Home
Search
thewest.com.au‌‌
CountrymanChevron Right Icon

Countryman Grain

Episode 3 co-founder and market analyst Andrew Whitelaw.

exclusive
exclusive
Unpeaceful MarketPremium
exclusive
Black Sea peace talks threatens Australian grain returns

A leading market analyst has issued a dire warning about potential grain competition if Ukraine and Russia begin a peace process and the Black Sea re-emerges as a powerful producer.

Georgia Campion

Harvest underway at Glenelg Estate in Amelup.

Bumper ReceivalsHarvest well under way with 5.1Mt of grain counted

Harvest is well under way across WA’s grain growing regions, with the State’s grain handling giant reporting more than five million tonnes collected and counting.

Georgia Campion

CBH has welcomed a strong start to the 2026-27 harvest season.

Yellow WaveMore than two million tonnes of grain received by CBH Group

Harvest is well underway across the State as WA’s grain handling giant reports double the amount of grain received compared with the same time last year.

Georgia Campion

Major upgrades at CBH's Mingenew site has seen storage capacity expanded to 710,000 tonnes in time for the 2026/27 harvest.

Let it GrainPremiumMingenew grain hub gets major storage and rail boost

Rail and grain storage capacity at Mingenew have been upgraded to increase the region’s grain handling and outloading capacities.

Georgia Campion

A lawsuit is brewing in WA's crop paddocks after the alleged failure in a canola trait is estimated to cost farmers millions.

Yield LossesPremiumWA growers exploring legal actions over canola yield losses

A lawsuit worth millions is brewing in WA’s canola paddocks after farmers raised concerns that a trait in genetically modified seeds had allegedly affected pod development and damaged yields.

Georgia Campion

GPA chair Matthew Madden and Steve Martin MLC.

Dust-UpPremiumState ignores industry plea to stop grain dust limits

The State Government has confirmed it will not extend the transition period for the controversial grain dust workplace exposure limits despite WA’s grain industry urging it to do so.

Georgia Campion

Bunbury’s first delivery for 2026/27 harvest came from Jarred Meeres on behalf of K.J. Wittwer and Co. Bunbury employees Jack Turner and Cillian O'Leary with Jarred Meeres.

Grain DeliveryPremiumBunge receives its first harvest delivery at Bunbury site

Global agribusiness Bunge has welcomed the its first grain delivery for this harvest season at its Bunbury site, as it ramps up receival-readiness as growers gear up to collect this year’s winter crop

Georgia Campion

Senator David Pocock's bid to have the APVMA's final decision on paraquat usage investigated, has been defeated in the Senate.

Inquiry DeniedPremiumPocock’s motion to investigate paraquat decision denied

Independent senator David Pocock’s bid to hold an inquiry into the chemical watchdog’s decision not to ban paraquat has been defeated in the Senate.

Georgia Campion

CBH Group head of fertiliser David Pritchard.

FertiliserPremiumConflict in Middle East driving up fert and logistic prices

Fertiliser giants have warned that sourcing and supply are becoming less predictable amid developing geopolitical conflict which is pushing freight costs up as suppliers look for alternative trade routes

Georgia Campion

Lake Grace farmer Noel Bairstow. Cally Dupe

Crop ReportPremiumWA grain production estimates grow as harvest gears up

WA is expected to produce a large but lower harvest this season as growers across the Mid West and the northern Kwinana zone begin harvesting

Georgia Campion and Melissa Pedelty

A delay in phosphine limits has been welcomed by the grains industry.

PhosphinePremiumGrains industry welcomes phosphine delay to 2029

WA’s grains industry has welcomed the State Government’s decision to delay phosphine limits but have warned against complacency as it begins to sort a solution before the 2029 deadline.

Georgia Campion

Four western director positions are available in the GrainGrowers' national policy group.

shape the futurePremiumWA grain growers encouraged to join national policy board

WA grain growers are being encouraged to represent their peers at the GrainGrowers’ policy table to ensure the State is adequately represented in the organisation’s advocacy work.

Melissa Pedelty

CBH area manager Ben Ketteringham and general manager Colette Newton.

