The State Government in Western Australia is paving the way for greater investment in the agriculture sector by tripling the Co-operative Companies Loan Scheme to $60million. Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman said there were a number of primary producers who had pooled resources and expertise to form co-operatives around the State to process, market and sell their products. “Western Australia has some very successful co-operatives who contribute significantly to our regional communities... ...Read more »

A $12.6 million Victorian Government package will boost road links between local farms and markets, the Premier John Brumby announced on Wednesday. In the Latrobe Valley, Mr Brumby announced a package which allocates funding across regional and rural Victoria to improve links between farms with processing centres and markets. The funding, part of the Government’s successful Local Roads to Market Program, will go toward 54 infrastructure projects worth more than $26 million in 32 regional and... ...Read more »

A number of organic producers in the UK have been forced to consider the prospect of losing their certification as high costs and falling demand bite and are looking at ways to sacrifice organic certification for only a short period of time. Organic feed costs for producers are estimated to be about double that of non-organic feed in the UK and some producers are beginning to struggle. Organic Farmers & Growers (OFG) disputed claims from UK newspapers that it has asked for organic standards to... ...Read more »

Western Australian food and beverage companies will take their produce to new international markets at three upcoming major food trade events. Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman has invited local companies to explore promotional opportunities available in India, Japan and the United States. “I’m inviting local food and beverage companies, including wine producers, to promote their wares to the world through the WA booth at the International Food Exhibition in New Delhi to be held... ...Read more »

IBM has signed an agreement with Matiq, the information technology subsidiary of Nortura, Norway’s largest food supplier, to use radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to track and trace poultry and meat products from the farm, through the supply chain, to supermarket shelves. IBM and Matiq are developing the first food tracking solution of its kind in the Nordics, which will help ensure that meat and poultry products are kept in optimal condition throughout the supply chain. The... ...Read more »