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31 Mar 2006 | Plantation company pays top dollar for cattle station
Perth-based Great Southern Plantations will pay $30 million for the historic cattle station Moola Bulla near Halls Creek. ...... FULL STORY
31 Mar 2006 | Sugar Mill may not reopen
Queensland’s oldest sugar mill Mourilyan Mill, just south of Innisfail will not reopen this year after extensive damage from Cyclone Larry. ...... FULL STORY
31 Mar 2006 | Infrastructure projects not enough to meet water targets
The Victorian Farmers Federation says towns will close if the government buys back water from irrigators for the environment and the cities. ...... FULL STORY
30 Mar 2006 | Crime affects almost one in five farms
Seventeen per cent of farms experienced farm crime at least once in 2003 according to the Australian Institute of Criminology. ...... FULL STORY
30 Mar 2006 | Banana prices on the rise
Ten days after Cyclone Larry, retail banana prices are edging up toward nine dollars a kilo. ...... FULL STORY
30 Mar 2006 | Iraq agrees to buy non-AWB wheat
Iraq has agreed to buy 500,000 tonnes of wheat from the Wheat Australia consortium for $270 tonne in a deal worth a total of $134 million. ...... FULL STORY
29 Mar 2006 | Mad cow disease on the decline
There has been an annual 50 per cent decline globally in cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) over the past three years says the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. ...... FULL STORY
29 Mar 2006 | Bendigo irrigators to get pressurised water
Three hundred kilometers of irrigation channels in the Bendigo region will be replaced by pressurized water pipes over the next fifteen years said Coliban Water. ...... FULL STORY
29 Mar 2006 | Grains trio retrieve some wheat sales to Iraq
Iraq's grain board said it agreed to buy 500,000 tonnes of wheat from Australian firms in a deal worth around $134 million to complete a tender issued in January. ...... FULL STORY
29 Mar 2006 | SFE / ASX merger expected to be positive for farmers
The proposed merger of the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) and the Sydney Futures Exchange (SFE) is expected to see the creation of a single agriculture derivative market, offering cattle, wool and grain derivatives. ...... FULL STORY
28 Mar 2006 | AACo expands Wagyu herd
Westholme Wagyu is selling its Wagyu beef business to the Australian Agricultural Company with a $1 million deal to buy 130 head of full blood wagyu bulls with an option to purchase the rest of the breeding business for $9 million. ...... FULL STORY
28 Mar 2006 | Heat affects apples
Twenty three Harcourt orchardists face losing up to $4 million after hot summer conditions have caused damage to apples, especially Fuji apples. ...... FULL STORY
27 Mar 2006 | US technology generates new look Australian weather forecasts
Farmers and weather watchers in Australia will have access to more detailed, and speedier, forecasts. ...... FULL STORY
27 Mar 2006 | Banana supply may run out at the end of the week
Coles and Woolworths said supplies would run out in days, after cyclone Larry wiped out 90 per cent of Australia’s banana crop. ...... FULL STORY
27 Mar 2006 | Banana shortfall exaggerated
Predictions of a widespread shortage in bananas may be exaggerated, some growers say. ...... FULL STORY
27 Mar 2006 | King Valley wine grapes sold for a song
Prices for wine grapes in the King Valley region in Victoria are down to between $100 and $200 a tonne, compared with more than $1000 a tonne for many varieties last year. ...... FULL STORY
27 Mar 2006 | AWB profits to slide
AWB International, a subsidiary of AWB, will slash the bonuses its gives to AWB this year for managing the national wheat pool. ...... FULL STORY
27 Mar 2006 | Evans & Tate to sell another winery
Debt ridden winemaker Evans & Tate will sell another winery as it battles to stay afloat. ...... FULL STORY
24 Mar 2006 | Larry insurance claims expected to rise
About 12,000 insurance claims have already been made in relation to property damage caused by Cyclone Larry. ...... FULL STORY
24 Mar 2006 | Canegrowers need more help
Canegrowers around Innisfail had lost up to half of their total crop with losses expected to top $200 million said the chairman of the Australian Cane Farmers Association. ...... FULL STORY
24 Mar 2006 | Elders talking to the Iraqis
Elders has been in discussions with the Iraqi Grains Board and remains hopeful of exporting wheat to Iraq. ...... FULL STORY
23 Mar 2006 | PM hands out cash to cyclone victims
Farmers in the Tully/Innisfail area recovering from Cyclone Larry will be eligible for six months income support through Centrelink plus tax-free grants of $10,000, the Prime Minister said yesterday. ...... FULL STORY
