Australia’s beef sector is set for a return to “more normal” market conditions in the season ahead, after a recent extraordinary period marked by record prices levels and volatility, according to Rabobank’s Australian Beef Seasonal Outlook 2023.

But while prices are projected to track in a narrower range – at close to current levels – through the year, this is still “historically high’ and expectations are that beef producer margins will remains strong, the agribusiness banking specialist says.

The lower prices and resulting market stability will have “an upside”, according to report author Rabobank senior animal protein analyst Angus Gidley-Baird, with cheaper cattle improving Australia’s competitive position in export markets and less price volatility allowing supply chains to rebalance.

“While high cattle prices in recent times have been great for producers selling cattle, this legacy remains and we are now working our way through some very expensive cattle in much softer consumer markets,” he said. 

“A more stable price range for 2023 will allow the supply chain to rebalance, once these expensive cattle are cleared. Cattle prices have returned to more average levels, making Australian beef competitive again and creating a more sustainable market for everyone in the supply chain.”

This price stability also provides an ideal opportunity for cattle producers to plan for the future. “This greater stability, along with the expectation that farm profits will still be strong, also provides an ideal time to plan and prepare for the future,” Mr Gidley-Baird said. 

“And with a number of wetter seasons behind us, there is increased likelihood of a dry season ahead, so now is the best time to prepare for future, less favourable years.”

NSW Farmers has warned the federal government against hiking costs to operate trucks and tractors in the proposed Fuel Efficiency Standard. 

Energy Minister Chris Bowen and Transport Minister Catherine King announced a Fuel Efficiency Standard would be introduced as part of Australia’s first National Electric Vehicle Strategy, aimed at driving cleaner, cheaper to run vehicles.The ministers said Australians households and businesses are missing out on more efficient vehicles, which could save motorists $519 per year in fuel costs. 

Farmers were fearful, however, that the fuel standards could make it more expensive to run the diesel vehicles that form the backbone of Australia’s farm sector and transport fleet, in turn increasing the cost of food and goods for consumers. 

NSW Farmers Energy Transition Working Group chair Reg Kidd said there were no commercial alternatives to diesel-powered trucks and tractors, and Australia’s large size meant electric vehicles were still not an option to keep the country running. 

“There’s a lot of promise in electric vehicles, but the farm and transport sectors are a long way from broad-scale adoption, the technology’s just not there yet,” Mr Kidd said. 

“People can choose to drive an electric car to get around town, but you still can’t drive from Dubbo to Broken Hill in one – the distances between charging stations are too great. 

“We want people in rural, remote and regional communities to be involved in this discussion, not sidelined as a consequence of a narrow thinking.” 

“Genuine engagement and consultation is critical here, because what works even in a large center like Orange doesn’t work further out at West Wyalong,” Mr Kidd said. 

“Good intentions alone just won’t cut it, people are keen to do their bit in reducing pollution, but we need to be careful we don’t also reduce our ability to feed ourselves.”

Farmers are on the lookout for increased mouse activity with reports of increasing damage to crops and fodder across the state. 

Two years after a mouse plague saw vehicles, buildings and towns infested while crops were destroyed, NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin is urging growers to be extra-vigilant about mouse activity. 

“Members are telling me they’re seeing mice again all the way from Queensland down to the Victorian border and out west towards Adelaide,” Mr Martin said. 

“We need everyone to keep an eye out for mice, in particular use their chew cards, and report any activity to authorities. 

“It is important to stay on top of this issue so we can avoid a repeat of the 2021 mouse plague, so please if you see something, say something.” 

In 2021 the rodents swarmed rural and regional communities, chewing their way through hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of crops, damaging farm machinery, vehicles and buildings in the process. 

Farmers and rural landholders are urged to report mouse activity by visiting feralscan.org.au/mousealert and download the chew card template at https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/resources/mouse-management/monitor-manage/know-your-mouse-numbers. 

Funding applications are now open for cattle and sheep producers throughout Australia who are interested in running local projects to demonstrate on-farm benefits of research and development findings. 

