MURRAY COD VANISHING FROM THE DARLING-BAAKA

agricultural production and export, including market access.”

Minister Watt said by providing provable claims will assure key export markets of our sustainability credentials.

“Improved data capability can reduce compliance and regulatory costs, aid in meeting emerging international requirements and better meet Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting requirements,” he said.

“Better data and governance also ensures value-add benefts from agricultural traceability are realised at the farm gate.

“That means farmers can prove and leverage their natural capital for economic beneft.”

Grant funding is available to peak industry bodies, research organisations and consortia applicants.

Organisations can apply for grants between $50,000 to $500,000 for projects lasting up to 24 months – ending in June 2025. Applications close on Thursday 23 February 2023.

For more information and to apply, visit www. communitygrants.gov.au/ grants.

ABARES WEEKLY AUSTRALIAN CLIMATE, WATER AND AGRICULTURAL UPDATE

This week, northern Australia experienced widespread rainfall and thunderstorms due to a low-pressure trough.

In contrast, southern Australia received little to no rainfall. The dry conditions in cropping regions of Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia have allowed for the successful harvesting of winter crops. However, the heavy rainfall in northern Queensland may negatively impact the development of summer crops.

On a global scale, rainfall has been variable for major grain and oilseed producing regions, leading to a decline in production compared to earlier forecasts. In the next eight days, tropical northern Australia is expected to continue experiencing widespread rainfall, while central and south-western Australia will likely have clear skies and dry conditions. Southern and south-eastern Australia may also experience rainfall due to an approaching cold front and trough.

Overall, the dry conditions forecasted for most cropping regions in the next eight days will provide favourable conditions for planting and maintenance of summer crops. However, there remains a risk of fooding in some areas. Water storage levels in the Murray-Darling Basin decreased this week, but are still 4 percent higher than last year.

Appalling water management is to blame for the complete eradication of the iconic Murray Cod in stretches of the Darling-Baaka River in New South Wales.

The Commonwealth Environmental Water Offce Monitoring, Evaluation and Research program’s 2022 survey found not one single Murray Cod between Bourke and Louth.

Nature Conservation Council Chief Executive Offcer Jacqui Mumford says the native fsh is being lost because too much water is being taken from the Murray Darling Basin.

“While it’s great to see inland rivers and wetlands full of water now, the foods are not enough to combat terrible water management decisions that have led to this disaster.

“The Coalition Government in NSW has enacted some shocking pieces of water management legislation. Recent droughts are ignored when irrigation allocations are worked out. The gradual stroll-out of compulsory irrigation extraction meters is so overdue that it’s embarrassing.

“It’s no wonder that community outrage has led to the Upper House disallowing disgraceful foodplain harvesting regulations a record 4 times - the Perrottet Government is hellbent on giving away too much water and letting our incredible fsh and wildlife vanish,” said Ms Mumford.

Before the development of inland rivers with thousands of weirs, huge public dams and industrial scale corporate irrigation, the Darling-Baaka River teemed with an amazing array of aquatic life. The territorial Murray

Cod could grow to 1.8 metres in length and weigh over 10 kilograms.

Ms Mumford says the fate of the Murray Cod is an alarming taste of what’s to come for the Basin unless more water is bought back to stay in rivers.

“The NSW Government can try all it likes to convince us that the DarlingBaaka used to regularly dry up like it did in 2019, but the disappearance of an entire species doesn’t lie. The collapse of the Darling-Baaka is happening before our eyes as a result of the politics of greed.”