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Innovative WA sheep farmer makes ‘serious cry for help’

THE frustrations of Western Australian sheep farmers battling with low prices and the proposed live export trade phaseout has been highlighted in the recent social media posts of struggling WA farmer Wayne Smith…Read More

Terry Sim, April 19, 2024

Biosecurity

Proposed sheep and wool sector biosecurity levy cost almost $5 million

THE Federal Government has released greater detail on the proposed contribution of agricultural industry sectors under its biosecurity protection levy proposal…Read More

Sheep Central, April 19, 2024

Property

Properties offer cropping, livestock and forestry options

ONE of the Inverell district’s best mixed farming properties is being sold by Chris and Bec Tonkin after 15 years of ownership…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, April 19, 2024

Property

Weekly property review: Chinese investors to target Australian agribusiness

AUSTRALIAN agribusiness is set to overtake mining as China’s top destination for investment in this country, a new report has found…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, April 19, 2024

Wool Market Reports

Currency rates lift wool prices but demand stays the same

CURRENCY exchange rates lifted Australia’s wool auction market this week and growers responded by holding fewer bales back…Read More

Sheep Central, April 19, 2024

Wool Market Reports

Forward wool contracts trade at premiums to spot levels

IT was another solid week for the wool auction market in Australia and prices rose for the fourth consecutive session, helped by a continuing strong USD…Read More

Michael Avery, Southern Aurora Markets partner, April 19, 2024

News

Recruitment: Trends in ag job demand and talent availability

JOB demand in the agriculture sector has weakened, but there was a slight improvement in candidate availability and job interest since mid-2023, a study has found…Read More

Sheep Central, April 19, 2024

Wild Dog & Pest Control

VFF seeks government commitments on wild dog control

VICTORIA’S peak farmer body has urged north-west livestock producers to report all wild dog interactions as it seeks government commitments to avoid further attacks on sheep and cattle after the lifting of a dingo ‘unprotection’ order in the region…Read More

Sheep Central, April 18, 2024

Wool

Revamped Australian wool integrity scheme should go global

Terry Sim, April 17, 2024

News

National Feedbase Summary 16 April 2024

Al Rayner, Cibo Labs, April 17, 2024

Wool Processing

Vietnam early-stage wool processing roadmap launched

Sheep Central, April 17, 2024

Weather

Weekly rainfall update + rainfall outlook 16 April 2024

Bureau of Meteorology, April 17, 2024

News

NFF welcomes staged introduction of environmental reforms

Sheep Central, April 17, 2024

Drones and automated vehicles

Drones have sheep welfare and biosecurity inspection advantages

Sheep Central, April 17, 2024

News

National Feedbase Summary 16 April 2024

NATIONAL biomass levels continue to be dominated by the high levels of growth in northern Australia, with only slight improvements in total standing dry matter levels in eastern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania…Read More

Al Rayner, Cibo Labs, April 17, 2024

Wild Dog & Pest Control

Vic sheep producer under dog attack told not to scare dingoes

A NORTH-WEST Victorian sheep producer has been told he must convince authorities a wild dog or dingo attacked his sheep and that he has implemented all reasonable and effective non-lethal..Read More

Terry Sim, April 15, 2024

Sheep meat

Innovative WA sheep farmer makes ‘serious cry for help’

Terry Sim, April 19, 2024

Wool

Revamped Australian wool integrity scheme should go global

REVAMPED wool integrity program – the Australian Wool Sustainability Scheme – could help increase world demand for the natural fibre, according to a European top maker…Read More

Terry Sim, April 17, 2024

Export Lamb

Middle East conflict cuts airfreight options and lamb prices

LIGHT lamb prices dropped by up to $40 a head in Bendigo today as the Iran-Israel conflict interrupted air travel and associated airfreight into the Middle East…Read More

Sheep Central, April 15, 2024

Wool Processing

Shearer Luke sets new Merino ewe record at 500 in WA

NEW Zealand-born shearer Luke Vernon is officially a world record holder on his first attempt after shearing 500 Merino ewes in eight hours on Friday. The 28 year-old has had..Read More

Sheep Central, April 15, 2024

Wool Processing

Vietnam early-stage wool processing roadmap launched

A ROADMAP for early-stage wool processing development in Vietnam has been agreed to and launched with peak grower body WoolProducers Australia and the Australian Government…Read More

Sheep Central, April 17, 2024

News

Recruitment: Dealing with employee turnover – how to ‘stop the hop’

KEEPING talented employees has become a foremost business challenge for employers as job-hopping becomes more common, and this applies to the red meat and livestock industry as much as to any other sector. Here’s some useful tips on how to ‘stop the hop.’..Read More

Sheep Central, April 15, 2024

Weather

Weekly rainfall update + rainfall outlook 16 April 2024

A STRONG cold front crossed southern South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and southern New South Wales with widespread light to moderate rainfall, and snow in some alpine areas…Read More

Bureau of Meteorology, April 17, 2024

Wool

Australian wool production expected to continue to fall

AUSTRALIA’S raw wool output is forecast to fall this year to 324 million kilograms, with shorn production expected to drop in all states except New South Wales and South Australia…Read More

Sheep Central, April 15, 2024

Industry Dashboard

Carbon Trading Market

Aust. Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) - $/tonne of CO2 equiv.