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is calling for applications for its 2023-24 Producer Demonstration Sites (PDS) program, with applications opening on 3rd April and closing on 16th May. This includes levy and co-contributor funding options for projects ranging from two to six years. 

MLA Group Manager, Adoption and Commercialisation, Sarah Strachan, said “The PDS program aims to increase the rate of adoption of key management practices and commercially available technologies that improve business profitability, productivity and sustainability. 

“This year we are looking forward to seeing applications come forward in a range of areas including cattle and sheep reproductive performance, best practice management of internal parasites, and improved grazing and land management practices to benefit productivity and sustainability. 

There are two funding options available to producer groups wishing to participate in the PDS program, being levy and co-contributor.Producer groups wishing to engage in a levy PDS project can apply for up to $30,000 per year for the length of the project.Groups wishing to engage in a co-contributor PDS project can apply for up to $60,000 per year for the length of the project. 

For full details go to www.mla.com.au/extension-training-and-tools/pds-producer-demonstration-sites. 

Frank Finger, winner of the ABC’s Muster Dog program, has been training working dogs for over 20 years. His passion for training working dogs is shared through his training schools which attract owners, breeders, and the next generation of trainers.

With more than 270,000 stock-herding dogs across rural Australia, the importance of working dogs to Australian farmers and property owners cannot be underestimated.Farmers are well-aware that a well-trained dog provides benefits to a farm well beyond its sale price.

Preferring to train dogs from puppyhood, Frank is a big believer in starting small in all facets of a dog’s training. 

Nurture to Nature: From birth, Frank says it’s essential to nurture working dog pups through their early weeks and look after them with nourishing food and ensure they’re de-wormed.

Forming a Bond: As small and cute as they are, Frank notes it’s important to bond with them, but not too much until they are working.

Think Small: When starting with pups, Frank encourages those training working dogs to think small. Training a small pup should incorporate small livestock such as goats or even ducks, while training should be limited to short periods.

Line of Sight: Frank notes that one often overlooked aspect of training working dogs is that a dog’s line of sight extends no higher than a trainer’s knee when in close proximity.

Simple commands: Once trained, Frank notes well-bred working dogs will work instinctively.

Benefits of a healthy dog: Frank appreciates a well-trained dog must be healthy to fulfill their potential. Prevention is better than cure.

Farmers on the state’s best agricultural land have faced years of uncertainty because of complex red tape that threatens food production. 

New analysis from NSW Farmers revealed a cloud over ongoing farm production on two-thirds of State Significant Agricultural Land because of conflicting mapping and land use definitions from the NSW Government. 

NSW Farmers Vice President Rebecca Reardon said there was an urgent need for clarity and co-ordination from government so farmers could get on with the job of growing food and fibre without worrying about inaccurate maps and indecipherable restrictions. 

“It’s simply not good enough for government to slap a restrictive map layer nearly the size of Tasmania over the state’s best farmland, and then drag their feet for over two-and-a-half years failing to give farmers clear guidelines on what they can and can’t do on their land,” Mrs Reardon said. 

“We’re calling for a truly independent, fully-resourced Agriculture Commission”. 

Under state laws there were fines of up to $1.65 million for corporations or $330,000 for individuals for breaching environmental protections, but the guidelines on what continuing agricultural uses would be permitted in listed zones was years overdue. 

“It’s time governments recognised they need to work with farmers rather than tying them up with spools of red tape,” Mrs Reardon said. 

“Australia experienced a 14 per cent decline in land used for food and fibre production between 1973 and 2017, a loss of about 106 million hectares. 

Farmers could get a boost of up to $35,000 to invest in the ag tech and connectivity solutions they need to drive increased productivity and position their business for the future thanks to the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the NSW Government was backing the industry with $20 million in grants as part of the Farms of the Future program to support investment in everything from soil moisture sensors to dashboards to help monitor the farm from your mobile.

“The ag sector is always innovating and this fund will help producers tap into the latest technology to drive productivity in the paddock and allow them to work smarter, not harder,” Mr Toole said.

“A grant of up to $35,000 could put some of these technologies in reach for hundreds of farm businesses and unlock multiple times that in cost savings and boosted productivity.”

