Today on the Country Hour: Animal activists have switched their focus from live export boats to prawn farming- calling for Australian farmers to abandon a method which involves slicing and cutting off the eyes of live female prawns in a bid to make them breed faster. Prawn farmers reject the accusations, accusing the animal welfare group of providing misinformation to the public. The Qld parliament has passed legislation requiring the registration of Labour Hire companies in a bid to crack down on mistreatment and underpayment of workers. Farmers say the legislation is extremely broad and too vague. Queensland beef and chickpea exports are up and provide a welcome boost the the state's export earnings. The stock squad is on the hunt for 50 camels reported stolen. Gympie High students are celebrating locally grown produce with a Paddock to Plate lunch and the first of nearly 2 thousand ore containers for MMG's new Dugald River Mine being built near Cloncurry have arrived at the Port of Townsville.

Today on the Country Hour: AWI Chairman Wal Merriman has been criticised for observing a supposedly confidential focus group meeting; an attempt to cancel the sugar code of conduct looks set to fail, it appears New South Wales Senator David Leyonhelm does not have the numbers; just three weeks left for gun owners to hand in unregistered guns as part of the national Gun Amnesty; a US farm group takes a novel approach to soil testing-how long does it take your undies to break down indicates the level of biological activity in the soil; cane trials in the Burnett; mung bean growers hoping for a better season and on the hunt for new varieties and meet a group of youngster- our future architects and OHS officers.

Today on the Country Hour: fire permits in western Queensland and Cape York revoked with forecasts of hot dry windy weather over the next few days; the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC forecasts above average fire risk for most of Australia, in its latest seasonal outlook; firefighters and emergency services looking at new high-tech ways of combatting predictions of more intense and frequent bushfires; vet students get practical experience in preparing biosecurity plans as an October deadline looms for landholders; fruit smuggler fined; breaking in brumbies; RUOK-one farming family tells their story of living through a family suicide.

Today on the Country Hour: Chicken growers are evaluating their options, after learning just a week ago that the Steggles processing plant at Ipswich will close, with the loss of 250 jobs and leaving up to 26 growers with the very real prospect of losing their farms even earlier than that. State fire chiefs, the Bureau of Meteorology and the Bushfire CRC will discuss the bushfire outlook for the 2017-18 season. With the hot, dry winter it's expected that large areas of eastern states, South-east Queensland can expect an above-average fire season after record winter temperatures. Texas cotton crops hit hard by Hurricane Harvey; wild dog control programs in SEQ trigger a wave of anger on social media; taking on a challenge- a NW grazier is willing to drive eight hours to pick up tourists, who will then walk the bush tracks between stock camps on her property; not even a year into her racing career, central Queensland bush jockey, 28-year-old Emma Bell is making a name for herself and that is after starting her apprenticeship 10 later than most.

Today on the Country Hour: new research finds people in north Queensland are up to 15 times more likely to contract Q Fever, than the overall state population The research finds the potentially fatal disease not only affects people associated with the cattle industry but also those living on small lifestyle acreages. Distance Ed goes digital with 'Minischool.com', the Mount Isa School of Distance Education's travelling classroom introducing primary school students to technology like drones, 3D printers and social media. Chicken farmers supplying Steggles will struggle to survive, once the processor closes it's Ipswich plant with big investment in farm infrastructure they are looking to other processors to fill the gap. The Bassingthwaighte family's Santa stud Yarrawonga Cattle Co scoops the pool at the Adelaide Royal Show. Graziers using choppers for aerial weeds control. Doubling Ginger production with the help of pelletised chook manure. Butcher generosity assists Muslim families during the festival of Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice.

Today on the Country Hour- Winter 2017 has been a tough one for farmers around the state with record high temperatures in some areas combining with very little rain. The BOM forecasts spring days and nights are expected to be warmer than average for the north and southeast of the country, clear nights mean the risk of frost will continue—particularly in areas with drier soils. The rainfall outlook for September to November indicates below-average rainfall is likely for south western parts of Western Australia, however there is the possibility of above-average rainfall in areas near southeast Queensland and far east Gippsland. A tip off from within the farming industry has led to an operation targeting dodgy labour practices in the Lockyer Valley. We ask the question is drone technology getting ahead of itself? Scientists using hendra virus vaccine methodology to develop a vaccine against the nipah virus in pigs. A north Queensland cocoa grower a finalists in an international chocolate award.

Today on the Country Hour: the Queensland Chicken Growers Association says closure of the Steggles processing plant at Ipswich early next year is a devastating blow. The closure will see the loss of 250 jobs and cost the 26 farmers supplying the facility more than 100-million-dollars. Farmers and conservation groups say vegetation management will be an election issue when Queensland goes to the polls, both groups agree, for different reasons, the clearing laws are simply unworkable. A new class of helmet for quad bike riders has been developed, will make all terrain vehicles safer. We meet Sister Christine Henry has driven a million kilometres to provide support to farmers affected by droughts and floods, financial difficulties and personal traumas. We meet Sister of Charity, Christine Henry who established Downs and West Community Support in the midst of the worst prolonged drought in over 100 years. Over the past decade she has driven a million kilometers and provided support for thousands of families hit by drought, flood and financial difficulties; sexing lobster, yabbie races and a cow with no name drops her 13th calf.

Today on the Country Hour: concerns some landholders are using dog fence funding to keep out kangaroos rather than protect sheep; a new bauxite mine on the Cape will be 100 per cent FIFO; meat processors say they have never seen the industry in such difficult circumstances due to the cost of cattle, market access, labour costs and mounting regulation; oyster theft on the rise, police are on high alert and oyster farmers are using drones to monitor their oyster leases and Taroom reviving its B and S Ball.

Today on the Country Hour: Up to 800 workers are set to lose their jobs with the closure of the Churchill abattoir and the Steggles chicken processing plant in southern Queensland; mining company Adani has announced that early work on the company's $16.5 billion Carmichael thermal coal project will begin in October with the first coal being shipped by March 2020; Queensland dairy farmers say dollar milk in the supermarkets continues to hurt the industry but Queensland is the only state to increase milk production in the past year; Texas cattle producers battle floods to muster cattle; MLA says laboratory produce meat will not take the place of naturally produced beef; sugar researchers using DNA analysis to breed improved varieties of cane and we meet a young stock contractor Dakota Brandenberg who specialises in providing bulls for rodeos.

Today on the Country Hour: debate over the practice of mulesing sheep continues; Hughenden in north Queensland looking to become the next big cropping frontier; a warning for horse owners about a serious disease with consequences for both animals and humans; a researcher says it is inevitable an insect pest threatening tomato and potato crops in Western Australia will make it to the east coast; millions of investment dollars have been put towards so-called 'clean meat' in recent days, with a start up company creating meat from animal cells; you'll hear from author Annabelle Brayley and her new book Bush Doctors; the dog called Beau who goes from tail-wagger to 40-clicks in 30 seconds flat.