23 Mar 2006 | Big retailers escape F&V code
Coles and Woolworths won't have to conform to terms of the planned code of conduct for the fruit and vegetable industry. ...... FULL STORY
23 Mar 2006 | Bananas to hit $9 within two weeks
Banana sellers are hoarding their produce as prices begin to rise after Cyclone Larry destroyed 80 per cent of the Australian banana crop on Monday morning. ...... FULL STORY
23 Mar 2006 | Banana import ban to stay
The federal government will not ease its ban on imported bananas despite Cyclone Larry decimating the Australian crop. ...... FULL STORY
22 Mar 2006 | Sugar farmers to seek assistance
The federal government faces some tough policy decisions in coming days. ...... FULL STORY
22 Mar 2006 | Banana growers oppose imports
The Australian Banana Growers Council will fight any bid to import bananas, despite stocks of Queensland bananas likely to run out next week. ...... FULL STORY
22 Mar 2006 | Wheat Australia misses Iraq wheat deadline
Iraqi officials say that the deadline for the submission of a Australian tender to supply $70 million of wheat passed on the weekend and the deal is in doubt. ...... FULL STORY
21 Mar 2006 | Banana crop wiped out
The banana, sugar cane, paw paw, and avocado crops around Tully and Innisfail have been devastated by Cyclone Larry just as banana and avocado picking was getting underway. ...... FULL STORY
21 Mar 2006 | Sugar and Banana crops not covered by insurance
About 450 Innisfail and Tully banana farmers who have lost this year’s crops to Cyclone Larry did not have crop insurance and will rely on the understanding of their banks over the next nine months. ...... FULL STORY
21 Mar 2006 | North Queensland economy devastated
Three to four thousand jobs have been lost along with 200,000 tonnes or 90 per cent of Australia’s cavendish banana crop in far north Queensland as a result of Cyclone Larry. ...... FULL STORY
21 Mar 2006 | North Queensland tourism in a mess
The north Queensland tourism industry will be affected for many months by Cyclone Larry. ...... FULL STORY
21 Mar 2006 | Land clearing laws too inflexible
ABARE says that NSW land clearing laws have cost farmers in the central and west of the state about $1.1 billion in lost production opportunities. ...... FULL STORY
21 Mar 2006 | Truckies earn reprieve over rego fees
A majority of state governments said they voted down plans to increase diesel excise and also registration fees for some trucks. ...... FULL STORY
20 Mar 2006 | Water targets not being met
Water savings targets of 500 billion litres under the Living Murray project announced in 2004 will not be met say scientists. ...... FULL STORY
20 Mar 2006 | Victorian farmers oppose transport cost hikes
The National Transport Commission’s recommendations to increase road transport costs in Victoria will cause across the board rises in the prices of goods and services says the Victorian Farmers Federation. ...... FULL STORY
20 Mar 2006 | Fonterra faces up to low WA milk prices
Western Australia faces a milk shortage because industry deregulation in 2000 had led to consolidation of 412 farmers into less than 250. ...... FULL STORY
20 Mar 2006 | Vets want better welfare for live exports
Australian vets are concerned about animal welfare standards in the live export trade says the Australian Veterinary Association and expects improvements if exporters are to maintain vets support for the industry. ...... FULL STORY
20 Mar 2006 | US frosts help local grower
Listed almond grower Select Harvests will benefit this year from frost damage to crops in California pushing up prices. ...... FULL STORY
20 Mar 2006 | Narrogin mallee wood plant to close
Oil Mallee industry in Western Australia will suffer a setback with the closure of the Narrogin Mallee wood processing plant in May. ...... FULL STORY
17 Mar 2006 | Beef exports get promotional help
The beef industry will spend $14 million on promotional activities in Japan in 2006-2007, up from $7 million last year. ...... FULL STORY
17 Mar 2006 | Spy agencies told government about AWB’s trucking fees
Intelligence agencies knew eight years ago that Alia, the Jordanian trucking company that accepted AWB wheat trucking fees, was owned by Saddam Hussein’s government and the deal was a breach of the UN’s Oil for Food program. ...... FULL STORY
17 Mar 2006 | States pay price for closed water markets within Murray-Darling
New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia can expect to lose a combined $27 million in payments under federal funding tied to the 'National Water initiative'. ...... FULL STORY
16 Mar 2006 | Migrant workers flood into WA
