Agriminders

How is the fruit and vegetable industry responding to the claims of exploitation of backpackers and Pacific Islander workers? Host Chris Russell speaks to the CEO of Aus Veg, James Whiteside about the industry’s dependency on exploited labour and the potential for attracting more long-term Australian staff.

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Are our horticultural industries over-reliant on overseas workers? The Australian fruit and vegetable industries arguably couldn’t exist without young backpackers and Pacific Islanders working on temporary visas, but is there a more sustainable solution to harvesting fruit and vegetables in Australia? Host Chris Russell speaks to CEO of Fresh Select, John Said about the pressure on producers to find labour and to Associate Professor in the Discipline of Work and Organisational Studies at the University of Sydney Business School, Diane Van den Broek about the often challenging experiences that these migrant workers, who are dependent on this work for various visas, experience.

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Should we be eating more kangaroo meat? We cull and often ignore kangaroos as a source of food, yet our iconic animal could be the answer to a more sustainable source of meat given a more managed approach to their integration with farming and food production. Host Chris Russell speaks with principal of Australian Wildlife Services George Wilson and long-time surveyor of kangaroo populations about the potential welfare benefits as well as food & fibre resources we are ignoring by not harvesting kangaroos.

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Should we farm on Mars? Will humans need to expand to other planets to keep up with demand for agriculture? American aerospace engineer and President of the Mars Society, Robert Zubrin, is researching the possibilities. Robert joins host Chris Russell to discuss how humans might grow food on Mars, attempts to simulate Mars-like conditions on Earth and how accurate the film The Martian really is.

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Are our farming methods impacting climate change? The Western Australian “Bunny Fence Project” suggests that farming itself may be an over-riding reason why droughts will increase. Host, Chris Russell, speaks to soil scientist & Founder of Environmental Earth Sciences International, Philip Mulvey, about how rehabilitating Australia’s soil may be the key to managing the climate above it.

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Are the fears around glyphosate legitimate? Glyphosate has arguably been one of the most transformational agricultural innovations of the last 50 years. However, following a recent court case in the USA, may now be under threat as a readily...

Glyphosate has facilitated major productivity increases and reduced environmental stress due to over-cultivation over the last 50 years. However, it has been classified as “probably cancer causing agent” by the International Agency for...

Climate Change - Will we successfully adapt to a changing climatic environment or alternatively what are the chances we will we be successful in adapting the climate to change to suit us? Host Chris Russell speaks to leading global environmental...

Climate Change - What is our plan B? Host Chris Russell speaks to member of the Nobel Peace Prize winning IPCC team, Professor Mark Howden, about what happens if we don’t reach our carbon emissions target.

Exploring the fears around Genetic Modification (GM) in our food and the agricultural industry. Host Chris Russell speaks to Director of the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) and member of the federal “Gene...