The Downs & Lockyer Farmer February 2024

welcome

What a start to the year the agriculture sector has had. Coming into summer last year, the forecast was not positive, but with the summer rains came an improved outlook.

The rain seemed to wash away some of the stress, allowing the farmers to look into the long-term future.

Carbon farming (pages 4-5) is also about looking to the future and while carbon trading as an industry is in its early stages, it is growing and will continue to do so.

Speaking of the future, it is looking bright for the cotton industry thanks to the Australian Future Cotton Leaders Program (pages 6-7). The latest intake of participants is set to make waves.

The Warwick Saleyards redevelopment (page 11) is also underway, with the first sod being turned on Stage 1 of the project. And with a recovery in the commercial cattle market, there is renewed optimism in the stud stock sector (page 14).

Cheers

Alyssa

AlyssaWelke

Helpisathandif

Founder of the Are You

Bogged Mate is on a critical mission to help save the lives of country blokes

It’s a Tuesday night and the Wandoan Bowls Club is humming. But it’s not your typical crowd of retirees who are into bowls. There’s a mix of young, old and middle-aged farmers, resource workers and town folk having a drink at the bar or tucking into a barbecue dinner while kids race in and out of the building.

Wandoan Health Auxiliary president Karen Postle’s nerves are slowly settling as more and more people turn up for the “Mateship in the Bush” Mental Health Awareness Evening which the Health Auxiliary has organised.

“I was pretty nervous about how people would respond as mental health is often swept under the carpet,” she tells me.

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“So it’s really heartening to see so many people, especially men, wanting to learn more about the warning signs of mental health.

“It’s no easy feat to get them (men) to talk about it (mental health); I’ll be honest, when I left home this morning, I wasn’t even sure if my husband and son would come.”

At the front of the room, Mary O’Brien is checking her laptop and is ready to go for her talk in a few minutes time. She’s a sharpshooter who doesn’t sugar-coat anything. You could say she calls a spade a spade.

In truth that’s probably the reason many of the men in the room are here. Some are complaining to their mates that their significant others dragged them along, but there’s a few brave ones willing to admit O’Brien is the reason they’ve come.

Most of them have heard of her work, whether it’s conducting spray application and drift management workshops across Australia, her experience in the cotton industry or her advocacy efforts for sustainable agriculture.

But O’Brien’s not here to talk about spray drift tonight. She’s here for Are You Bogged Mate?, the rural men’s mental health initiative she established after becoming increasingly alarmed at Australia’s male suicide rate, which escalates the further you go away from cities and towns.

“Every 10 days a farmer takes his

own life,” she says in a matter-of-fact way.

“Rural men are five times more likely to take their life than city women. And for every death, there are approximately 30 suicide attempts. But there’s no national strategy for male suicide prevention in Australia. Why is that?

“Because I can guarantee you that if the stats were reversed and it was females, there would be a royal commission into how to prevent this happening.”

It’s an uncomfortable topic that touches home for many in the room, and the crowd focuses more.

There’s hardly a phone in sight and people lean forward in their seats to look at the stats O’Brien’s projected onto the white screen.

She is upfront about her experience with mental health.

“I’m not a psychologist and I’ve not studied mental health, but I have spent a lifetime working with men in rural and remote Australia,” she says.

It’s this experience, and her mateship with blokes across the country, that has helped her understand what makes rural blokes tick and has given her a great respect for them.

But it’s also meant that she’s

thebucketoverflows

attended too many funerals for men way before their time.

“All the support services in the world are useless if people don’t use them. And I can tell you that most blokes out here won’t put their hand up and ask for help.

“We need to accept they don’t sit around and talk about their feelings.

“We need to meet them where they’re at.”

O’Brien compares mental health to being bogged: something that anyone can battle with but which few people want to admit has happened to them.

Which seems ridiculous given how easy it can be to get out with the right gear and help.

“When people get bogged, most of them will do just about anything to get unstuck by themselves.

“But country men are practical.

“So if the bog is too big, they don’t walk away and leave a good machine or vehicle stuck in the mud.

“They’ll swallow their pride and ask for help even though they know their mates will probably tell the story over and over again at the pub for years to come.

“But most blokes wouldn’t think twice about stopping to help someone they see bogged by the side of the road.

“What we need to realise is that it’s even more important to offer to help a mate who’s stuck mentally.”

After attending yet another funeral in early 2018, O’Brien wrote an article questioning why suicide is so much higher for men in the country.

The response was overwhelming.

So she decided to do something about the problem.

This was the beginnings of Are You Bogged Mate.

Its mission is simple: to connect to rural men on their own turf rather than waiting for them to engage with traditional services.

some might have holes but it doesn’t matter how big or small your bucket is, if it’s overflowing, it’s overflowing,” she says.

“While most of us can carry a full bucket for a while, you get to a point where it’s too much.

“It’s bit like the tacho (tachometer) in your ute or tractor. You can rev it up or idle it for a certain amount of time, but too much of one or the other isn’t good.

“Most of the time you want it in the middle range so it’s manageable.

“If you do notice a mate might be struggling to carry his bucket and you can give him a hand to carry it for a while that can make a huge difference.

“But you can’t help someone forever so this is where they might need professional help to get to the bottom of the problem.”

O’Brien stresses that language and timing are everything.

“You’ll get much more out of a man in a moving vehicle because he’s a captive audience – you’re shoulderto-shoulder and he can’t get away.

“You don’t have to sit them down in a chair and ask them about their feelings directly, you could take them fishing or to do something they normally love whether that’s skiing or playing a round of golf to let some steam off. If they say no, that’s a way in to say you’ve noticed they’ve withdrawn from things they normally do and ask how they’re travelling and if there’s anything you can do.

“There’s help out there if they need it from services like Rural Aid which are targeted at the farming industry to ones like TIACS for tradies, truckies and blue collar workers.

●

●

community: if the farmers are doing it tough, then there’s a good chance the bloke who runs the tyre shop or the hardware is also taking a hit.

Other factors included heightened family or relationship pressures, or having too much time on their hands to think about things at a time when everyone else appears to be doing well – comparing themselves to others who appear to be doing better than them can be a trigger.

Some warning signs – like increased drug and alcohol use, higher levels of emotions like rage, anger and anxiety, or difficulty in sleeping – clearly indicate that something’s not right.