More than 5000 migrant workers entered Western Australia in the six months to 31 December, with each worker able to bring his or her family. ...... FULL STORY
16 Mar 2006 | Increased trucking fees struggle for state support
Several state governments will not support increases in registration fees for B-double trucks and road trains. ...... FULL STORY
16 Mar 2006 | SA barley single desk faces the axe
South Australian farmers are voting now on the future of the barley single desk in South Australia. ...... FULL STORY
15 Mar 2006 | Mildura winery sold to UK company
London based beverages company Neqtar is buying the Salisbury Wines plant in Mildura from Evans & Tate for $22 million. ...... FULL STORY
15 Mar 2006 | Less R&D threatens farm productivity
Farm productivity grew about 4 per cent per year during the 1990’s, outstripping other corporates in productivity growth. ...... FULL STORY
15 Mar 2006 | Potato farmers may withhold supply to McCain’s
Attempts to negotiate an agreement between McCain’s and Ballarat potato growers through the grocery industry ombudsman have failed. ...... FULL STORY
15 Mar 2006 | Prices offset rising fuel costs
Rural prices grew 4.2 percent overall last month according to the Westpac/NFF commodity index, led by wool, up 9.4 percent and wheat, up 7.7 percent. ...... FULL STORY
14 Mar 2006 | Farmers get bushfire funding
Farmers in the Grampians, Kinglake, Yea, the Brisbane Ranges, Gippsland and southwest Victoria will receive a total of $3 million to help rebuild businesses, tackle soil erosion, de-silt dams and remove pests. ...... FULL STORY
14 Mar 2006 | Harvey meatworks’ new owners move in
Former chief executive of Skywest Scott Henderson took over yesterday at Western Australia’s biggest meat processing plant, Harvey Beef, as new owners Stark Investments and Harmony Capital took possession eight months after the collapse of EG Green Group. ...... FULL STORY
13 Mar 2006 | Next gen farmers need to be smarter
Young farmers have to improve their business and farm management skills as farm businesses improve their asset base to remain viable. ...... FULL STORY
13 Mar 2006 | Government defends undisclosed AWB share dealings
Six senior government MP’s have been accused of not properly declaring their share dealings in wheat exporter AWB. ...... FULL STORY
13 Mar 2006 | Water for the marshes needed now
The Macquarie Marshes needs 300,000 megalitres of water urgently to stay alive says the National Parks Association. ...... FULL STORY
10 Mar 2006 | States miss water trading deadlines
The National Water Commission is set to recommend fines and punitive sanctions on NSW, Victoria and South Australia for failing to agree on a system of trading water rights. ...... FULL STORY
10 Mar 2006 | Centrelink Farm Help now available
Farmers can access income support, grants and funding for training and equipment through Centrelink’s Farm Help program. ...... FULL STORY
10 Mar 2006 | Prison proposal for mulesing
The Australian Democrats have defended their plan to introduce prison time and fines up to $30,000 as penalties for sheep mulesing in their proposed National Animal Welfare Bill. ...... FULL STORY
10 Mar 2006 | Grain fed boom set to continue
The future of beef production is in a combination of pasture and grain fed finishing says the head of Meat and Livestock Australia. ...... FULL STORY
10 Mar 2006 | Farmers want banking relationships
One fifth of all farmers will probably or definitely consider switching banks in the next year says research by AC Nielsen. ...... FULL STORY
9 Mar 2006 | Native vegetation valued under Victorian scheme
Land holders may be able to more easily obtain permits to clear native vegetation if they “trade” protected vegetation with another land holder. ...... FULL STORY
9 Mar 2006 | Land improvement program pilot
The federal government will fund a second pilot project which provides financial incentives for farmers to operate in a more sustainable way, and to leave or rehabilitate degraded land. ...... FULL STORY
9 Mar 2006 | India buys wheat from AWB
The Indian government has reportedly accepted AWB’s offer of $185 / tonne to supply 1.4 million tonnes, the first time India has bought wheat in six years. ...... FULL STORY
9 Mar 2006 | Wheat Australia may buy from AWB
Wheat Australia, the consortium of ABB, CBH and GrainCorp, won regulatory approval on Tuesday and enjoys strong government support to win the bid to supply Iraq with 350,000 tonnes of wheat. ...... FULL STORY
8 Mar 2006 | McGuigan grape growers offered profit share
McGuigan Simeon offered a profit sharing deal to 170 wine grape growers in NSW, Victoria and South Australia who are taking legal action against the wine maker. ...... FULL STORY
