Country Today

Farmers in Western Victoria thought they were looking down the barrel of an enormous feed bill, with the tremendously dry start to the year offering very little confidence for a promising season. Although, recent rainfall has greened up pastures and lifted spirits, with farmers now expecting a very different outcome. After last week’s talks between US President Donald Trump and China&rs...

Environmental law reforms are set for debate in the House of Representatives today, although questions remain over the timing of the Senate inquiry. Minister for the Environment and Water, Murray Watt announced this morning that there will be three hearings by the Senate committee investigating the bill this month. So what does all of this mean for farmers? Australian lamb exports lifted slightly...

Australian dairy farmers are demanding a review into supermarket pricing for milk, claiming our domestic prices per litre are the lowest in the Western world. It’s crunch time for farmers in North East Victoria and despite the minimal rainfall over the last three months, some are feeling surprisingly optimistic about how the season has turned around. The State Government has approved a contr...

On the eve of harvest, crops in the Western District have soaked up the recent rainfall and while it hasn't quite reached the soil it certainly will turn the season around. Agronomist at Gorst Rural in Lake Bolac, Cam Conboy, says now farmers can hope for 15 - 20 per cent below an average yield. The Victorian Farmers Federation is urging the Allan Labor Government to hold an in-person drought task...

The pricing outlook for heavy cattle paints a positive picture for Australian producers as we move into 2026 and beyond, with both the US and China as key markets. Now, all eyes are on the highly-anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping, expected to take place today. Since its establishment in 1989 with the support of the NFF, Landcare Australia...

The Federal Government has confirmed it’s reviewing a carbon border adjustment mechanism, similar to one being introduced in Europe. Farmers fear it could drive up the cost of key agricultural inputs, particularly fertiliser. The National winner of last night's AgriFutures Rural Women’s Awards, celebrating innovative women in rural communities. A Southwest Victorian stud doubled its sp...

Farmers have been questioning who ultimately covers the costs of decommissioning renewable energy projects when they're removed or upgraded ... and have frequently been met with answers described as vague and inconsistent. And it's not JUST host families who are critiquing the current approach. Australia's Energy Infrastructure Commissioner is also calling on consistency. In a year where many stud...

The US Department of Agriculture has confirmed plans to raise the quota on Argentine beef imports. So what does this mean for Australia, if our largest export market quadruple's low-tariff imports from a different country? As the growing season unfolds, many farmers have faced the tough call to cut their crops early for hay, with grain yields looking uncertain. Swan Hill agronomist Billy Forrester...

On Country Today we’re going to get to know the next President of the National Farmers Federation. As of this afternoon’s NFF Council meeting, Queensland farmer Hamish McIntyre will take over from David Jochinke as the leader of the country’s peak farm lobby group.  You may have heard of asparagopsis, the seaweed which has the potential to reduce methane emissions in cattle,...

Farmers in the Wimmera are relieved with the recent rainfall, we will hear from one farmer in Minyip who received just shy of 12 mm. And he's describing the crops as refreshed, healthy and green.  The best of Australian Milk has been recognised at the 2025 Australian Milk Quality Awards - with the South West of Victoria featuring prominently with 61 of the top 100 farms with the lowest Bulk M...

Farmers in the Western District are welcoming the much needed rainfall overnight, reporting 12-18mm, and while it may not be enough for strong yields it certainly will help what has been described as the season which never really broke. We'll hear from an Agronomist in Horsham. Now let’s head South of Horsham where one farmer says he has had the most challenging season to date. After a false...

The Federal Government has announced $27 million in new funding to support drought-impacted communities in regional and rural Australia, through extending drought resilience projects. We’ll head to the United States where much of the U.S. Department of Agriculture remains shutdown and farmers are left without critical market reports, disrupting the entire supply chain.  The Bureau predi...

Regular contributor and analyst Simon Quilty joins us to talk about both beef and lamb markets, which have seen a slight correction over the past few weeks with prices taking a step backwards. Then we’ll find out all the details about Friday's store sheep sale up in Deniliquin …. And it was a slow and sluggish start buyers ended up paying around $300 per head. New Zealand researchers...