But other signs can be far more subtle.

“If a man starts getting their affairs in order or giving away prized possessions like his favourite saddle, then that can be a real red flag,” O’Brien explains.

“If they aren’t ready to talk face-toface or can’t get to a service in person, there are platforms which offer support by text and video over the phone.”

“ Tue.Feb.272024 03 THEDOWNS&LOCKYERFARMER

Men who died at their own hands.

Despite the millions of dollars of funding used to conduct studies and establish and run support services year on year, the death toll keeps rising.

Mary believes something needs to change.

“There’s plenty of experts with theories on why male suicide is so prevalent, but they’re missing the point,” she says “Which is that rural men aren’t like their city counterparts so a one-sizefits all approach will inevitably fail.

It’s about getting the word out that they matter and that there is no shame in being bogged mentally.

O’Brien says asking for help shows guts rather than weakness.

“We want to break down the stigma around mental health and equip people to know the signs that they or a mate might be bogged and where they can get help,” she tells the audience.

But breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health in many regional areas isn’t easy.

“We’ve all got our buckets of s — t (baggage) to carry, some people’s buckets are bigger than others and

While Christmas and New Year are known for an increase in both suicides and suicide attempts, mental health problems pay no heed to the calendar.

And rural blokes are no exception.

When someone’s bucket is full, sometimes the smallest thing can be what causes it to overflow or them to drop it.

Bad market and weather conditions are two of the most wellknown culprits which can trigger men on the land, but they can also flow on to affect anyone in a rural

“On the other hand, if someone who has been down is suddenly happy and relieved, rather than being an improvement, this could actually mean they’ve decided to end it.

“Mental health isn’t something that’s easy to bring up, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore it.

“When you think about it, there’s plenty of things that aren’t easy which blokes do every day whether it’s fixing a tractor, fencing on a hot day or dealing with staff and stock.

“And if you can help someone realise that it’s okay to get help and encourage them to take that first step, then it can have a life changing effect.”

To

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• Soften hard water for decades on $10 power yearly

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Mary O’Brien says it doesn’t matter how big or small your bucket is, if it’s overflowing, it’s overflowing – and you might need help to carry it for a while.

Picture: Jacinta Cummins

Learnthe insandouts ofcarbon farming

Ask questions and research all options to determine whether carbon farming, and what project, is the right fit for you

Carbon farming is not new to Australia, but it’s largely been corporate agriculture which has engaged with it to date while most producers still have little to no knowledge about it.

To achieve Australia’s commitment to net zero by 2050, any businesses with $50m or more across two of the categories of turnover, assets and employees will be required to report the emissions intensity of their product by 2028.

While this requirement won’t affect medium and small producers directly, the Australian red meat industry target to be carbon neutral by 2030 (CN30) will affect them.

Put simply, the combined Australian beef, lamb and goat production chain – including lot feeding and processing – must produce no net release of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere to achieve this target.

And this is just six years away.

Shaun Salter has worked as a valuer with Fraser Valuers for 17 years. He was first exposed to carbon farming projects when banks wanted to know how these projects and encumbrances could affect land values and usage in the future and thus, the bank’s fallback security position.

Salter also owns and operates a commercial beef production enterprise with his wife Sherry across 5100ha at Teelba near Glenmorgan.

“When I first started (in this the carbon space), it was about 2005 when projects were contracted to the ‘Minding the Carbon Store Fund’, well before the Clean Energy Regulator was established,” he says.

“In my experience, many producers view carbon projects as similar to the Vegetation Management Act –restrictive legislation – but there’s so much more to it than just locking land up and throwing the key away.

“The reality is carbon is a commodity which is traded just like grains, livestock or fibre. The industry is still in its infancy, but it’s here to stay and producers will eventually have to engage with it.

“Knowledge is power so the more people know about carbon projects the better placed they will be to make the best decisions for their business long-term when it comes to carbon.”

Crunch the numbers

Records show 1982 carbon farming projects are registered across Australia, with 513 of them in Queensland as of November 2023.

This data must be taken with a grain of salt: it is a blanket number which doesn’t differentiate between active projects and inoperational or defunct projects.

Carbon projects have a permanence period (lifespan) of either 25 or 100 years depending on the individual project, with a number of different methodologies used to establish them.

The broad methodologies available to industry and agriculture include savanna burning, vegetation projects such as avoided clearing of native regrowth or environmental plantings,

animal management such as reducing GHG by feeding nitrates to beef cattle, reducing synthetic fertiliser use while maintaining crop yields and increasing and sequestering carbon in soil.

Savanna methods are predominantly used in Northern Australia, with the planned burnings and firebreaks reducing the frequency and extent of late dry season fires which produce more GHG emissions and burn more dead organic matter than fires earlier in the season.

Approximately 80 per cent of Queensland projects are vegetation based, but soil carbon is attracting more interest from livestock producers as the technology evolves and because of the benefits that increased carbon can have on soil and animal health.

When it comes to soil carbon, there are two ways a project can be established.

The government default rate approach can be cheaper to establish because those entering into a project don’t have to test to establish a baseline carbon level and then retest down the track to show whether the project’s carbon has increased, decreased or plateaued. Its obvious drawback is that the default rate predetermines earning potential so there is no incentive for improvement over time.

Despite the higher costs, the testing

and retesting approach – which measures exactly how many Australian carbon credit units (ACCUs) a project has generated – is more common because of its increased income potential.

An ACCU is the term used to describe each tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent which is avoided or sequestered instead of being released into the atmosphere.

ACCUs may be kept by the carbon project developer or landholder or sold to generate income – the first ACCUs sold in Australia made $8-$10 each and increased to $57 at the market’s peak in January 2022.

The current spot price for a generic ACCU is around $35.

Many Western Queensland farmers relied on ACCU income during the drought. But some of these same landholders now find that their projects are generating fewer ACCUs as vegetation matures and slows in growth, resulting in less sequestration and fewer ACCUs.

Over time, income from the project is likely to reduce but owners are still bound by its maintenance and reporting encumbrances.

As a worst-case scenario, Salter uses the example of a vegetation project with a 100-year permanence period: the vegetation will most likely stop yielding ACCUs after 25-30 years but the encumbrances are there for decades to come.

