Country Today - May 27th

Country Today - June 2nd

Country Today has been at the United Dairy Farmers of Victoria conference in Ballarat. It’s the first in several years after the divisive leadership under former VFF president Emma Germano, which saw the UDV leadership walk away and form a breakaway group, Dairy Farmers Victoria. Just short of three years, and they’re back. You’ll hear from UDV president Bernie Free, who now has former Dairy Farmers Vic president Mark Billing is his vice president. Then a young dairy farmer who has gone down the path in intensive dairy farming with cows housed and milked three times a day Then it’s on to the Victorian Farmers Federation conference, and the official election of the new president Ryan Milgate, who’ll talk about what he sees as the priorities in the job You’ll also hear from the Victorian Minister for Agriculture Michaela Settle, only appointed to the role in mid April And dairy industry stalwart, for UDV President, octogenarian Max Fehring takes us back a quarter of a century to talk about the deregulation of the dairy industry  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Country Today - June 1st

The Victorian Government has finalised five of the state's renewable energy zones. So does this mean the zones are cast in stone? You’ll hear from VicGrid chief executive Alistair Parker    It’s 15 years this month since the Australian Government suspended live cattle exports to Indonesia after shocking footage of being beaten and their throats cut, left to an agonizing, slow death. The Federal Court is still wrangling with lawyers over compensation for northern Australian cattle producers. On this edition of Country Today, a special three-part interview with the Australian who pioneered the establishment of the live cattle trade, Greg Pankhurst, who is still involved with the industry to this day.   See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Country Today - May 29th

Dairy farmers call it the silly season when milk processors announce the opening milk price.  Without a decent increase, more farmers will be walking away from the industry. You’ll hear from Shadow Agriculture Minister Darren Chester about the Treasurer not coming clean on the changes to Capital Gains tax The wool market is tantalisingly close to 2000 cents a kilo and now at it's highest level since 2019. If you’re in the sheep industry, you should be heading to the biennial Lambex conference being held in Adelaide in July   Green is back in the grass across the South West after a dry 18 to 24 months,  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Country Today - May 28th

Australia’s largest olive producer, Cobram estate is choosing to expand its olive production in California rather than here, in large part due to the Murray Darling Basin Plan. We’ll take a look at what’s happening in the cattle market with significant price rises after recent rain. Then we’ll head to Western Victoria where, again that autumn break has pastures looking the best they have in years. Also today a report from ANZ Agribusiness concludes that Geopolitics, energy shocks, and extreme weather are no longer isolated disruptions. And renewed calls for the completion of the Murray Basin Rail Project. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Country Today - May 27th

The End of Live Sheep Export: Canberra Killed It. The War in Iran Buried It. That is the analysis of Episode 3's Andrew Whitelaw. Campaspe and Gannawarra Shire mayors are calling for fairness in the Murray–Darling Basin Plan review, they say their irrigation communities have already made major water savings and shouldn’t face further disproportionate cuts. Cynthia Mahoney, she’s a coach specializing in leadership and positive psychology delivering practical workshops designed to help farm businesses and rural teams work smarter and stay resilient through tough seasons. The Australian lamb industry is well-positioned for strong exports and farmer profitability through the remainder of 2026. An ambitious land restoration program known as Landlife South West, plans to plant one million trees and protect and restore 400 hectares of land by 2040. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.