Country Today - July 15th

Country Today - July 15th

A German insurance company has bought more than 30 dairy farms in south west Victoria and is converting them to blue gum plantations. And locals aren’t impressed. Adelaide University’s ifarmwell team has launched a new video series, "Weather it together," to help Australian farming communities talk more openly about mental health. The Spirit of the Bush foundation is aiming to help prevent families from leaving rural and remote areas - for the sake of their kids' education. It’s now six months since bushfires tore through north east Victoria, starting at Longwood And whilst boundary fences have largely been rebuilt, the impacted communities are suffering from a lack of tourist dollars. The Covid pandemic made many of us re-think our life priorities. You’ll hear of a Melbourne couple who moved to south west Victoria and now have a thriving paddock to plate organic beef business. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Country Today - July 14th

The agricultural chemical industry up in arms that the Australian Pesticides and Medicine Authority is going to a cost recovery model and says it will be farmers who pay for the 200 per cent cost increase. To the much maligned renewable energy transmission line, VNI west, which will traverse nine councils in Victoria's Wimmera/Mallee, and the councils are demanding another meeting with the Victorian Government with the simple question, what’s in it for us? The wool and sheep industry remains divided over The Future Flock, the first industry-wide approach towards a more resilient future. The Colac saleyards has had a $270,000 facelift. And there's a far more positive outlook in South West Victoria with moisture back in the soil and good livestock prices. And we’ll head to the Mallee which is having a dream cropping season. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Country Today - July 13th

In a sign of the difficult times for the rice industry, Australia’s major rice processor, SunRice is cutting back jobs in the Riverina due to high water prices and low allocations meaning less rice was sown and there just isn’t the rice to process. The Victorian Farmers Federation has taken up a challenge to highlight the condition of the state's regional road network. It's launched a two-week reporting blitz, calling on regional and rural road users to report potholes and road hazards. And lo and behold, The State Opposition has pledged to eliminate one million potholes and re-establish a proper, planned system of preventative road maintenance with a  commitment of $5 billion for road funding if they win the election in November. Our first interview on Country Today with Liberal Leader Jess Wilson. And an inspirational young farmer who’s come up with an interesting succession plan for a large family business. Once a family member is 60, they cut their working week by a day a week until they finally retire at 65. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Country Today - July 10th

Country Today has been at LambEx in Adelaide. Young farmer, Katherine Bain, went back to the family farm and one of the first things she did was buy the neighbouring property. We'll will discuss if sheep producers will be tempted back to merinos to profit from two income streams now that wool prices are back on the rise. Also today, updates on the cropping season following substantial rain and more on its way. In the Riverina, the wet winter is seeing outbreaks of plant diseases such as blackleg in canola. Then we’ll head to the Wimmera where Farmers have received upwards of 250 millimeters year to date with waterlogged paddocks setting back crops. The weekly wool report and the EMI rose this week to close at 1909 cents kg. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Country Today - July 9th

In what is claimed to be the largest ever sheep conference in the world. Lambex in Adelaide this week. And half the delegates are sheep, lamb and wool producers. It’s all about challenging mindsets and looking to the future of these industries that are currently enjoying the good times. Today increasing merino breeding profits by attention to data details with Mumblebone stud sixth generation owner/manager Chad Taylor. Also sheep and beef entering an unprecedented golden era with all major exporters going through herd and flock rebuilds to expect record prices to continue to tumble. We’ll head to China to hear about the revolution in wool processing with robotics and AI. And a prominent woolgrower who wants Cricket Australia to choose home grown and produced wool garments for its players. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.