8 Mar 2006 | Tasmanian farmers promised action and money
Tasmanian farmers are being promised a $1 million development fund by the Liberal opposition if it wins the upcoming election. ...... FULL STORY
8 Mar 2006 | Sugar back on free trade agenda
Trade Minister Mark Vaile will put sugar back on the agenda for discussion at the review of the US/Australia free trade agreement in Washington this week. ...... FULL STORY
7 Mar 2006 | Two public phones per town says Joyce
Telstra will be forced to review its local-presence plan submitted last October and maintain many unprofitable rural services under a plan to be released by Communications Minister Helen Coonan in the next few days. ...... FULL STORY
7 Mar 2006 | Wine sales and export values trend down
Domestic sales of Australian produced wines were down four per cent in January 2006, seasonally adjusted, compared to January 2005. ...... FULL STORY
7 Mar 2006 | Beef slaughters up, lamb down
National slaughter rates for lamb continue to decline according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. ...... FULL STORY
7 Mar 2006 | Farmer says drought assistance is being rorted
A farmer in north-western NSW says there is widespread rorting of drought assistance interest rate subsidies in his district, but many concerned farmers were fearful of speaking out. ...... FULL STORY
6 Mar 2006 | Dairy Farmers likely to receive takeover bids
A joint takeover bid for NSW farmers co-operative Dairy Farmers from National Foods and Warrnambool Cheese and Butter is rumoured to be likely, as is a bid from New Zealand based Fonterra. ...... FULL STORY
6 Mar 2006 | La Nina signals rain, maybe
A significant La Nina climate pattern is developing very quickly in the eastern Pacific Ocean said the World Meteorological Organisation. ...... FULL STORY
6 Mar 2006 | Iraq now says it will buy some Aussie wheat
Iraq has offered $70 million for 350,000 tonnes of Australian wheat if the deal is concluded without the involvement of AWB. ...... FULL STORY
6 Mar 2006 | Other wheat players move in
A consortium has been put together to supply part of a 1.5 million tonne Iraq wheat order. ...... FULL STORY
6 Mar 2006 | WA steals hemp paper plant from Queensland
Perth-based Hemp Resources has secured an industrial hemp license in WA two years after applying and just before deciding to move to Queensland. ...... FULL STORY
3 Mar 2006 | Farmers turn cautious on land values
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics said fewer farmers bought additional land over the last year, as rising land values diminished the attraction of expansion as a business strategy. ...... FULL STORY
3 Mar 2006 | White wine grape prices worst hit by glut
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics said that while overall wine export volumes were expected to increase 72 per cent over the next five years, earnings would rise just 46 per cent, as a result of lower prices. ...... FULL STORY
3 Mar 2006 | Vineyard values slashed
Cockatoo Ridge, a Brossoa Valley wine producer, said some producers were selling bulk wine at 35c/litre, a level that was almost impossible to compete with. ...... FULL STORY
2 Mar 2006 | Wheat and dairy farms make sound profits
Wheat and dairy farming are the most profitable niches in the agricultural sector in Australia. ...... FULL STORY
2 Mar 2006 | Farm dam licences may be needed in Victoria
The Department of Sustainability and Environment in Victoria said the state government is looking at restricting the construction of new stock and domestic dams. ...... FULL STORY
2 Mar 2006 | Sunbeam shrivels prices for dried fruit
The Australian Dried Fruits Association said Sunbeam's offer for this season was too low. ...... FULL STORY
2 Mar 2006 | Timber plantations take seed from Sunraysia’s waters
Forest plantations in the Sunraysia region will draw another 90,000 megalitres over the next five years, mostly from the Goulburn Murray irrigation system. ...... FULL STORY
1 Mar 2006 | Average farm profit rising, but most farms still make a loss
The average cash profit of farms is expected to increase to $60,000 in the 2005/06 financial year, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics has forecast at its annual Outlook conference. ...... FULL STORY
1 Mar 2006 | Grain prices to firm over next two years
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics expects grain prices to rise in 2006 and 2007. ...... FULL STORY
1 Mar 2006 | Outlook grim for wool and sheepmeat
The Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics said poor productivity, falling demand and low prices blighted Australia’s wool industry. ...... FULL STORY
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