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Find out the latest small farmer news.
View Archive by Year:
2010
Worm Warning For NSW (10-Mar-10)
Recent rains and green grass point to something more ominous in lush paddocks and Industry & Investment NSW has alerted graziers to watch out for worms. I&I NSW State worm control coordinator, Stephen Love, said producers should keep an eye out for worms in sheep, goat, alpaca and young cattle, particularly in central and southern NSW.
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Rabbit Virus to be Released in Northern Sydney (19-Feb-10)
The Cumberland Livestock Health and Pest Authority is set to undertake a broad scale release of rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) across the northern Sydney region in a major effort aimed at reducing the ecological impact of urban rabbit populations. The release of RHD, also known as rabbit calicivirus, will take place in late February when there is improved likelihood of the virus spreading via flies and mosquitoes.
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Lush Lucerne Grows Lambs (1-Feb-10)
An explosion of lucerne growth following summer rains now offers graziers the opportunity to boost lamb production according to Industry & Investment (I&I) NSW. I&I NSW advisory officer, Jim Meckiff, said graziers can take advantage of good green feed at this time of year by finishing lambs, growing out replacement ewe weaners and flushing ewes to lift conception rates.
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Macksville Farmer Caught Breaching Cattle Tick Quarantine (12-Jan-10)
A Macksville cattle producer has been fined $550 for breaching cattle tick quarantine conditions on his property. Industry & Investment NSW (I&I NSW) leader of cattle tick operations, Larry Falls, said the mid north coast producer’s property had been under quarantine for cattle tick when cattle were moved cattle off the property without obtaining a permit as required in the quarantine notice.
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Promoting Pastures To combat Fireweed (5-Jan-10)
More than 200 Hunter Valley and South Coast farmers recently attended a spring series of field days and workshops promoting pasture management for weed control. “The more competitive the pasture the lower the weed burden in the long run,” said Industry & Investment (I&I) NSW fireweed project officer, Craig Muir.
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Targeted Pig Control Success (5-Jan-10)
Feral pig numbers have been reduced across 10,000 hectares of private land east of Taralga as part of a strategic control program in the Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority.
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Lantana Control - The Future (5-Jan-10)
Lantana control has become high tech with the recent release of a new Decision Support Tool by the Lantana Weeds of National Significance Program. The new computer-based tool has been designed to assist land managers with tailoring integrated control programs for their properties - promising more cost-effective management outcomes.
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Register Now For Pest Field Day (5-Jan-10)
Small landholders looking for assistance and advice on controlling pest animals on their properties will benefit from attending the upcoming Vertebrate Pest Field Day near Bungonia.
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Organic Focus On Climate Change (5-Jan-10)
Organic food and wine production and the effects of climate change on the industry in the Central West will be the focus of attention at a free field day at the Bathurst Primary Industries Centre on Friday, December 18.
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Relentless Drought Tightens Its Grip (5-Jan-10)
Official drought figures released by Minister for Primary Industries, Tony Kelly, today reveal just 1.9% of NSW is considered satisfactory. The area of NSW battling drought is 73.6%, a marked increase from last month (up from 67.7%).
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Weeds Funding For NSW Boosted To $8.5 Million (5-Jan-10)
The NSW Government will spend more than $8.5 million to fight the spread of noxious weeds across the State this financial year, Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald, announced today. “Weed control is extremely costly to the NSW agricultural sector, averaging $1.2 billion a year and impacting greatly on waterways and the environment.
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Aerial Spraying Of Locusts Begins (5-Jan-10)
The Livestock Health and Pest Authorities are responding quickly to control banding locusts in the Coonamble region, with extra staff on the ground and aerial spraying of inaccessible and densely-infested areas starting next week.
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Frequently Asked Questions Regarding The Livestock Health And Pest Authorities (5-Jan-10)
How do Livestock Health and Pest Authorities work?
Each of the authorities operate as bodies corporate, under the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998. They each have a board of directors, usually consisting of 8 directors who are elected every four years by ratepayers.
How are they financed?
Most of their income is derived from annual rates paid by rural landholders. Authorities also charge for the distribution of certain merchandise and the provision of various services.
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Moves to Tackle Sheep Lice (5-Jan-10)
A recent increase in lice numbers across the state has prompted the Livestock Health and Pest Authorities to review the sheep lice policy in NSW with the aim of developing a more coordinated approach to lice control. Lice can seriously reduce woolgrower profits by causing breaks in fleeces on infected sheep and encouraging the animals to rub and damage their wool, as well as impacting on prime lamb production. Lousy sheep may be denied access to saleyards, stock routes and agistment.