Consider options

With most farmers’ wealth lying in the value of their landholding rather than their cashflow, this is where Salter sees carbon projects being very complicated for family farming businesses, unless the project is set up well from the outset.

“When you think about it, if you sign up to a project across the whole of your property which has a permanence period of 100 years, then in 25-30 years what impacts is that going to have when mum and dad want to sell the farm to fund their retirement or succession plan to pass it onto the next generation?” he asks.

“This could ultimately affect who is interested in buying your place or how much they’ll pay.

“Everything can be sold, but it’s a matter of how long it sits on the market and how much it ends up selling for.

“Ultimately, it is vitally important when establishing a project to have it

“ Producers will eventually have to engage with it

as flexible as possible, so that if your business needs to change direction for any reason, then this can be done with as few restrictions as possible.”

So the challenge for producers considering projects is what information they need in order to decide if a project is right for them and if so, what methodology will work best for their landscape and business operating model.

As with anything, research is key and knowing what to ask and who to ask is crucial. This isn’t easy given the number of organisations and businesses in the space.

It’s further complicated by the widespread effects carbon farming has on most facets of agriculture, from management practices, stocking

rates and data collection, marketing and accounting through to increased price pressures on a rural property market which is already hot.

Service delivery

Having identified this market need, a consortium of businesses came together to establish Equipoised Group. Fraser Valuers is one of the founders, partnering with Mazars, Agile Energy and Earthtrade.

Equipoised believes it is the first “one stop shop” in the space, because it provides services from valuation to testing to establishing baseline carbon levels to the financial and record keeping side right through to an ACCU trading platform.

It differs from other businesses in

the space, known as aggregators or providers, because Equipoised is fee for service while the majority of aggregators charge a percentage fee of the income generated by a project over its permanence period.

There is no financial incentive for Equipoised to recommend a particular methodology or one provider over another.

“One of the key services we provide is financial modelling of a potential project,” Salter says.

“We use the expertise … within Equipoised Group to assess a property’s ‘highest and best use’ by undertaking modelling to include all the pros such as generated income but also all the cons such as additional reporting, maintenance costs, the potential of long-term reduced carrying capacity and land value if undertaking a vegetation project.

“This analysis looks at all natural capital options, which may be traditional agriculture for part of the property but then a mix of grazing and soil carbon, vegetation carbon or biodiversity in other areas of it.”

In some cases, it may actually be more viable for a client to buy ACCUs in the market place rather than undertake their own project because they can make more profit by using the land for traditional agriculture.

Late last year Equipoised undertook a roadshow from Teelba to Taroom to Mitchell to provide information to people wanting to learn more about carbon projects.

“We found a lot of the same questions and concerns came up at every event,” Salter says

“The key takeaways were that landholders really need to build their knowledge by asking questions, attending seminars and doing as much research as they can.

“There’s the potential for carbon to become very lucrative, given supply and demand pressures, as businesses look to offset their emissions.

“In addition to diversifying income streams, reducing your carbon footprint will also make your product more attractive to buyers as the larger businesses consider their Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions (ahead of mandatory reporting to government.).

“Whether you go ahead with a project or not will depend on your circumstances, but like anything in business, landholders really need to understand carbon farming and the effects it can have, both positive and negative, on their business, land and family in the long-term.”

“Get yourself some good advice as any project will have a direct impact on what is usually your largest asset.”

ValuerShaunSalter,left,isurginglandholderstoresearchcarbonfarmingsothey understandtheeffectsitcanhaveontheirbusiness,landandfamily;Salterwith hiswifeSherry,above,ontheircommercialbeefproductionenterpriseatTeelba; and,belowleft,EquipoisedGrouponacarbonprojectroadshowtoengage producersandgraziersabouttheindustry.Pictures:HoneyMedia

Ittakestimetogrow

How cotton is helping young people develop skills to be the new captains of agriculture

Jess Strauch had never seen a cotton bale before her first day on the job at Namoi Cotton in Goondiwindi.

“I was born and bred in Gympie and growing up on a small farm gave me a background in agriculture, but having studied environmental science I expected to end up in the mines,” she tells me over the phone in a day filled with conference calls about lint pricing strategy, a trip to Mungindi, and mentoring a staff member who’s shadowing her for the day.

“However, by the time I had completed my degree the mining boom was cooling and the graduate positions were few and far between.”

This meant Strauch needed to pivot, so she moved to Goondiwindi armed with a curiosity for cotton and after some incredible mentoring, eight years later, here she is

Her role as Queensland Cotton’s grower services manager and cotton lint pricing lead is about as far from a dusty mine as you can get: when she’s not in the office or on the road, she’s out in green crops which will hopefully yield a sea of fluffy white cotton come picking.

Working in an industry which is grappling with the challenge of an ageing workforce, Strauch stands out because she’s young and articulate … and her french bulldog Frank isn’t the type of dog you see on a lot of farms. But she meets the criteria to become both a mentor and leader in her field.

Which is something the ag industries need, as more growers, researchers and stalwarts hang up their boots. There’s a lot of knowledge and experience which could be lost if they don’t have people to pass the reins over to.

Future focus

This dilemma led to the launch of the Australia Future Cotton Leaders Program (AFCLP) in 2006-07, with a plan to identify and work with growers, researchers and consultants from across the cotton supply chain

to help mould them into the next leaders for Australian cotton.

Cotton Australia co-ordinates the program – funded by the Cotton Research and Development Corporation – every two years. So far, 116 people have graduated, and 46 candidates applied for the 2024 program with the quality of applicants so high that the standard 15 spots were increased to 16.

Cotton Australia chief executive Adam Kay cites the cohort’s average age of 28 as testament to the program’s reputation for developing cotton’s most important resource: its people.

Having been in the industry for almost six years, Strauch was an obvious candidate for the 2022 AFCLP intake.

Never one to do things by halves, she was also awarded Young Cotton Achiever of the Year in 2022.

I caught up with Strauch to learn what made her apply for the program and find out what advice she’d give to anyone in this year’s AFCLP.

“I had a change in career direction within the industry and was looking for an experience or opportunity that pushed you beyond the day-to-day operational functions of the industry,” she tells me.

“After all you only move forward by pushing yourself: by stepping outside your comfort zone and putting yourself out there.

