This Month
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Farmers fight miners for train drivers
Farmer-controlled grain handler and exporter CBH says miners are poaching train drivers as fast as its rail provider can train them.
- Brad Thompson
- Exclusive
- NSW mouse plague
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NSW Nationals leader gives in to farm lobby group over mouse plague
After a month resisting demands for subsidies, John Barilaro has overruled his agriculture minister and offered farmers up to $10,000 each.
- Aaron Patrick
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JBS takes aim at pork imports with pledge to raise more pigs
JBS Foods says it will grow pig production in Australia to reduce reliance on imported pork products in the wake of the $175 million Rivalea acquisition.
- Brad Thompson
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Plant-based food sector to grow 100 times larger: Credit Suisse
The food system’s sustainability is under heavy scrutiny but a full shift to veganism faces a barrier from tasty processed food.
- Simon Evans
- Opinion
- NSW mouse plague
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There’s not enough mice to deserve another farmer bailout
Notwithstanding a mouse plague generating lots of gross-out video footage, winter crops in NSW will be much bigger than the past-decade average.
- Aaron Patrick
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Australia takes on Mexico’s famed spirit
A Queensland farm plans to go international with agave spirits, one of the world’s fastest-growing hard liquors. Just don’t call it tequila.
- Sybilla Gross
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The innovators behind a start-up reinventing cattle feed are farmers
ProAgni is using scientific findings about how kangaroos metabolise their food to create greener, better feed options for cattle and sheep.
- Natasha Gillezeau
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Innovate and they will come but don’t delay, agtech experts warn
Australia’s agtech research is world renowned but the lack of capital investment is making it challenging for local players.
- Krishan Sharma
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Russian criminals blamed for hack threatening meat supply
JBS Food has told the White House it suspects the culprits behind the ransomware attack that shut its meatworks in Australia and North America are from Russia.
- Brad Thompson
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US says ransomware attack on meatpacker JBS likely from Russia
JBS is the world’s largest meatpacker and the cyberattack caused its Australian operations to shut down on Monday and has stopped livestock slaughter at its plants in several US states.
- Tom Polansek and Jeff Mason
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Bumper crops worth $15b on cards despite mice plague
Rabobank says Australian farmers are on track to produce a whopper winter grain crop in the order of 43 million tonnes.
- Brad Thompson
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Cobram Estate-owner eyes $75m-$150m raising for IPO
Well-known olive oil maker Boundary Bend’s float plans are looking slick.
- Sarah Thompson, Anthony Macdonald and Tim Boyd
May
- Breaking
- Food bowl
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Cyber attack shuts down Australia’s biggest meat processor
A cyber attack has hit JBS Group causing cattle and sheep slaughter to be cancelled and raising concerns about meat supply to both domestic and export markets.
- Brad Thompson
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Farmers tackle mice at home and China at WTO
NSW Farmers says truck after truck is being turned away from ports because grain is contaminated with mice faeces and urine, amid increasing fears about the impact of the plague on export markets.
- Brad Thompson
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Poison chalice for farmers overwhelmed by mice plague
Farmers in NSW have been hamstrung in the fight against the mice plague with their only chemical weapon too weak and now in short supply.
- Brad Thompson
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Labour shortages squash Costa Group share price
The new CEO of the fruit and vegetables group warns labour shortages could be a handbrake well into calendar 2022.
- Simon Evans
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Synlait Milk says banks have its back after plunge into red
A2 woes rub off on New Zealand-based Synlait as it warns of full-year loss and more shipping delays.
- Brad Thompson
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AACo beefs up profits, clings to JobKeeper
A fall in meat sale volumes was offset by cost-cutting and was buffered by higher beef prices at the cattle giant.
- Liam Walsh
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Nufarm sees green shoots in aftermath of drought
The farm chemical supplier is reaping the benefits of the end in drought in Australia.
- Brad Thompson
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Troubled wheat exporter CBH looks for new chief
Former BHP iron ore boss Jimmy Wilson is leaving after four years in charge of the west coast company.
- Brad Thompson