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Landholders Urged To Be Vigilant On Footrot (5-Jan-10)
The Livestock Health and Pest Authorities are urging landholders to be careful when introducing sheep from interstate following the discovery of virulent footrot on a number of properties at Albury and Deniliquin over recent weeks.
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Mice Warning For Farmers Across NSW (5-Jan-10)
Farmers are being urged to be on the lookout for mice across NSW, with winter crops at risk of extensive damage from mice over the next few months. The latest monitoring by the Livestock Health and Pest Authority has revealed that mice numbers are increasing in the Riverina and have been detected in crops of lupins in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area.
[Read more...]
Rabbit Control - A Step Closer With Major Research Project (5-Jan-10)
NSW scientists will research new strains of the Calicivirus, in a bid to further control the increasing rabbit population, Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald, said today.“Rabbits cause around $200 million worth of damage across Australia each year, they compete for pasture and reduce the quality and productivity of land for crops and livestock.“
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Swine Flu Found in NSW Piggery (5-Jan-10)
A preliminary diagnosis H1N1 has been found in pigs at a piggery in NSW. Workers at the piggery have shown signs of possibly having had influenza. The farm has been quarantined, and movement controls (facilities, equipment and feed) have been instituted for pig premises around the affected piggery. This in accordance with Australia’s policy to contain the spread of the disease under the Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement.
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Biosecurity…..What is it, and why is it vital to your farm? (5-Jan-10)
‘Biosecurity’ is protecting the economy, environment and people’s health from pests and disease. It includes trying to prevent new pests and diseases from arriving, and helping to control outbreaks when they do occur.
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Plant Two for One this Weekend (5-Jan-10)
Farm trees and shrubs provide shade and shelter for livestock and valuable habitat and food sources for native animals according to NSW DPI trees on farms officer, Dhyan Blore. “In the past clearing and grazing in many agricultural areas has left paddock trees but has often eliminated the understorey layer, which also plays an important role on farms,” Ms Blore said.
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New Bait for Wild Dogs and Foxes on Trial (5-Jan-10)
Mid-coast landholders and residents have been invited to attend community meetings to discuss the trial of a new humane control for wild dogs and foxes in Hat Head and Maria National Parks. NSW DPI researcher, Guy Ballard, said the chemical para-aminopropriophenone (PAPP) had been chosen by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre to address animal welfare issues.
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Can Small Farmers Feed The World? (5-Jan-10)
Often, the question is raised about whether or not "organic" or "sustainable" agriculture can feed the world. I can't answer that question, nor can anyone else, in my opinion, as we don't live in the time when it's being done. And for sure there was a time when it was done, without herbicides and without GPS-connected, air-conditioned tractors, or we as a people wouldn't be here today. I wonder, however, why one country or one group of people would feel compelled to feed the world? Money? Control of food? Control of people? All three?
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Small Pig Farmers To Vote For Industry Delegate (5-Jan-10)
At present, small pig farmers, free range and organic growers, do not have a representative to take their concerns to Australian Pork Limited (APL). Of 1,895* pork producers in Australia, 1,409 producers own under 100 sows and 1,235 own under 50 sows. As small pig producers we form the majority but, because of our total sow numbers, we are treated as a minority. According to the current Australian Pig Annual* there are 339,448 sows in Australia but only 27,650 are owned by small pig farmers.
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LHPAs Commence Aerial Baiting Of Wild Dogs (5-Jan-10)
Hundreds of wild dogs will be targeted from next week as Livestock Health and Pest Authorities (LHPAs) commence intensive aerial baiting programs across much of the state. The Central North, Mid Coast, New England and North Coast LHPAs will be conducting aerial baiting around the Tamworth, Barrington Tops, Niangala, Walcha, Armidale, Tenterfield, Glen Innes, Mudgee, Merriwa and upper Hunter regions.
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Budget 09: Hobby And Small Farmers Hit Hard (5-Jan-10)
Hobby and small farmers are to feel the pinch from this year's budget, with the Government to tighten the application of the rules on the use of non-commercial losses to prevent people on high incomes from offsetting excess deductions from non-commercial business activities against salary and other income.
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Small Farmers To Recycle and Dispose of Unwanted Ag and Vet Chemicals and Containers (5-Jan-10)
drumMUSTER is the National program that has been set up for the collection and recycling of cleaned eligible non returnable crop production and on-farm animal health chemical containers. ChemClear provides a reliable and responsible collection and disposal service for obsolete agricultural and veterinary chemicals to primary producers and agricultural businesses.
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Sheep and Farmed Goats to Be Tagged From The 1st January 2009 (5-Jan-10)
From 1 January 2009, all sheep and farmed goats must be ear tagged before they are moved from any property to a saleyard, abattoir or another property. The tag must be printed with the property identification code (PIC) of the property the sheep or goats are moving from.
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