“The program gave us the opportunity to connect with experts and leaders from different sectors of the industry which was fantastic, but what surprised me was how much I learnt from my program peers.

“Before AFCLP when I thought about mentors, I pictured people who were leading organisations, managers and company leads, people who were implementing change; all of whom can be great mentors. But one of my key takeaways from the program was that mentorship comes in all forms and having the ability to recognise and appreciate this opens up a multitude of learning opportunities.”

lessons learnt This realisation proved to be pivotal in Strauch’s career.

“I entered the program in a year in which the industry was going through a major scale up process that was placing large amounts of strain on all sectors,” she says.

“We needed to lean on and learn from each other in order to

sustainably tackle the large seasons we were about to experience.

“One thing that really stuck with me were our discussions around management and leadership. In particular we looked at what attributes and skill sets are required to take you from being a manager to becoming a leader.

“What we uncovered was that you

can easily get stuck being the person who does a lot of the doing but knowing when to step out of the trenches and shift from manager mode into leadership mode is a tricky balancing act. Executing it is another thing completely!”

Strauch cites Stephen Covey’s “important versus urgent matrix” as being incredibly helpful and used it as

tomorrow’sleaders

the centre of the project she undertook as part of AFCLP.

The Covey Time Management Matrix categorises tasks as urgent (time critical) or important (aligns with goals and values).

“It’s about asking yourself – when you’re overwhelmed by a seemingly limitless number of responsibilities –if you’re using your time in the most effective way.

“Something as seemingly simple as proper time management is essential for boosting personal productivity and company success.”

She takes her time when reflecting on the AFCLP two years later.

“The experience was second to none. It not only provided me with a huge personal growth opportunity, but it also gifted me with a range of tools and techniques for better accessing situations, understanding behaviours and leading others,” Strauch says.

“The perspective I gained throughout the course has changed

“

We needed to lean on and learn from each other in order to sustainably tackle the large seasons

the way in which I now approach many challenges in both my personal and professional environments.

“I was challenged to step outside my comfort zone, to question the status quo and to look at things from a variety of different perspectives.

“I discovered the way I ‘fill my cup’ is by offering support and guidance to those coming through the industry, be it in a company or wider community sense.

“So many people in cotton have been so generous to me in terms of giving me their time and assistance, so my ultimate goal is to one day be able to give back to industry in the same manner.

“I honesty learnt so much, particularly from Jo Eady (founder and director of RuralScope) who delivered the program, and my peers.

“One of my favourite things about the cotton industry is how collaborative it is and the opportunities it offers such AFCLP, because that’s what enables you to keep moving and growing.

“My advice to the people heading into this year’s program is to be prepared to be open. It’s amazing how you can learn, or what you can learn from others, when you’re vulnerable in a safe space. No experience shared is wasted.

“Learn, teach what you know, and be ready to help move this industry forward together.”

Goondiwindi’sJessStrauch,aboveandleftwithherfrenchbulldogFrank,liststheAFCLPasbeingcrucialinherdevelopmentasanemergingleaderinthecottonindustry.

Get the right team in your corner

Fitton Insurance Brokers helps farmers protect their farm and assets

Having robust and wellplanned insurance is a wonderful thing, but it’s even better when you can avoid having to use it.

At Fitton Insurance Brokers, the team is happy to help with both.

For four decades Fitton Insurance Brokers has helped farming businesses across the Darling Downs and further afield optimise

their operations and their insurance needs, plan for the future and help pick up the pieces when things go wrong.

Fitton Insurance managing director Ron Fitton says risk management is a key component of the business and the ideal scenario for any farming enterprise is to make sure the business is well covered with insurance for unavoidable disasters, while doing

everything possible to avoid the stress of having to claim for preventable ones.

He says the team is happy to sit down with clients to help foresee avoidable risks and devise strategies to minimise them.

The team at Fitton Insurance can thoroughly assess their clients’ business circumstances to identify potential risks, analyse and review existing policies to ensure adequate

coverage with no overlaps, and leverage their market knowledge and relationships with insurers to get clients the best deal possible.

Your dedicated Fitton broker has your best interests at heart and will spend the time going over your insurance needs and your exposure to risks before recommending the best insurance package, along with advice to manage your on-farm risks.

The Fitton team can provide guidance on risk control measures that can include anything from safety protocols and training recommendations to investing in appropriate security to minimise the risk of theft, property damage and liability claims.

As autumn approaches, countless farms across the Downs will be working to store feed and seed for the cooler months, the loss of which could set an average farming enterprise back considerably in the event of a fire caused by a lightning strike or other events.

“If you have produced and harvested feed or seed for storage for the future and if you were to have a loss, it may be at a time where costs are up for alternative feed, so it would be prudent to have that risk transferred to insurance,” Ron says.

“We’re happy to sit down and talk through ways to implement risk management strategies to provide clients solutions to certain issues that they may face, and where insurance can help them.”

For more information or to make an appointment to discuss your on-farm risk management and insurance coverage, contact Fitton Insurance Brokers on (07) 4638 4233 or visit fitton.com.au

Researchersstrikepaydirt

This

One of the most invasive Australian weeds is being touted as a potential economic crop, with benefits for construction, mining and forestry industries, and potentially many First Nations communities.

The prickly paddy melon weed, which costs the agricultural industry around $100m a year in lost grain yields, cattle deaths, and control measures, could turn into an unlikely money spinner as a source of urease enzymes to create bio cement and prevent soil erosion.

In a world-first study, researchers at the University of South Australia (UniSA) screened 50 native plants and weeds to find a cheaper and more environmentally friendly source for bulk producing of urease enzymes to strengthen soil. Among the weeds tested, paddy melon ticked all the boxes and was almost as effective as soybean enzymes, which are more

The

expensive and used primarily for food. UniSA geotechnical engineer Professor Mizanur Rahman and his students collected the paddy melon weed from roadsides in Port Pirie in South Australia. After crushing the seeds and extracting enzymes in a liquid form, they freeze-dried them to create a powdered, highconcentration cementation agent.

“Using this technique, we cut down the cementation time from one week to six hours,” Rahman says

Individual plants can yield 50 or more paddy melons, each containing up to 200 viable seeds. Taking into consideration the time taken to harvest, extract the seeds and turn them into a powder, the UniSA researchers estimated a 75 per cent saving compared to lab-grade enzyme production costs.

