Australian Farmer of the Year Award nominations open

Nominations for the 2012 Australian Farmer of the Year Awards have opened. Hosted by Kondinin Group and ABC Rural, with the support of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF), this year's award dinner and award ceremony will be held at the Grand Hyatt in Melbourne on September 12. There are 10 categories in which to nominate. The winners of each category then to qualify to be considered for the overall title of 2012 Australian Farmer of the Year. For further information about this year’s awards and how to nominate, click here

Diuron suspension extended

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has extended the suspension of certain diuron registered products until 30 November 2012. Diuron is used to control broadleaf and grass weeds in agriculture, and weeds and algae in and around water bodies. “Today’s announcement continues an initial suspension announced on 28 November 2011, which prohibited diuron use during the no spray window on a range of tropical crops such as sugarcane, tea, bananas, pineapples, coffee and paw paw,“ APVMA Pesticides Program Manager, Dr Raj Bhula, said on Tuesday. “The suspension also prohibited use in a range of situations such as irrigation channels and drains in agricultural and industrial situations.” The APVMA will finalise its review of diuron after receiving a final environmental assessment report from the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (DSEWPaC). For further information click here
 

100,000 cattle struck by new Egyptian FMD outbreak

Almost 100,000 head of cattle are now believed to have been infected in the latest foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Egypt. Essam Abdel Shakur, the head of Egypt's central quarantine service, told the AFP-news agency that 93,734 head of cattle are believed to have been hit by the disease since February, of which 9022 had died. The latest outbreak represents a new strain that known as SAT2, and livestock have no known immune protection against it. Last Thursday, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned that the new FMD outbreak threaten the whole of North Africa and the Middle East. The UN food agency said that failing to prevent the spread of the disease could have serious implications for food security in the region.

Young beef producers: Are you keen to get to the top?

Are you aged 18 to 35 and keen to get to the top? Well don’t wait too long to sign up for AgForce’s Ag Generation Cairns to Cape York road tip, which runs from Sunday October 14 to Saturday October 20, or you may well miss out. Highlights include visits to grazing stations, the tip of Cape York, Moreton, Musgrave, Weipa, Coen and Cooktown and Telegraph Road. The tour will pass through many of the icons of Cape York and the vast and varied landscapes from rainforests to sparse grasslands. For more information click here
 

Landmark review into LHPA released

NSW minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson, has announced that the review of the NSW Livestock Health and Pest Authority model has been released for public comment.  The review – conducted by independent consultant Terry Ryan – was commissioned mid-last year to investigate and address concerns with the LHPA model that was put in place in 2009 by the former Labor Government. “The State’s Livestock Health & Pest Authorities do play a major role in delivering animal health, pest management and biosecurity services,” Ms Hodgkinson said. “However, the Ryan Review recommends landmark and far-reaching changes to the delivery of these services to rural landholders across NSW.” Recommendations include a new regional framework to deliver frontline biosecurity functions and a broader range of services; the development of a new risk-based funding model that takes into account the need for appropriate contributions from industry, landholders and Government; and the implementation of a new management system to improve service delivery, reduce operating costs and improve transparency and accountability. The Ryan Review can be viewed on the NSW DPI website and submissions are due by 23 May, 2012. Submissions can be sent to lhpa.review@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Coal seam gas expert scientific committee legislation introduced

Environment Minister Tony Burke last week introduced legislation to the House of Representatives to establish an Independent Expert Scientific Committee to provide advice on coal seam gas and large coal mining. The legislation will amend the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to allow for the establishment of the Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development as a statutory body. The Independent Expert Scientific Committee is part of a science-based framework to provide more certainty for regional communities on coal seam gas and large coal mining developments, jobs and investment and the protection of water resources. An interim committee was put in place pending formal establishment of the Independent Expert Scientific Committee. The interim committee will continue until it hands over to the Independent Expert Scientific Committee from 1 July, 2012.