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at lastPremiumOn-farm quarantine an option for WA growers

WA grain growers have welcomed the ‘brilliant’ news the door will open for ‘specialist workers’ to quarantine on-farm, but are seeking ‘urgent clarification’ that skilled farm operators will make the cut.

EXCLUSIVE Shannon Verhagen

Mou signingAg minister visits Indonesia to sign MOU

Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud is on a three-day visit to Indonesia to strengthen relations with the country he called “one of Australia’s most vibrant regional partners”.

Shannon Verhagen

visa pleasWA shearing industry calls for visa deal to boost numbers

Across WA, contractors are running weeks behind due to crippling COVID-19-induced labour shortages, working overtime to get through the backlog.

Shannon Verhagen

“unseasonally hot”WA farmers swelter through five days over 40 degrees

While many Mid West and Wheatbelt towns are used to extreme temperatures over summer, the heatwave has also hit some areas which normally scrape through summer without too many hot days.

Shannon Verhagen

Animal welfare reminderWA heatwave prompts animal welfare reminder

As the mercury rises and farmers swelter through one of WA’s hottest weeks in years, saleyard conditions are being monitored and farmers and truckies are being urged to ensure the welfare of their stock.

Staff Reporter

LABOR SLAMMED‘Squandered the gift of time’: Opposition slams McGowan

‘I sincerely hope the Premier can now take COVID-19 preparation seriously and do the work his Government has neglected to do over the past two years.’

Shannon Verhagen

‘ambitious’ projectPremium‘Immense potential’: Carbon farming under way in Mid West

Through its $15 million Carbon Farming and Land Restoration Program, the State Government has thrust its support behind Perenjori’s Weelhamby Farm to the tune of $738,600.

Shannon Verhagen

NewsAvocado clonal trees to feed the masses

Avocado clonal trees are expected to hit mass production next year in Australia, one of 22 Australian projects to share $12 million in government funding.

Liv Casben

“We need them”PremiumCalls for new ag visa to extend to grains and shearing

“We’re really disappointed it wasn’t delivered in 2021 and we missed it for the harvest.”

EXCLUSIVE Shannon Verhagen

‘check and recheck’PremiumNow ‘optimum time’ for WA farmers to check for skeleton weed

WA grain growers are being urged to survey their properties for a destructive weed costing the industry millions.

Shannon Verhagen

‘hard to fathom’PremiumIndustry mourns death of WA shearing stalwart Geoff Lawrence

The tight-knit industry was last week rocked by news industry stalwart and grandfather of eight Geoff Lawrence had been in a shearing accident in a shed near Clackline on Thursday.

Shannon Verhagen

moved onlineWASIA general meeting cancelled amid COVID uncertainty

WASIA on Monday announced it had ‘regretfully decided’ to cancel the meeting scheduled for Saturday, after listening to member concerns about coming to Perth.

Shannon Verhagen

carbon captureTen carbon farming projects in progress in the Wheatbelt

Covering more than 7000ha, the six ACCU Plus projects funded in round one are anticipated to remove 140,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over the next decade.

Shannon Verhagen

WeatherHow regional Australia beats the heat

As heatwaves are expected to become more frequent and more intense, regional Australians and their communities are learning how to adapt.

Stephanie Gardiner

harvest forcePremiumVarley growers grateful for extra harvest help

‘To be able to go and spend a few weeks with a family who feed you and look after you and you’re helping them in their time of need — where’s the negative.’

Shannon Verhagen

Shearing Death Shearing shed worker killed by woolpress in WA Wheatbelt

A shearing shed worker has died after becoming caught in a wool press while working in the Wheatbelt this morning, taking the total number of agriculture industry deaths to six during the past 10 months. 

Cally Dupe

harvest force Premium20+ agribusiness workers take leave to help WA harvest

An “out of the box” industry-led initiative to mobilise staff from some of WA’s biggest agribusinesses to fill critical gaps in harvest labour this summer delivered “really positive” results.

EXCLUSIVE Shannon Verhagen

harvest forceFarm stint proves an eye-opener

While I have been reporting on crop conditions and pretending to be an agronomist for many years, I now have a much better appreciation of the pressures that growers are under.

Alan Meldrum

seroja recoveryRecord harvest a silver lining to Seroja-affected farmers

Cyclone Seroja was a ‘horrific’ shock for growers, however, in a heartening turn, the regions had one of their wettest seasons in decades, producing bumper crops and above-average yields for many.

Shannon Verhagen

Shear delightAWI improver school gets young guns up to 100-a-run

Young shearers have gone from 10-a-run to up to 100-a-run by the end of a training course.

Shannon Verhagen

21 MILLION TONNESWA harvest hits record-breaking 21mt with more to come

In the past week, 580,000 tonnes were delivered across CBH Group’s receival network to reach the record figure, with up to another 400,000 tonnes more still to come.

Shannon Verhagen

tests neededPremiumWA shearing industry hopes to secure rapid antigen tests

The Shearing Contractors’ Association of Australia on Friday afternoon received a shipment of 3500 Rapid Antigen Tests from China to distribute to members trying to secure “as many as they can get”.

EXCLUSIVE Shannon Verhagen

looking aheadExpanding Aussie wool’s reach a key focus for AWI in 2022

Acting chief executive John Roberts said while the COVID-19 pandemic came with uncertainty, global eco-friendly trends played in the luxury fibre’s favour.

Shannon Verhagen

Water reliefDam good decision pays off for Great Southern farmer

“It was just nice to see when the water started running and the drains filled those dams up.”

Shannon Verhagen