Plant-based urease enzymes are becoming a popular alternative to cement, lime or artificial soil binders because they are natural and not

damaging to the environment. One kilogram of cement produces one kilogram of carbon dioxide, making the construction industry one of the highest CO2 emitters.

“Compared to the production of commercial enzymes, paddy melon enzymes are cheaper, more sustainable, and more efficient than other enzymes used to cement and stabilise soils,” Rahman says

“Not only have we found a natural alternative to other commercial

enzymes, but we could solve a very expensive problem for the agricultural industry by harvesting these weeds, reducing the availability of seeds for spreading, preserving biodiversity and growing paddy melon as a commercial crop.”

An unexpected winner could be some First Nations communities, Rahman says. “Paddy melon is an invasive weed on many Native Title lands and soil erosion is another major issue. Our discovery has the potential to address both of these concerns and support biodiversity conservation or rehabilitation.”

The paddy melon enzymes could also be used to stabilise tailing dams and cap them with a thin natural crust, preventing toxic waste material from escaping. In forest plantations herbicide is normally applied at the base of commercially grown trees to keep weeds under control. “Herbicide is not only harmful to the environment but weeds often develop a resistance to these chemicals,” Rahman says. “Spraying paddy melon enzyme solution around the trees would create a thin crust, preventing weeds completely. In essence, we are using a weed to control a weed.”

Rahman says industry feedback has been very positive. “Paddy melon is the most significant weed in summer fallow areas, affecting grain crops. Managing this invasive plant is crucial due to its detrimental impact on farming systems, biodiversity and grazing livestock.”

Waronfallarmyworms

Webinar reveals experts’ insights into best practice management

We understand that the level of damage in crops this year is causing concern among growers

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES PRINCIPAL ENTOMOLOGIST MELINA MILES

$$ Paid - Farm clean ups of scrap metal - 25 tonne or more - excavator can come on site and clean up.

And also: winchable rolling heavy equipment for scraptrucks, tractors, machinery.

Afall armyworm (FAW) webinar showcasing tactics and tips for control, and best practice management advice from industry experts was hosted by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) last Friday.

The free webinar was in response to the invasive pest being detected at unprecedented levels in sorghum crops across the northern grain growing region.

The webinar featured insights and information on FAW management strategies from leading experts in the field including Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) principal entomologist Dr Melina Miles and Dr Joe Eyre from the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI).

Miles’ and Eyre’s work is part of a GRDC investment aimed at developing reliable FAW yield loss predictions, economic control thresholds and management guidelines for sorghum and maize. The project brings together the expertise of entomologists, agronomists, biometricians and modellers to develop FAW management guidelines for grain growers.

Miles, renowned for her extensive research on pest management, shared her insights on the ecological and entomological aspects of FAW. She discussed the importance of early decisionmaking in managing FAW infestations.

“We understand that the level of damage in crops this year is causing concern among growers, and I encourage them to work with their advisers to accurately assess FAW infestations before taking action,” Miles said.

“It is our hope that this webinar (answered) burning questions from growers, especially those who are impacted by FAW for the first time this season and aren’t sure when it is

appropriate to act on an infestation, or how to effectively manage infestations.”

Eyre, with his background in agronomy and cropping systems, discussed the challenges and strategies in addressing FAW damage. Eyre’s approach focuses on the development of a robust dataset to guide Australian FAW management decisions, using information to predict the likelihood that FAW damage would impact yield and the magnitude of the yield loss.

“From our research so far, we think Australian growing environments might require a different approach to overseas FAW management approaches. The overseas recommendations are to take action based on damage caused by the caterpillars, which may result in crop loss occurring before action is taken or encourage spraying when the pest is no longer active in the crop. Neither of these are economically efficient nor ecologically friendly strategies for Australian grain growers.”

He said there was still a lot unknown about FAW, which was why the webinar was so important for growers. “Most producers haven’t had to worry about how much defoliation an insect causes before flowering, and when defoliation is likely yield limiting, so growers are looking for guidance due to FAW’s presence being so damaging and unfamiliar,” Eyre said.

Nutrien agronomist Ross Pomroy also shared his first-hand experiences with the evolution of management strategies over the past three years, highlighting the increasing populations of FAW and its unprecedented impact on crops in the Darling Downs region.

“We’ve seen a substantial increase in FAW populations over the past 3-4 years on the Darling Downs and there’s a lot of questions about what to do and how to manage it,” Pomroy said. “I’ll (share) my experiences in the webinar, talking about what I did at the start to manage FAW and how that’s evolved. I think sharing with other growers and agronomists in the northern region is important given how little we still know about this invasive pest.”

Delivered by Independent Consultants Australia Network (ICAN), the webinar was a must-attend for northern region growers and agronomists, and those in the grains industry.

Grower relations manager Rebecca Raymond said the webinar was a great opportunity for growers to receive expert advice on FAW. “The issue for many sorghum growers is the cost of control measures and likely return on investment. The complexity is the tricky part, what are the FAW populations, what is the crop stage of growth, what are the chances my crop will ‘grow away’ from the ongoing damage levels, can I ‘over row’ spray to reduce costs and many other considerations.

“GRDCs fast response to emerging issues is an important part of assisting growers to respond to threats like FAW,” Raymond said.

https://www.toowoombascrapcars.com.au/cash-for-scrap-heavy-machinery

CATTLE Alyssa Welke with Jessica Klein

Firstsodturnedon WarwickSaleyards

State-of-the-art $7.5m redevelopment begins Stage 1, while agents remain unconvinced after changes

The Southern Downs’ thriving agriculture sector has been given a boost with work on the $7.5m redevelopment of the Warwick Saleyards now underway.

Federal Nationals leader and Member for Maranoa David Littleproud joined members of Southern Downs Regional Council for a sod-turning ceremony to officially mark the start of the project late in January

Made possible by a $4.5m grant from the federal government’s Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants Program, the upgrade aims to support the region’s primary producers by expanding the facility’s capacity as well as improve safety for both livestock and producers.

Littleproud said the project would give the region, which was impacted by the 2019 Black Summer Bushfires, a major economic boost.

