Japan’s food ministry will expand a pilot programme that aims to increase consumption of domestic agricultural produce as early as this year. The scheme, Food Action Nippon, uses reward points to encourage consumers to buy food products made in Japan. Food Action Nippon aims to improve the nation’s self-sufficiency and was launched in February last year at 12 large supermarkets in greater Tokyo. Sales of products that offer reward points climbed 19%, according to the ministry. The ministry... ...Read more »
A $3million initiative to increase grain yields by two million tonnes in high rainfall areas of the Western Australian Wheatbelt was announced today by WA Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman. The ‘Bridging the Yield Gap’ initiative aims to overcome yield constraints for growers from Esperance through to Northampton whose properties receive more than 350mm of annual rainfall. Mr Redman said average crop yields in these environments had been static at about 2.5 tonnes per hectare for... ...Read more »
An internationally recognised plant scientist who helped rescue many Australian farms from the brink of disaster has been awarded the 2010 Grains Research and Development Corporation Western Region Seed of Light award for his contribution to herbicide resistance research. The University of Western Australia’s Winthrop Professor Stephen Powles, Director of the WA Herbicide Resistance Initiative (WAHRI) in the UWA School of Plant Biology, received the award at the 2010 WA Agribusiness Crop Updates,... ...Read more »
From 22nd February the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) is calling for nominations under its second annual national Innovation in Agriculture Awards, recognising and encouraging excellence in modern farming. The NFF established the Awards in 2009 as part of its highly successful National Congress to celebrate the pioneering advances and outstanding contributions made by Australian farmers. “Australians know the resilient nature of our farmers and value the quality of our farm fresh... ...Read more »
The latest NAB Quarterly Agribusiness Survey shows post-farmgate conditions and confidence declined in the December quarter, as weak domestic and export demand led to deteriorating trading conditions and profitability. Demand was reported as the major concern for agribusiness respondents with 35 per cent expecting it to be the main constraint to profitability over the next 12 months. NAB’s General Manager of Agribusiness, Khan Horne, said that agribusinesses were feeling the pinch due to the... ...Read more »
One of the world’s most sophisticated plant research facilities - opened in Adelaide last week - is expected to make significant advances in international agricultural sustainability and deliver pronounced benefits to Australia’s agriculture and horticulture industries, according to researchers. Based at the University of Adelaide’s Waite Campus, the $30 million facility known as ‘The Plant Accelerator’ is the largest and most advanced public facility of its type in... ...Read more »
A greater focus on food security in Australia from both sides of politics has been welcomed by Australia’s leading organisation representing food and grocery manufacturing, the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC), but they are hoping it will be more than just a token gesture. The Federal Government has acknowledged the Coalition’s addition of food security to Shadow Agriculture Minister John Cobb’s portfolio, with the Government highlighting the important synergy between... ...Read more »
The European Commission has approved measures to further promote agricultural products from their region. Member States submitted 20 programmes to the Commission to be examined, with 10 programmes accepted from France, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal and Romania. The products covered are PGI and PDO, wine, fruit and vegetables, meat, spirits, olive oil, and organic products. The EU will contribute around A$18 million. “EU quality products are second to none,” claimed Mariann... ...Read more »
The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke has announced an agreement with Opposition and Greens senators to facilitate Senate passage of a $127.4 million industry reform program. The agreement will enable the Senate to reverse its previous decision from September to block new export certification fees and charges to return industry to full cost recovery. “This is the largest reform in a generation and has the overwhelming support of the red meat, dairy, grain, fish, horticulture... ...Read more »
The latest release the Westpac-NFF Commodity Index has shown that commodity prices remain 16.2 per cent below last year’s data, despite a 2.5 per cent rise in October. Commodity prices that lifted during October, according to the Index, included wool (4.6%), cotton (3.0%), wheat (3.3%), barley (12.5%), dairy (7.6%), and beef (0.3%). International commodity prices easing during the month were canola (-4.6%) and sugar (-6.5%) - although sugar’s fall follows a strong run-up on the back of... ...Read more »