and local government agreed with the state government to invest $20 million in maintenance on the ageing rail network on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. ...... FULL STORY
16 May 2005 | NSW drought worse than 2002
Preliminary findings from a survey of 250 farmers conducted by the NSW Farmers Association suggests that 10 per cent have been refused credit assistance from the bank. ...... FULL STORY
16 May 2005 | Government forecasts return to normal conditions
The federal government has budgeted for a one third reduction in assistance for drought relief over the next four years, estimates the Cattle Council says either means the government expects wetter conditions soon, or... ...... FULL STORY
13 May 2005 | Dairy Farmers split supported
The NSW Farmers' Association said the restructuring of the Dairy Farmers milk processing cooperative would go a long way towards promoting a more efficient milk processing sector. ...... FULL STORY
13 May 2005 | Tax break extended for forestry schemes
Investors will continue to be able to claim tax deductions for any up-front subscriptions paid to a managed investment scheme that specialises in forestry plantations. ...... FULL STORY
12 May 2005 | Land clearing rules under review in Victoria
Farmers who clear a single hectare of bushland in Victoria may have to plant or protect up to 20 hectares of native vegetation on their land, under regulations under consideration by the Department of Sustainability and Environment. ...... FULL STORY
12 May 2005 | Roberts targets Ruralco
Tasmanian-based rural services group Roberts said it wanted to takeover NSW-based services provider Ruralco. ...... FULL STORY
12 May 2005 | Factory closures drive profit recovery for Dairy Farmers
The three plant closures and redundancies announced by the Dairy Farmers cooperative are expected to generate annual cost savings of $42 million, taking total cost savings announced by the co-op’s new managing director to more than $50 million a year... ...... FULL STORY
12 May 2005 | Beef herd likely to decline
The Australian Beef Association said it expects the national cattle herd to fall, a prediction contrary to forecasts of growth by Meat and Livestock Australia. ...... FULL STORY
12 May 2005 | Japan snaps on second tariff on beef
Australia's beef exporters face the imposition of a "snap-back" tariff for sales to Japan, a tariff triggered once foreign beef sales rise more than 17 per cent in a quarter. ...... FULL STORY
12 May 2005 | Landmark severs ties with Rabobank
Wheat exporter AWB severed a nine-year relationship between its Landmark subsidiary and Dutch financier Rabobank. ...... FULL STORY
11 May 2005 | Cane growers slow to call it quits
A year after the federal government announced a $444 million compensation package for the sugar industry, cane growers are slow in answering the call to quit the sector, and even leave the land, in exchange for government help. ...... FULL STORY
11 May 2005 | Shipping shortage may curtail sheep exports
A shortage of shipping means that live sheep exporters may have to curtail their trade with the Middle East. ...... FULL STORY
11 May 2005 | Water rights drive value for Queensland cattle station
A cattle station in western Queensland has a new owner – a coal company. ...... FULL STORY
10 May 2005 | Dairy Farmers shuts three regional factories
The Dairy Farmers milk processing cooperative will close three factories and cut 460 jobs. ...... FULL STORY
10 May 2005 | Cattle and sheep farmers facing a winter cull
The Meat and Livestock Corporation said some farmers in Victoria would have to start culling some of their cattle and sheep, unless they received rain in the next few weeks. ...... FULL STORY
10 May 2005 | Winter crops still feasible
There is still a window of opportunity to plan winter crops in western New South Wales, despite the lack of rain according to the Department of Agriculture. ...... FULL STORY
9 May 2005 | Timberland shuns Aussie wool
US retail chain Timberland said it would no longer stock product made with Australian grown wool, in another victory for the lobby group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. ...... FULL STORY
9 May 2005 | Milk prices firm
Australian milk production is tipped to be lower than last season, prices remain firm. ...... FULL STORY
9 May 2005 | Steel recycling offer
Thanks to soaring world steel and scrap prices, Smorgon Steel said it was becoming economic to recycle rusting steel abandoned in forgotten farm machinery. ...... FULL STORY
9 May 2005 | Many farmers consider leaving the land
The State Farmers Federation in South Australia said they feared there could be only a quarter of the present number of farmers left on the land within 20 years in light of the severe dry conditions. ...... FULL STORY
6 May 2005 | Saudi’s agree to resumption of sheep imports
Live sheep exports to Saudi Arabia will resume, following resolution of disputes that date back to the refusal in 2003 by a Saudi importer to accept a shipment transported on the carrier Cormo Express. ...... FULL STORY
6 May 2005 | Reduced wheat crop hurts GrainCorp
Grain handler and marketer GrainCorp downgraded its profit forecast for 2005 to between $10 million and $12 million, compared to earlier forecasts of $14 million to $16 million. ...... FULL STORY
6 May 2005 | Warm conditions prime wine crush
Wine producer Hardy Wine reported what it says is the largest grape crush in Australian history. ...... FULL STORY
5 May 2005 | April rain ensure strong start in WA wheat belt
A single deluge on April 1 appears to be sufficient for farmers in Western Australia’s wheat belt. ...... FULL STORY
5 May 2005 | Five-post bull bars ruled illegal
The Western Australian government will introduce regulations that will make “five-post” bull bars illegal. ...... FULL STORY
5 May 2005 | Weak demand takes top off fertiliser prices
Incitec Pivot, the dominant supplier of fertiliser in eastern Australian said sale volumes eased over the last six months, 1.16 million tonnes from 1.17 million tonnes in the corresponding period a year earlier. ...... FULL STORY
5 May 2005 | Mallee and northern Wimmera qualify for drought subsidies
About 2,300 farmers in Victoria's Mallee and northern Wimmera will be able to qualify for drought assistance, following a decision by the agriculture minister to include the two areas as eligible for an “exceptional circumstances” declaration. ...... FULL STORY
5 May 2005 | Milk production rises in Victoria
The late summer rains in Victoria in February and early March helped ensure a further rise in milk production in March. ...... FULL STORY
4 May 2005 | Wine producers spend up in export markets
The Australian Wine & Brandy Corporation said it would spend $10 million on a global marketing campaign in a bid to revive demand. ...... FULL STORY
4 May 2005 | Labelling laws may be relaxed on imported fresh food
Imported fresh food will no longer be subject to strict laws on country-of-origin labelling. ...... FULL STORY
4 May 2005 | Farmers fear consequences of the extended dry
Farmers say that without rain in the next three or four weeks, the upcoming winter harvest could be lost and vital pastures for livestock laid bare. ...... FULL STORY
3 May 2005 | Biotech firm trials salt tolerant wheat
Grain Biotech Australia will undertake the first field trial of genetically modified and salt tolerant wheat at Corrigin next month. ...... FULL STORY
3 May 2005 | Countryside bakes as monsoon fails
April was the hottest, and nearly driest, start to any year since records began in the 1800s. ...... FULL STORY
2 May 2005 | AWB already paid for disputed Iraq wheat shipment
Iraq’s grains board turns out to have been fibbing over claims it would withhold a $350 million payment because of a dispute over allegedly contaminated cargoes of Australian wheat. ...... FULL STORY
2 May 2005 | Saleyards in decline as retail chains buy direct
The traditional saleyard in a country town is in decline. According to PPB Rural and Agribusiness Services, the number of cattle sold through saleyards has fallen from 65 per cent of all sales 15 years ago to 45 per cent today. ...... FULL STORY
2 May 2005 | Lamb co-op looks to urban fringe for labour
Lamb exporter WAMMCO, a farmer-owned cooperative, said it was looking at doubling its processing capacity over the next three years. ...... FULL STORY
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