“The Warwick Saleyards have been a key pillar of the Southern Downs economy for generations and this upgrade will ensure the community will continue to flourish for decades to come,” Littleproud says.

“Stakeholders throughout the supply chain from buyers to processors to selling agents, transporters and, importantly, livestock will all benefit from this project, as will other local businesses that have supplied materials and labour to help make it a reality.

“I’m incredibly honoured to have helped secure the federal funds that have helped bring this project to life and I look forward to seeing the positive impact it has on the Southern Downs in the years ahead.”

Weather permitting, stage one of the project is expected to be completed by the end of March with

the second and final stage expected to be completed by the beginning of June.

A sustainable and supportive future for one of the region’s biggest industries was the prime concern for council ahead of the planned multimillion-dollar upgrades to a key piece of infrastructure

When changes to the plan were announced in November it caused a stir between local selling agents and the Southern Downs Regional Council.

When Southern Downs Regional Council chief executive Dave Burges announced changes to stage 1 of the redevelopment, the Warwick Livestock Selling Agents Association walked away from construction input,

despite endorsing the plans in August.

“With tenders submitted beyond our budget reach amid rising building costs, we have had to reconsider the extent of the first stages of the redevelopment,” Burges said.

“We have looked to determine the best affordable outcome and consulted with the Warwick Livestock Selling Agents Association to put forward affordable options for consideration, while delivering the same yard layout which was endorsed by selling agents in August.

“Unfortunately, the Warwick Livestock Selling Agents Association opted to terminate those discussions.”

At a presentation on the saleyards redevelopment by key project officers from Southern Downs Regional

“

We have looked to determine the best

affordable outcome

Council, the same presentation delivered to Warwick Selling Agents Association on November 17, Southern Downs project management officer Ron Van Haren said there were only three real changes made to the original plans endorsed by the selling agents.

They include the gradient to the walkways, a hard roof and raised buyer laneways.

“There were fundamentally only three real differences to what went to tender, to what we ended up with in terms of the contract, and what is being delivered on site today,” Van Haren said.

“Those three things have fundamentally saved our organisation and our community very heavy amounts of capital investment, were putting the saleyards back on grade and not benching them.

“Rather than (the walkways) being on a 5 per cent grade, which is what the final design’s on, they were to be flat.

“The other one which we couldn’t afford, was the hard roof over the seven pens.”

Van Haren said council had made efforts to ensure structural elements could be put in place to support the future construction of a hard roof once the required capital could be sourced.

“All the (roof’s) foundation’s supporting parts and all of the bracing requirements are already going in as part of this stage of works, which means when and if a new council was to endorse a roof and install, it literally is binding on a couple of purlins and steel sheeting,” he said.

Van Haren said due to national construction code requirements council must follow, the selling agents’ request for raised buyer laneways couldn’t be met.

“The new code requires us as designers and operators of the facility to consider equal access, and what’s really important to understand is that an agent catwalk is not a publicly accessible area, it’s for designated and approved workers,” he said.

In order for council to approve the request for raised buyer lanes, Van Haren said council would be required to sign an exemption under the National Construction Code which would prohibit access for those with a disability, which was a decision council was not prepared to make.

The major unforeseen influx to cost increases at market when the project went to tender also had a significant impact on council’s decision to make these changes to stage 1 of the redevelopment, with initial tenders coming in at twice the amount of the projects budget.

DavidLittleproudandtheSDRCteam, main;LittleproudandMayorVic Pennisi,above;and,below,The WarwickSaleyardsredevelopment.

Appleandgrape harvestfestival: Whatyoucan expecttosee

which is a new event for the festival. We’ve sold about 80 already.”

The popular Southern Downs fruitful event is fast approaching, with organisers anticipating around 100,000 attendees.

It’s arguably one of the Southern Downs region’s most popular events and is full steam ahead to kick off for this year.

Stanthorpe Apple and Grape Harvest Festival will see the cold country’s streets filled with food, wine and a stack of events to keep all ages occupied.

The biannual event started on February 23 and runs through until March 3, with a bundle of new events and things to do this time around.

Festival president Russell Wantling says there’s been a lot of interest, with tickets almost sold out for many of the paid events.

“We’ve only got 10 out of 270 tickets left for the public grape crushing event,” Wantling says.

“Tickets have been selling quite quickly for our poets breakfast too

Another new and exciting event on offer this year is the Brush and Bubbles paint and sip, as well as the introduction of glamping tents at Sheehan Oval to offer more accommodation options.

“We’ve got 18 local wineries this year which is our most amount ever,” Wantling says. “I don’t think you could get a better line up.”

Wantling says given the great deal of interest received this year they’ve had to make a few logistic changes, which will see Railway St closed off to allow more room for stallholders.

“It will be a really good event, we’re predicting there could be up to 100,000 attendees this time with all of the interest we’ve been seeing,” he says.

“The Southern Downs seems to be the flavour of the month at the moment.”

See the full list of events for all ages over the 10-day fruitful event below

●

●

●

the Streets, High St and Maryland St, February 24 from 9am-1pm.

● Farm to Fork cooking demonstrations, High St, all week from 11am-2pm.

● Variety Concert for seniors + morning tea, Civic Centre, February 27 from 9.30am-midday.

● Apple peeling and apple pie judging competitions, Farley St Piazza, 9am-1pm.

●Wall of fruit display, Civic Centre, February 28-March 6 from 10am-4pm.

● Market in the mountains, Civic Centre, March 2-3 from 8am-5pm.

● Rebel FM street carnival, High St, March 2 from 9am-late.

● Channel 7 grand parade, High St, March 2 from 2-3pm.

● Stanthorpe RSL bands parade, High St, March 2 from 11am-midday.

● The musical quiet hour by Granite Belt Choir, St Paul’s Anglican Church, March 2 from 4-5pm.

● Balancing Heart celebrity grape cush championship, High St, March 2 from 4-4.30pm.

● Stanthorpe Parkrun, Gleeson Park, March 2 from 7am-10am, register here.

● Sunday street carnival, Victoria St, March 3 from 10am-5pm.

TICKETED EVENTS

● Apple Orchard experience at Nicoletti Orchards.

● Heritage Estate Winery wine maker’s long lunch.

● Open gardens.

● Golf: The Apple and Grape Cup.

● Dalveen International Film Festival.