Country Today attended the annual Southern Farming Systems annual Agrifocus field day at Streatham in Western Victoria. General Manager, agronomic Ashley Amourgis give us a rundown of the field day and how the crops have done remarkably well in such a dry year. SFS Chairman Scott Chirnside talks about how the organisation is run and funded and the partnerships with the likes of the GRDC. You&rsquo...

Farmers are applauding the decision by the federal government to revise its proposed super tax, which would have had serious unintended consequences for thousands of family who hold property in Self-Managed Super Funds. What’s goes up, must come down. And that’s what’s happened to rural land values, National transactions now at a record low? The US government shutdown has brought...

Wimmera farmers are protesting at what they claim is a wasteful use of water by Donald Mineral Sands from the GWM water Pipeline which was intended for vital agricultural production. The Zanda McDonald award is given annually to two progressive young farmers, one from Australia and one from New Zealand. This years Aussie winner is Jack O'Connor. If you’re a prime lamb producer and you really...

Wannon MP and Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions, Dan Tehan, has returned from a U.S. trip, warning Australia could fall behind on future power supply without nuclear technology. Rainfall has been very patchy in the eastern regions of the country, where farmers are hoping for some decent moisture, as a slow start to harvest has everything delayed we’ll be taking a look at Rabobank&rsqu...

After a very slow start in responding to the spreading drought in Victoria by the State Government, it seemed to be making substantial progress with the appointment of a drought taskforce and regular meetings. But that appears to have ground to a halt. The Charinga Merino Stud holds its On Property Sale on Monday, October 6, 2025, starting at 1 PM, with inspections from 10 AM. The sale offers 200...

The Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group is in Malaysia this week in their ongoing effort to increase trade opportunities and diversify markets for Australian farmers. This is the group that includes Dairy Australia, MLA, Hort Innovation, Wine Aust, and Seafood Industry Australia.  The forecast for a wetter than average spring hasn't materialised and farmers are getting increasin...

Water trading in the Murray Darling Basin is about to become a whole lot more transparent, the Water Markets Intermediaries Code coming into effect.  The Regional Australia Institute is pushing for a national framework, to coordinate the massive roll out of renewable energy projects.  The Australian Wool Exchange has announced at bonus payment of up to $300 per property for wool growers...

To beef cattle prices, and steers in the US are trading at  nearly twice the cost of a heavy steer here. Analyst Matt Dalgleish thinks that makes for a very promising spring selling season locally. The Victorian Government has released The Australian Road Assessment Program's road safety star ratings. We can all go online and find out which roads to avoid! For the first time in nearly 40 year...

The big news today the wool market is now at it's highest level in years having broken through the 1400 cents a kg mark.   The controversy over wind farms has taken a new twist, with a wind farm in NSW being shut down after one of the propellors on the turbine snapped off in high winds. Another disease outbreak, this time in potatoes. Potato mop-top virus which has been found seed potato in V...

There’s nothing quite like a good thunderstorm to promote plant growth. Its because the lighting turns the nitrogen in the air into nitrates, most plants favourite fertilizer. An Australian agtech start up is trying to mimic that process using the latest technology. Albanese governments revised emissions reduction targets which were based on the first National Climate Risk Assessment are bei...

The organisation Sheep Producers Australia has launched a national strategy called The Future Flock. lt says its designed to guide the sheepmeat and wool sectors through change and set a profitable, resilient direction for decades to come. The arrival of the varroa destructor mite to our shores is a prime example of how vulnerable we are to losing agriculture's pollination powerhouse: The European...

Just when you thought the sheep market must have topped, the Hay sheep sale on Friday was one of the best ever, with a top priced merino ewe selling for $480 a head. You’ll get an update on drought assistance, what’s available and what sort of uptake there’s been so far. Peter Touhey is Victoria’s Rural Assistance Commissioner. Scientists are converting plant based agricult...