AgriculturePremiumCBH Geraldton is ready to battle new challenges this harvest

Geraldton’s CBH grain terminal is gearing up for another busy season, even though it won’t reach the heights of last year’s record-breaking harvest.

Sienna Seychell

Some farmers in the Mid West region have reported crop losses of up to 50 per cent.

mouse plaguePremiumMillions have been spent in Mid West to tackle mouse plague

Farmers in Mingenew and surrounds are reporting crop losses of up to 50 per cent because of persistently high levels of mouse activity.

Melissa Pedelty

WA Industrial Relations Minister Simone McGurk has announced a three-year delay to the implementation of new workplace expsoure limits for phosphine.

Workplace Exposure LimitsPremiumPhosphine exposure limits extended by three years

The State Government has bowed to industry pressure and extended the deadlines for new phosphine workplace exposure limits by three years, but have excluded grain dust limits from the delay.

Georgia Campion

Carvero controlled weeds resistant to other PPO herbicides in overseas trials, and was the strongest of the Group 14 herbicides on grasses.

new solutionPremiumFarmers provided lifeline after heavy chemical regulation

A major Japanese chemical company is releasing a new herbicide in 2027, giving grain and sugar cane growers an additional option to fill the gaps created by regulatory use restrictions.

Melissa Pedelty

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development cereal scientist Blakely Paynter and InterGrain senior oat breeder Allan Rattey.

exclusive
exclusive
OATSPOPremium
exclusive
Alternative oats found to be more resilient than Bannister

Two lesser-used oat varieties that continue to grow in popularity among West Australian growers have been found to be more resilient than the commonly used Bannister variety at a Hillside trial.

Georgia Campion

GrainGrowers Limited chair Rhys Turton, of York.

constitution changesPremiumHow many growers actually voted at the GrainGrowers AGM?

Recent changes to the GrainGrowers Limited constitution have created a pathway for State farming organisations to apply for membership but the organisation has declined to say how many votes were cast.

Melissa Pedelty

New workplace exposure limits for phosphine and grain dust are set to come into effect on December 1, despite repeated requests by the industry for a delay. Inset from top: Simone McGurk and Lachlan Hunter.

Grain TradePremiumEquipment to be put to test by new phosphine limits

WA’s grain industry is becoming increasingly concerned with new fumigant exposure limits, with the State Government admitting the limits would put existing measuring equipment to the test.

Georgia Campion

Wickepin and surrounds have had a dry growing season.

brace for impactPremiumLack of rain creates headache for some Wheatbelt farmers

Grain farmers in Wickepin and surrounds are bracing for a loss of more than 30 per cent of their crops this harvest after experiencing one of the driest seasons on record.

Melissa Pedelty

A dough sample at the Kerry Flour Mill, Bangkok, Thailand.

exclusive
exclusive
Thai GrainPremium
exclusive
Thailand an opportune market for West Australian wheat

The “highly competitive” Thai market is ripe pickings for WA grain growers as demand for milling wheat is sustained to produce flour-based products

Georgia Campion

Narrogin grain grower Tamara Stretch at the Subic Grain Terminal, Subic Bay, Philippines for the CBH Group 2026 Grower Study Tour.

exclusive
exclusive
Grower InsightsPremium
exclusive
WA growers reflect on rare insight into grain supply chain

An insight into the Philippine and Thai grain supply chains has surprised some growers, with feedback prompting some to reassess their cropping strategies.

Georgia Campion

Quairading grain grower Mark Peacock at the Singha beverage factory, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, for the CBH Group 2026 grower study tour.

exclusive
exclusive
Thai-TasticPremium
exclusive
SEE THE PICS: Growers explore Thai grain supply chain

WA growers got up close and personal with the grain supply chain in Thailand, as they explored opportunities and markets for their product on CBH Group’s annual grower study tour.

Georgia Campion

Aerial views of bulkheads at the CBH Moora rapid rail siding site.

Grain ElectionsPremiumCBH member director nominations open for three districts

Nominations for the member director elections at WA’s largest grain handler have opened this month, as three districts are set to have one new representative each

Georgia Campion