● Banchetto Italiano: Italian long.

● Bus tours.

● Brush and Bubbles paint and sip.

● Apple and Grape Harvest ball.

● Public grape crush event.

● Mt Marlay challenge.

● Poets breakfast.

●Glamping at Sheehan Oval.

JessicaKlein

PresidentRussellWantlingandAmbassadorDavidMcMahonpromotethe StanthorpeAppleandGrapeHarvestFestivalatJanPower’sFarmersMarket,New FarmonJanuary20.Picture:RichardWalker

Andrew

expandsintotourism

Spectators are invited inside to watch the spectacle as the action ramps up in Roma

At any given time, day or night, thousands of head of cattle are at the country’s largest saleyards, with more than 244,778 beasts sold last financial year. Take a look inside the Roma saleyards, a staple of the Maranoa economy.

On Tuesday mornings, the Roma saleyards become a hub of action, with sellers, buyers, agents facilitating the sale of cattle, and tourists invited to watch the spectacle.

To an outsider, the experience is nothing short of bedlam.

Auctioneers sell cattle pen by pen at incomprehensible speeds, before the beasts are herded onto weighbridges by people on horseback and then to pens and onto trucks, soundtracked by bellows and flatulence.

The Roma saleyards span 50ha, just outside of the township in rural Queensland.

General manager Daniel Halsop says it is the largest cattle selling centre in Australia, with the 244,778 head of cattle sold through the yards in the 2022-23 financial year having a total value of $342,630,870.

The saleyards are open 24/7, so animals can be transported at any time of the day or night. As well as being a trading facility, there are paddocks where animals can be rested while travelling long distances.

The saleyards were crowned the industry champion of 2023, an acknowledgment of the facility’s excellence in animal care, care for

ToursofRomaSaleyardstakeplaceon Tuesdaymornings,ledbylocalgraziers. RomaSaleyardsfacilitatedthesaleof 244,778headofcattleinthe2022-23 financialyear.Pictures:JacklynO’Brien

people in the industry, the economic contribution and their social contribution.

Sales take place every Tuesday at 8am, and tourists are invited to watch and learn with tours kicking off at 8.30am. In the 2022-23 tourist season, the saleyards welcomed more than 7000 tourists.

The Maranoa regional council has been running tours of the saleyards for some time, but opened an interpretative centre in 2019 which allows tourists to learn about the cattle industry any day.

Maranoa councillor Cameron O’Neil says the interpretative centre is part of a plan to strengthen the agricultural and tourism sectors in the Maranoa through diversification.

“When I was the portfolio chair for the centre for economic development, we worked to diversify the agriculture and tourism sectors. The interpretative centre was one of those initiatives,” O’Neil says.

The tours are hosted by local graziers, who have a wealth of knowledge about the cattle industry in Australia.

THEBIG PLAYERS

1Roma,Qld 244,778 head sold in 2022-23

2Dalby,Qld 189,396 head sold in 2022-23

3Dubbo,NSW 153,164 head sold in 2022-23

4Tamworth,NSW 133,485 head sold in 2022-23

5Leongatha,Vic 127,241 head sold in 2022-23

6Casino,NSW 117,131 head sold in 2022-23

7ChartersTowers,Qld 115,906 head sold in 2022-23

8WaggaWagga,NSW 115,509 head sold in 2022-23

9Gracemere,Qld 112,536 head sold in 2022-23

10Wodonga,Vic 111,367 head sold in 2022-23

Billionairesandoverseasraiders offloadmillionsonfarmsales

Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest and Gina Rinehart lead a star-studded cast of rural property players who have spent big this year.

From sprawling cattle stations in the north to historic homesteads in the southern states, billions of dollars worth of Australian farmland has changed hands this year, despite a series of economic and seasonal headwinds.

In the past 12 months demand in the nation’s rural property market has cooled significantly as an El Nino seasonal outlook and declining livestock prices wilted confidence in the farmer-to-farmer market and opened the door for institutions, buoyed by a favourable exchange rate with the Australian dollar.

A number of Australia’s most expensive farmland transactions have involved foreign raiders, including China’s Smarts Shirts Ltd paying more than $120m for the 14,916ha Gundaline Station near Carrathool in the NSW northern Riverina, and Guangxi Qiutian Investment Co. Ltd’s $80m purchase of the 4033ha Greystones, located northwest of Melbourne.

New Forests and Canada’s Alberta Investment Management Corporation also spent big this year, acquiring 2.9 million hectares of cattle stations in northern Western Australia for more than $300m, while also buying the 13,498ha Jemalong Station near Forbes and 2860ha Green Park Aggregation near Rand, both in NSW, via their Lawson Grains venture, for $125m combined.

Fellow North American agricultural investor, Excel Farms, a partnership between Victorian farmer Nick Paterson and Canada’s Fiera Comox, also made three significant acquisitions this year including the $120m Ballandry Station near Griffith, NSW, along with the $100m Cherylton Farms and $40m Southwark Soaks aggregation, both in Western Australia.

LAWD senior director Col Medway says institutional buyer demand has remained steady this year compared to the farmer-tofarmer market.

“The demand is coming from North America and we are starting to see some more from China. Helped by the value of the dollar, the institutions haven’t got the competitive pressure from locals to

act as quickly, so they can be more considered compared to previous years,” Medway says.

“The year started really positively but unfortunately there were some factors which reduced confidence and took the wind out the sales of many farmer-to-farmer buyers.

“The BOM’s forecast had an impact on livestock markets, which crashed, and this flowed through to erode the confidence of property buyers.

“There are some very, very early green shoots, but it is probably difficult to see because the market has largely stalled,” he says.

“Most vendors are not going to transact where buyers want to transact, so we won’t see values rise and it will be more of a period of consolidation.”

This year has also seen Australia’s richest person, billionaire mining magnate Rinehart, continue to structure her agricultural portfolio, offloading four S. Kidman and Co cattle stations which spanned 2.4 million hectares across Queensland and the NT.

Since that divestment Rinehart’s Hancock Agriculture bought Packhorse Pastoral’s Moolan Downs and Ottley Station for about $80m as it further pursued the wagyu market.