Minister for Agriculture Dugald Saunders said embracing on-farm technology will help take agriculture in NSW to the next level.

“Despite the challenges over the last few years, our primary industries continue to break records and is currently valued at a whopping $23.1 billion, and we’re confident we can boost this to $30 billion by 2030,” Mr Saunders said.

“Encouraging farmers to engage in widespread use of agricultural technology and digital connectivity will help drive substantial growth now and into the future.”

Farmers can use their grant to select from 50 suppliers who were selected through an Expression of Interest held in 2022.

Details of the grant funding opportunity are available on the NSW Government’s grants and funding finder website at www.nsw.gov.au/fotfgrant. Applications close at 5.00pm on Thursday, 31st August 2023.

Parkes farmers and local landholders who were affected by recent floods have access to support through the NSW and Australian Governments. 

NSW Rural Assistance Authority (RAA) provides access to loans and grants for primary producers, small business operators and not-for-profit organisations. 

Primary producers affected by flood can apply for the $75,000 Special Disaster Grant or the $10,000 Rural Landholder Grant to help cover immediate costs associated with clean-up, repairs to infrastructure and reinstatement of primary production enterprises. 

The Special Disaster Grant program opened 18th November and 1,302 applications have been received by the RAA, $5.6 million has been approved in principle and over $1.5 million has been paid to approved applicants. 

Information is available from the RAA by phoning 1800 678 593, emailing rural.assist@raa.nsw.gov.au or visiting the RAA website www.raa.nsw.gov.au 

Farmers and landholders are encouraged to report severe weather and flood damage by using the primary industries disaster damage survey. 

A simple online form, www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/damage, can be used to record primary production damage and stock losses from natural disasters to help target and direct resources to aid recovery. 

The amount of crops, animals, infrastructure and other items damaged in a single event can be recorded and images can be attached to show the severity of damage in your area. 

Agriculture and Animal Services Hotline provides emergency assistance to farmers impacted by the floods, including livestock assessment, veterinary advice, emergency fodder, animal euthanasia and burial. 

Call 1800 814 647 to register your need for assistance or email aasfa@emergency.dpi.nsw.gov.au 

Australia’s trusted rural charity, Rural Aid, has stepped up to help farmers across NSW, Victoria and Tasmania as they face devastating, widespread flooding. 

The team of counsellors are also conducting welfare checks on Rural Aid’s registered farmers and has counsellors on the ground in Forbes. 

Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said farmers with crops nearing harvest were increasingly anxious as flood water and continuing rain caused costly downgrading. 

“Months of hard work and investment has now been written off, alongside people’s homes, fences, sheds and machinery,” he said. 

Registered primary producers are also being offered financial assistance as they deal with the devastating effects of the flood. 

More than 70 local government areas (LGAs) across the three states are directly affected, impacting thousands of families. 

Rural Aid counsellors are expecting an increase in calls to its new, dedicated 1300 175 594 counselling line, as the extent of the current flooding situation becomes more apparent. 

Farmers registered with Rural Aid can access counselling support and request financial assistance and fodder for livestock. 

Producers that aren’t registered are encouraged to do so immediately via www.ruralaid.org.au or by calling 1300 327 624.

The Parkes PA&H trial wethers continue to be in a fantastic condition and produced massive fleeces when they were shorn in June. 

They are currently running on the Neoen Solar Farm at Parkes with assistance from Matt Synett from ENcome. 

Shearing went off well and many thanks to the volunteers who helped make it happen including local volunteer shearers, Kathryn Egerton-Warburton from DPI, the team from AWN Langlands Hanlon and Ostini Wool, as well as all the farmers who came on the day to help roustabout and see their teams of sheep being shorn. 

A special thank you to Ken Keith and Peter Guppy who take good care of the wethers year-round, and to the Australian Wool Testing Authority (AWTA), who assisted with their free fibre testing. 

Congratulations to the top three placings being the Keith, Carty and Orange families. The trial runs for one more year and will have its final shearing in May/June next year. For any enquiries, contact Graeme Ostini on 0428 650 191.

By Liz Brown