Fresher fruit and veg on the way to SA shelves
A new biosecurity facility will help tackle fruit fly outbreaks and shorten the time it takes for produce to get to grocery aisles in South Australia.
agriculture
Winter crop production to fall amid drier conditions
Australia's winter crop production is expected to fall by almost a quarter, after three consecutive years of bumper harvests.
Regenerative farming ‘growing in momentum’
A national soils summit in country NSW has been told that regenerative agriculture is becoming more mainstream.
Agriculture ministers on the march against fire ants
The spread of an ant that can kill native species and livestock has dominated a meeting of senior ministers, with power poles above farmland also on the agenda.
Farm incomes to tumble as drier conditions take hold
Farm incomes are expected to fall this financial year due to drier conditions and lower prices, the federal government's agricultural forecaster says.
Carbon ‘bottom line’: Don’t trade integrity for offsets
Carbon offsets should be used as a last resort and limited to Australia's heaviest polluters, conservationists warn the federal government.
Dozens of red meat producers join sustainability study
Drones will be used to map dozens of farms across Australia to work out ways to improve sustainability in the red meat supply chain.
Cloud-based micro businesses floated for future economy
Artificial intelligence in health, education or agriculture could fix many social challenges and is within reach for even the smallest firms, a report shows.
Qantas CEO apologises as inquiry hears damning evidence
The new chief of Qantas has apologised to Australians for poor service as a Senate inquiry was told the airline had acted like it was "above the law".
Beekeepers shift to suppress spread of deadly parasite
A parasitic mite that preys on bees has spread so far beyond a containment zone that authorities have been forced to switch to a suppression strategy.
‘From mud to concrete’ farmers feeling the El Nino heat
With drier and hotter weather patterns confirmed some Aussie farmers are already in drought.
‘Out of control’ varroa won’t be eradicated: beekeepers
Beekeepers say recent detections of the varroa mite show attempts to eradicate the parasite have failed and the industry must learn to live with it.
Indonesia lifts ban on Australian live cattle exports
Indonesia has lifted its ban on live cattle imports from four Australian facilities after a lumpy skin disease scare.
Salmon farmers at odds with destock call to save skate
Tasmania's salmon industry is resisting advice to destock pens in a harbour in order to save an ancient fish on the brink of extinction.
Sweet deal for sugar exporters as UK drops tariffs
Australian raw sugar is heading to the UK tariff-free for the first time in 50 years under the free trade agreement between the two nations.
Malaysia lifts live export ban after lumpy skin scare
A shipment of live cattle will depart the Northern Territory for Malaysia this week after the nation removed an importation ban.
Reef run off dramatically reduced with new technology
Cane farmers could dramatically reduce herbicide costs and reef run-off with a new crop sprayer project that uses artificial intelligence to identify weeds.
Horticulture and sugar hit give crop production a boost
The latest agricultural commodities and crop forecast shows the sector remains strong despite drier times ahead, with exports tipped to fall after record years.
More varroa mite hive infestations found in NSW
New infestations of varroa mite in the Riverina and Sunraysia regions of NSW have prompted an emergency order barring beehive movements in the affected zones.
Off-the-scale marine heatwave forecast for south east
Another marine heatwave is about to hit the waters off south east Australia and there are some lessons about what might be in store from an earlier event.
Firing up Indigenous knowledge puts heat on land care
Farmers, fire practitioners and Indigenous leaders are tapping into 60,000 years of experience to improve land management practices around the country.
Rinehart backs plan for wealth to return to regions
Mining magnate Gina Rinehart says economic gains from regional communities should be returned to the area from which they were generated.
Aussie winemakers are hoping to raise a glass to China
Australian grape and wine producers are optimistic that hefty tariffs will be scrapped on wine exported to China, after imposts on barley were removed.
Barney over barley continues despite China tariffs axe
The trade minister is calling for all barley producers to have Chinese market access with the largest exporters remaining blocked despite tariff removal.
Funding fears risk taking heat out of fire ants fight
Government documents indicate a shortfall of hundreds of millions of dollars in fire ant funding and could mean the super pest keeps spreading, critics say.
Aussie barley ready for China brewers with tariffs axed
Growers have welcomed the Chinese government's decision to lift tariffs on Australian barley imports, which were effectively shut out of the key export market.
‘We are the glue’: rural women’s network marks 30 years
Women are the glue that holds rural communities together, something the Queensland Rural, Regional and Remote Women's Network is celebrating in its 30th year.
Wine on the menu after China drops barley tariffs
The federal government hopes China will lift tariffs on Australian wine after China confirmed it will drop duties on barley.
Central Queensland through the eyes of a pioneering drover
Ever wondered what some of Central Queensland’s iconic stations and newly established towns were really like in the nineteenth century? The recently published, Capricorn drover, could give you an idea.
Minister pledges to take the sting out of fire ants
Out of the pan and into the fire ants, Queensland's agriculture minister is adamant a battle to contain the invasive pests is being won.
Australian cattle tested to prove no ‘disease risk’
Australia's chief vet has reassured Indonesian authorities that Australia remains free of the potentially deadly lumpy skin disease.