Fellow Australian billionaire Forrest’s Fortescue Metals Group, via Fortescue Future Industries, also made a major rural property play, buying Australia’s largest operating sheep station, the 1.011 million-hectare Rawlinna, from the MacLachlan family’s Jumbuck Pastoral.

TallisMiles

CATTLE Alyssa Welke

Summerseesabuildup

It’s early days yet, but signs are good for a positive stud stock selling season

While it’s too early to tell if the 2024 stud stock selling season will be a roaring success, there are early positive signs. With a wetter than forecast summer, the commercial cattle market has recovered from the price drops of late last year, giving the cattle industry a much-needed boost.

The end of last year’s stud stock sales were quite depressed, especially compared with earlier in the season.

Elders Qld and Territory stud stock manager Michael Smith says the early indications are looking good with stud stock prices holding steady, when compared with the October/ November sales last year.

He says that at the February AllBreeds Sale, held in Rockhampton on February 12 and 13, there was a strong panel of buyers, but they were still operating on a buying budget.

“The commercial market has bounced back but it hasn’t flowed through just yet to the stud market,” Smith says. “But the early indications are good.”

He says with the commercial market recovering, and with money back in the pockets of breeders and producers, they will have more to reinvest into their seed stock.

“There has been an oversupply for

the current demand (of stud stock) and purchasers are being very selective in their seed stock,” he says.

“(At the end of last year) we were seeing that if there is very sought, and better quality, stud animals they were still selling at a premium, or above market value.”

Nutrien Ag Solutions livestock lead northeast region Colby Ede says there has been a notable improvement in the commercial markets on the back of the summer rain, which is a good sign for the stud markets, both cattle and sheep.

He says a lot of buyers have been finetuning their commercial operations and their buying plans.

“In recent years we have seen an increase in what people are willing to spend on their stud stock,” Ede says.

“They are willing to spend more on their seed stock to chase better results in the commercial markets.

“They are looking closely at the phenotype and the EBVs (estimated breeding value) that will give them the right tools to make the right decision for their operation.

“Every operation is different; from what (type of) country they have, how much land, what their breeding objectives are, (these are) big contributing factors.”

He says that in 2023 there was a contraction in the stud stock market,

but that was on the back of a record year in 2022.

The contraction was mainly due to where the cattle market was as a whole, due to the weather and the forecast coming in to summer.

“Last season was a declining market and people put the brakes on their capacity to spend on seed stock.

“It was still a good result based on where the industry was,” Ede says.

“There’s been a positive change and increased demand in Queensland in a commercial sense. People are building back up, rebuilding with an increase in summer grass growing season, which creates demand.

“For the upcoming stud season, you

need to understand your buyers’ needs, which will give you clear objectives and clear direction of the values you need (in your sale offering).”

GDL Stud Stock agent Mark Duthie says the cattle prices lifting certainly offers hope for the stud selling season.

He says vendors are more positive and wanting to put last year behind them. On the back of the record year in 2022, there was a dramatic increase in supply, but lower demand, so there has been a correction coming into 2024.

“Vendors are keeping more focus on quality over quantity this year,” Duthie says

“Buyers are looking for quality; they are looking at weight for age, muscling, easy doing to cope with drought and with extra heifers (in the breeding herds), lower birth weight bulls.

“Last year heifer bulls were in demand. In the British breeds EBVs are still important.”

He says buyers are willing to pay good prices for bulls that tick all their boxes on what they are wanting for their commercial operations.

“They are prepared to pay for what they really want,” Duthie says.

“And the volume buyers have really select criterias for bulls too.”

ColbyEde

MarkDuthie

MichaelSmith

Showcasingourbest

Fresh Western Downs produce set to shine at The Chef’s Table

Join us at The Chef’s Table on Friday, March 22, 2024 as we showcase the best of Western Downs produce in an elegant tasting experience like no other.

The Chef’s Table, hosted by Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE) is a showcase of what the Western Downs has to offer

in the beautiful historic setting of Jimbour House, Dalby.

With a twist from the usual seating dining experience, this year guests will be treated to an afternoon of gourmet canapes and tastings prepared by local chefs.

The event aims to raise the profile of quality local produce, with the hope that it can make its way to plates

across the country. “Most people probably think beef when thinking about the Western Downs,” TSBE’s Food Leaders Australia general manager Rowena Beveridge says.

“While beef production certainly does represent a significant part of the region’s productions, this event is exciting, because it is an opportunity to showcase the

diversity of foods produced in this part of the country.”

Western Downs Mayor Paul McVeigh says it is fantastic to have so many people enjoying locally sourced food. “It’s so important that we show people what we produce,” he says. “Some of the best food I’ve ever eaten has come out of the Western Downs, and I’m not biased.”

Showcasing delicious product to guests from all over Queensland including chefs, CEOs and high-level industry representatives, gives them a taste of the Western Downs to take back to boardrooms and businesses with the aim that Western Downs’ produce can be picked for more menus.

Tickets for The Chef’s Table 2024 are on sale now at TSBE.com.au/events

TSBE'sTheChef'sTable eventwillbeheldat JimbourHouseon March22.

event

Adayattheraces

Hundreds attended the annual Miles Races on February 10 at the Miles & District Amateur Picnic Race Club. The ‘human horse’ foot race proved popular, and Neva Eisenmenger from Brisbane was sashed Best Dressed Lady in the GK Skin Fashions On The Field ‘Carnival Of Colour’.

CharlieSkainesandSophieBournewere sharingthenewsoftheirengagement.

VisitorstoMiles–ClaireGordonfromChinchilla,KellyCrosbyfrom CondamineandGraceMcGrathfromRoma–enjoyedtheraceday.

MilesmatesHughUebergangandApollo Cowenhadagreatafternoonplaying.

Emerald’sKatiePenfoldshowsheroutfit inahotlycontestedandcolourfulFOTF.

EileenandEllyParkerwereallsparklesandsmiles.

BestDressedLadyNevaEisenmengerwithFashionsOnTheFieldsponsorGeorgiaBrettof GKSkin.Allpictures:JacintaCummins

BrentVonhoffandPeterMillsgotintothespirit.

The‘humanhorse’ footrace,left,was acrowdfavourite butnoneofthe competitorshave muchofaprospect attheOlympics inParis.

PoppyandJada Fitzpatrick,with LaraHass,brought the‘carnivalof colour’tolife