Country Today

Country Today

By ACE RadioNews
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Country Today episodes

  • Country Today - November 6th

    Today we'll take you to the United States, following the unexpected victories for the Democrats across the US midterm elections, and look at how Democrat gains in Congress could reshape agricultural policies.

    Western Australian canola growers are reporting crop failure in the genetically modified glyphosate resistant varieties and a seeking compensation.

    We’ll take a look at Rabobank's latest Agribusiness monthly commodities report.

    Cattle Australia refutes claims from conservationists that beef producers the main culprits of illegal deforestation.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    26 min
  • Country Today - November 5th

    A grazing property in Western Victoria has just been announced as having the highest Carbon Credit Unit (CCU) earning soil carbon project in Victoria. You’ll hear from farmer Sarah Whinney about how they revolutionised their farm management.

    One of Australia’s most innovative meat processors, Gundagai Lamb, has just taken out the NSW Export Innovator of the Year award. 

    Loddon Mallee farmers are calling for answers following the eleventh-hour approval of the Meering West Wind Farm by Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny, who signed off on the project right before entering caretaker mode.

    Victoria’s Sunraysia region, produces fifty per cent of the state's total fruit, nuts, and vegetables. But there aren't enough bridges to connect the inter state freight routes to city markets.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    26 min
  • Country Today - November 4th

    On Country Today, we cross to Washington where a dairy worker has just died from the H5N1 strain of bird flu. It is of course the strain that has been killing mainly wild migratory birds in Australia since it was detected in June this year. So what can we learn from the US experience?

    Australian researchers have found that one of the worst fungal diseases of barley, fungicide resistant net blotch, can be carried on barley seeds and transferred to the seedlings.

    Could drones geared with artificial intelligence help with wild dog control? Ag Victoria has commissioned the company Drone Hand to run a Dingo Drone Pilot Project in northwest Victoria, where there have been large losses from dog attacks on sheep and lambs.

    Charles Sturt University is trialling transparent solar panels in feedlots to replace diesel generators. The panels may also be useful in vineyards and are already being used in parts of Europe.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    31 min
  • Country Today - November 2nd

    A Deniliquin based business that used the most invasive species in the Murray Darling Basin, the European Carp to make organic liquid fertilizer, is closing after 20 years trying to help clear waterways. The company asked for government assistance and got a big fat no.

    The Darling Downs in Queensland are known to have some of the most fertile soils in the country. But grain growers have had a season from hell.

    Three-quarters of us want to buy Australian made, but the labelling doens't give us much confidence in where our produce comes from. 

    Purple Bliss tomatoes have started hitting the shelves across Victoria, so what exactly is a purple bliss tomato? 

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    23 min
  • Country Today - October 30th

    To the shocking consequences of wild dogs attacking sheep, North West Victorian sheep producers are hopeful Ag Victoria’s plan to trial using drones monitor exclusion fencing may be a partial solution to the problem.

    Dairy farmers have told federal Trade Minister Don Farrell to secure a fair outcome for the sector, or carve dairy out of the EU Free Trade Agreement completely.

    The weekly wool report and the EMI fell again by 62 cents to close at 1723 cents a kg which saw the largest pass in rate in years.

    As grain growers know all too well, barley prices haven't been travelling very well. You’ll hear from JumBukAg's Colin Peace.

    And we’ll head to Victoria's Mallee where farmers are preparing for a bumper harvest.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    25 min
  • Country Today - October 29th

    Victoria is less than a month away from state election, and the Liberal-National Coalition is currently leading in the polls. Today Leader of the Opposition Jess Wilson with her plans if she becomes Premier.

    A mineral sands mine planned for Victoria’s Wimmera has secured up to $180 million dollars in conditional financing from Australian Government agencies. You’ll hear from the company’s managing director about what the mine will look like and how it will be rehabilitated, and from farmers who have been fighting the controversial project

    On Country Today we’ve heard that the organization representing Australia’s most dominant cattle breed. Angus Australia doesn’t want to take part in a national multibreed genetic evaluation platform. Today, one of the most influential Angus studs, TeMania near Mortlake in Western Victoria has broken ranks to say it’s all for the multibreed platform.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    26 min
  • Country Today - October 28th

    It’s said if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. So why is it that Australia’s grass-fed beef industry, now valued by more than $20 billion, and producing 3 million tons a year, largely reliant on volunteers to represent the industry. That’s the question being put to the industry by Cattle Australia Chair and NSW beef producer Garry Edwards.

    Let's take a look at livestock markets with RMA Network livestock analyst Chris Howie.

    Australia’s beef industry is in the process of developing a national multibreed genetic evaluation platform. But the single most dominant breed Angus doesn’t want to play ball.

    The CSIRO has looked at current and emerging tools to reduce the on-farm greenhouse gas emissions of the Australian agricultural sector.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    26 min
  • Country Today - October 27th

    Australian crop margins remain under pressure heading into 2027, although strong yields across southern and western Australia are providing some relief.

    With commodity prices slipping below the cost of production, growers are preparing to store grain on-farm this harvest rather than sell at a loss. 

    The National Farmers' Federation has a new Vice President, southern New South Wales farmer Peter Herrmann. A rice grower. He steps into the NFF role at a critical time for regional water policy.

    A Massey Ferguson tractor has completed a journey of more than 2500km in Western Australia, powered entirely by renewable biofuels and biofuel blends. So did the experiment show promise for farmers using their home grown canola as an alternative to the crazily expensive diesel?

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    24 min
  • Country Today - October 26th

    A shortage of quality crossbred ewes has led to an eye watering $640 a head for a new national record.

    We’ll take a look at how low crop prices are also being impacted by record freight costs.

    A five year CSIRO project is looking at whether regenerative agriculture help grain producers contend with a more volatile climate.

    Australian Government Regional Investment Corporation customer confidence in the future of their farm businesses is the highest level recorded.

    Are Australian trade lamb prices really becoming more volatile?

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    27 min
  • Country Today - October 23rd

    A frenzy of activity in the Victorian Planning Minister’s office, with major projects getting unexpectedly sudden approval in the weeks left until caretaker mode on November 3, when government stops until the State election.

    The Victorian Farmers Federation is calling on Commonwealth Water Minister Murray Watt to rule out further water buybacks.

    We’ll take a look at the lack of progress in the right-to-repair federal legislation with a farmer and MP who had a round trip of nearly 2000 kms to get machinery parts form interstate.

    The Diggers to Stockman program, helping military veterans transition into careers in agriculture.

    The weekly wool report and the market fell 18 cents with the EMI closing the week and 1785 cents a kg.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    23 min

About Country Today

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The Country Today podcast focuses on breaking rural news, including daily interviews with farming and argi-business leaders, analysts, inventors, suppliers, politicians and much more. Hosted by…