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BOM weekly rainfall update 4 August 2026 + outlook map

WEEKLY rainfall totals of up to 50mm have been recorded in far south-eastern South Australia, southern and north-eastern Victoria, far south-western Western Australia, and northern Tasmania, with higher totals of 50-100mm over western Tasmania…Read More

Bureau of Meteorology, August 4, 2026

Processing

Hewitt Australia takeover of Nolan Meats gets ACCC approval

THE Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has cleared the way for Hewitt Australia to complete its purchase of Queensland beef processing business Nolan Meats…Read More

Sheep Central, August 4, 2026

News

Audit finds DAFF unable to cost alignment on biosecurity charges

THE Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry was unable to demonstrate that many of the biosecurity fees and charges it imposes on industry reflect the minimum efficient cost of delivering those services, according to a new Australian National Audit Office performance audit…Read More

James Nason, August 4, 2026

Property

MacLachlans sell 1.29m ha pastoral aggregation to SA investor

Wealthy Adelaide businessman Charlie Shahin has entered into an agreement to purchase a 1.29m ha aggregation of sheep country in South Australia’s northwest from the MacLachlan family’s Jumbuck Pastoral…Read More

Sheep Central, August 3, 2026

Markets

Don Macdonald Woolbrokers acquires Beecher Wool Services

MAJOR inland wool brokering business Beecher Wool Services has become part of the Don Macdonald Woolbrokers Pty Ltd network in the latest industry merger…Read More

Sheep Central, August 3, 2026

Lamb Production

Carcase, fleece and fertility wins in Corriedale feature show

CARCASE quality and fertility reigned supreme in the Corriedale feature show at Hamilton’s Sheepvention Rural Expo yesterday…Read More

Terry Sim, August 3, 2026

Weather

Weather bureau issues August to October 2026 rainfall outlook

AUGUST to October rainfall this year is likely to be below average — a 60 to 80 percent chance — for most of the South West Land Division of Western Australia, south-east South Australia, most of the eastern states, and parts of the north including the Top End of the Northern Territory, according to the Bureau of Meteorology’s latest seasonal climate outlook forecast released last week…Read More

Sheep Central, August 3, 2026

Lamb Production

Feedgrain Focus: Dry weather boosts northern prices

THE NORTHERN feedgrain market lifted last week in response to a lack of rain as crops head into the last month of winter…Read More

Liz Wells, August 3, 2026

Recruitment

Recruitment: How can AI help with ag executive recruitment?

Sheep Central, August 3, 2026

Wool Production

Western Australian wool growers flock to meet Chinese processors

Terry Sim, July 31, 2026

News

Farmers alerted as bird flu spreads into local birds in Victoria and SA

Sheep Central, July 30, 2026

News

Hamilton Sheepvention mood expected to be positive

Sheep Central, July 31, 2026

Property

Mylora Homestead holding changes hands for $24 million

By property editor Linda Rowley, July 31, 2026

Property

Grazing scale and carbon income available in latest rural listings

By property editor Linda Rowley, July 31, 2026

Industry Dashboard

Carbon Trading Market

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

Today

38.15

Source: Jarden

$A / $US

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.7001

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

05 Aug 2026 (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

-27.88

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

ESTLI

Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator. Ac/kg cwt

Last Week

1179.5

Source: MLA's NLRS

EMI

Eastern Market Indicator. c/kg clean

Today

1873

Source: Australian Wool Exchange

Goat

Eastern States 12.1-16kg c/kg cwt

Today

Source: MLA

ASX Market Index

05 Aug 2026 (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

Don Macdonald Woolbrokers acquires Beecher Wool Services

Congratulations Wayne and Kerry! Your contribution to the sheep and wool industry should be acknowledged!....

Martin Moses

Western Australian wool growers flock to meet Chinese processors

The current climate of wool price is ideal to pursue a diverse market distribution.....

Don Mudford

Hamilton’s Sheepvention Rural Expo cancels 2024 ram sale

It’s really disappointing that the ram sale at Sheepvention was cancelled in 2024. It was the drawcard for potential buyers attended Sheepvention. It would be great to see the....

Mark Parham

Wool growers value AWI as separate from MLA – Millington

The AWI chairman may believe “levy payers and wool growers really value having one independent wool authority that is separate to Meat & Livestock Australia that can do research....

Martin Oppenheimer

Audit finds DAFF unable to cost alignment on biosecurity charges

James Nason, August 4, 2026

Recruitment: How can AI help with ag executive recruitment?