Today

Source: Jarden

$A / $US

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.6421

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

20 Apr 2024 (updated 10am daily)

Company	Price	Trending
Elders	$8.96
Australian Agricultural Co	$1.52
Graincorp	$7.29
Ridley	$2.12
Woolworths	$36.64
Wellard	$0.06

Source: ASX

SOI Graph

Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)

Today

-0.86

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

ESTLI

Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator. Ac/kg cwt

Last Week

631.7

Source: MLA's NLRS

EMI

Eastern Market Indicator. c/kg clean

Today

1158

Source: Australian Wool Exchange

Goat

Eastern States 12.1-16kg c/kg cwt

Today

Source: MLA

ASX Market Index

20 Apr 2024 (updated 10am daily)

Company	Price	Trending
Elders	$8.96
Australian Agricultural Co	$1.52
Graincorp	$7.29
Ridley	$2.12
Woolworths	$36.64
Wellard	$0.06

Source: ASX

What readers are saying

Innovative WA sheep farmer makes ‘serious cry for help’

And this in the year after the first year that saw an increase in live sheep exports since 2013-14., with 148k more exported in 2023 than 2022. Gee... maybe....

Katrina Love

VFF seeks government commitments on wild dog control

Hopefully common sense will prevail and the Victorian Government will realize the protection order has caused stress and anguish for farmers not only in the immediate region bordering the....

Geoffrey Power

Innovative WA sheep farmer makes ‘serious cry for help’

The brown stuff has hit the fan. Albo can’t be told. This was always going to happen when we got a bad season. Live export is the 'best get....

Glenn nix

Revamped Australian wool integrity scheme should go global

This is, in my personal opinion, the right step. For sure, all the industry will be very happy to have a trusted, reliable, not time-consuming, not expensive nor inefficient....

Andrea Mercantili

Innovative WA sheep farmer makes ‘serious cry for help’

Terry Sim, April 19, 2024

Recruitment: Trends in ag job demand and talent availability

JOB demand in the agriculture sector has weakened, but there was a slight improvement in candidate availability and job interest since mid-2023, a study has found…Read More

Sheep Central, April 19, 2024

VFF seeks government commitments on wild dog control

Sheep Central, April 18, 2024

Revamped Australian wool integrity scheme should go global

REVAMPED wool integrity program – the Australian Wool Sustainability Scheme – could help increase world demand for the natural fibre, according to a European top maker…Read More

Terry Sim, April 17, 2024

Markets

Currency rates lift wool prices but demand stays the same

CURRENCY exchange rates lifted Australia’s wool auction market this week and growers responded by holding fewer bales back…Read More

Sheep Central, April 19, 2024

Forward wool contracts trade at premiums to spot levels

IT was another solid week for the wool auction market in Australia and prices rose for the fourth consecutive session, helped by a continuing strong USD…Read More

Michael Avery, Southern Aurora Markets partner, April 19, 2024

AuctionsPlus sheep and lamb offerings rebound after Easter

AUCTIONSPLUS commercial sheep and lamb listings jumped 37 percent to 54,396 head last week, in the first full week back after Easter…Read More

Sheep Central, April 15, 2024

Short-term sheep and lamb trades are out there

BETTER planning around short-term lamb/sheep trades has definitely been the winner since late November, according to RMA Network chief executive officer Chris Howie in his latest industry wrap…Read More

Chris Howie, April 12, 2024

Feedgrain Focus: Prices jump after wet week for sorghum

PRICES for wheat, barley and sorghum have risen by at least $10 per tonne in the past week, with rain on ripe Downs sorghum crops being the big local driver…Read More

Liz Wells, April 8, 2024

Feedgrain Focus: Rain firms northern market

PRICES for feed grain in the northern market have lifted this week in response to rain that has stopped or slowed the sorghum harvest and outturn of all grains…Read More

Liz Wells, March 28, 2024

Grassland society commits to fight for its future

THE future of a society that has connected livestock farmers, scientists and agricultural consultants for 65 years is on the line, according to farm consultant Tim Prance…Read More

Sheep Central, March 27, 2024

Wool Production

McCullough’s departure ends controversial post at AWI

FORMER chief executive of Australian Wool Innovation Stuart McCullough has been made redundant, ending his controversial 30-month overseas appointment…Read More

Sheep Central, April 9, 2024

DAFF allows AWI to change scope of mulesed wool recommendation

AUSTRALIA’S Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry has allowed the nation’s wool grower levy funded body to change the scope of a high priority performance review recommendation on consumer attitudes to mulesed wool, denying growers key market knowledge…Read More

Terry Sim, April 3, 2024