ARTIFICIAL Intelligence or AI is everywhere in recruitment now, in screening tools, matching algorithms, automated outreach, chatbot interviews…Read More

Sheep Central, August 3, 2026

Farmers alerted as bird flu spreads into local birds in Victoria and SA

FARMERS are being urged to update their biosecurity plans after local transmission of H5N1 bird flu was detected in South Australia and Victoria, with the expectation there will be further spread into wildlife…Read More

Sheep Central, July 30, 2026

Hamilton Sheepvention mood expected to be positive

HAMILTON Sheepvention Rural Expo organisers are expecting an optimistic crowd at the event this year with strong sheep meat and wool prices, record crop yields last year, all underpinned by a good season…Read More

Sheep Central, July 31, 2026

Markets

Don Macdonald Woolbrokers acquires Beecher Wool Services

MAJOR inland wool brokering business Beecher Wool Services has become part of the Don Macdonald Woolbrokers Pty Ltd network in the latest industry merger…Read More

Sheep Central, August 3, 2026

A+ Bloodlines service has support of breeders and producers

AUCTIONSPLUS expects uptake of its new A+Bloodlines product to verify the genetic background of commercial sheep and cattle lots to increase this spring…Read More

Sheep Central, July 29, 2026

US escalates trade restriction actions on Australian lamb

AUSTRALIA’S lamb export sector has this month been hit with a double whammy in potential trade restrictions with a new 12.5 percent tariff being levied by the United States and the US International Trade Commission investigating the impact of imports on the American market…Read More

Terry Sim, July 24, 2026

Wool growers hold back bales in last sales before recess

MORE wool growers held back lots as prices slumped on the back of an increased bale offering at auctions across Australia this week…Read More

Sheep Central, July 24, 2026

THE NORTHERN feedgrain market lifted last week in response to a lack of rain as crops head into the last month of winter…Read More

Liz Wells, August 3, 2026

Science backs climate change lambing shift in Queensland

CENTRAL western Queensland sheep producers Peter and Kimble Thomas are trialling later joining to avoid heat stress impacts on reproduction – a move validated by recent research. The Ilfracombe producers..Read More

By Sue Webster, July 29, 2026

Feedgrain Focus: Prices keep kicking, growers hold in dry week

GRAIN prices are continuing their rise, fuelled by the heat in global wheat markets, and by uncertainty from the Australian grower about new-crop production…Read More

Liz Wells, July 27, 2026

Wool Production

Carcase, fleece and fertility wins in Corriedale feature show

CARCASE quality and fertility reigned supreme in the Corriedale feature show at Hamilton’s Sheepvention Rural Expo yesterday…Read More

Terry Sim, August 3, 2026

Feedgrain Focus: Dry weather boosts northern prices

THE NORTHERN feedgrain market lifted last week in response to a lack of rain as crops head into the last month of winter…Read More

Liz Wells, August 3, 2026

Western Australian wool growers flock to meet Chinese processors

BOOKED out events organized by Western Australia’s Wool Collective of brokers and exporters next month indicated strong interest in maintaining a sustainable wool industry in the state, according to WA wool exporter and collective spokesman Peter Morris…Read More

Terry Sim, July 31, 2026

Science backs climate change lambing shift in Queensland

By Sue Webster, July 29, 2026

Processing

Hewitt Australia takeover of Nolan Meats gets ACCC approval

THE Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has cleared the way for Hewitt Australia to complete its purchase of Queensland beef processing business Nolan Meats…Read More

Sheep Central, August 4, 2026

Don Macdonald Woolbrokers acquires Beecher Wool Services

MAJOR inland wool brokering business Beecher Wool Services has become part of the Don Macdonald Woolbrokers Pty Ltd network in the latest industry merger…Read More

Sheep Central, August 3, 2026

AMPC showcase helps MSA lamb into the marketplace

A WORLD-FIRST Meat Standards Australia index for sheep meat has arrived, with at least one Australian lamb processor already preparing to share the model with producers…Read More

By Sue Webster, July 9, 2026

Export lamb demand to grow, StoneX manager predicts

AUSTRALIA’S sheep flock will continue to rebuild this year and export demand will grow for lamb, according to StoneX Australian meats and livestock manager Ripley Atkinson…Read More

Lydia Burton, July 6, 2026

Trade

Lamb prices to continue to follow beef upward

AUSTRALIAN sheep producers have been told the current run of high lamb and mutton prices could extend for up to three years despite global quota restrictions and tariffs, as beef and sheep meat supplies stay limited globally…Read More

Terry Sim, July 9, 2026

UK signals intent to align with EU Deforestation Regulations

THE United Kingdom is looking like adopting regulations similar to the European Union’s Deforestation Regulations (EUDR), that could potentially impact Australian red meat exports into the UK market…Read More

Sheep Central, July 2, 2026

Mooralla Merino story to be told at BestWool BestLamb conference

WESTERN District sheep producers Ricky and Marni Luhrs have contracts for their wool and the eggs from their pasture-raised hens – the next phase in their marketing will be being..Read More

Sheep Central, June 19, 2026

Mutton market prices hit record levels, but for how long?

MUTTON prices have hit record levels – averaging above $9/kg cwt and up to $10/kg in some saleyards this week – but there are doubts this can be sustained with supplies scarce and processors already planning for possibly extended winter shutdowns…Read More

Terry Sim, June 17, 2026