In today's National Rural News, meat industry working with Chinese counterparts to resume beef trade, Commonwealth blasted for not working with SA Murray Darling Royal Commission, telehealth to boom post coronavirus, plus the latest from the markets and more.

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Exporters are being assured they won't be victims of a trade war with China.

Four meat processors have been suspended from sending produce to China, because they haven't met strict requirements for technical matters.

The suspension came less than 48 hours after China threatened an 80 percent tariff on Australian barley.

It's driving speculation of Beijing retaliating to Australia's push for an independent inquiry into the origins of coronavirus.

But that's being dismissed by Federal Trade Minister Simon Birmingham:

Rural Editor Eddie Summerfield spoke with Australian Meat Industry Council Chief Executive Patrick Hutchinson to find out more about the situation.

New South Wales politicians will be asked to be completely transparent what water they own.

Legislation will be introduced to the state's upper and lower house today seeking a register of politicians water entitlements.

It would make it a requirement for MPs to disclose their and their spouses water interests, as well as any they may have purchased in the past five years.

Before being introduced to parliament, rural editor Eddie Summerfield spoke with Member for Murray, and Shooters, Fishers, Farmers MP, Helen Dalton.

Listen to the full interview above or Subscribe to the National Rural News podcast: http://bit.ly/RuralNewsPodcast

In today's National Rural News, water register proposed for NSW politicians, China moves on the meat industry, PM defends fire response, plus the latest from the markets and more.

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In today's National Rural News, China threatens Barley tariffs, funding for fire impacted communities, veggies growers to benefit from Indonesia-Australia trade deal, plus the latest from the markets and more.

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Queensland isn't renowned for its wine regions, but a "Vineyard of the Future" is going about changing that.

Viticulturist Mike Hayes toured Europe in 2013, searching for varieties more suitable to the harsh Australian climate.

He came back with 80 varieties that are now being grown in the vineyard and are attracting interest from Granite Belt winemakers.

Rural editor Eddie Summerfield caught up with Mike to find out more about the Vineyard of the Future.

Listen to the full interview above or Subscribe to the National Rural News podcast: http://bit.ly/RuralNewsPodcast

In today's National Rural News, local flowers on show for Mother's Day, Cedar Meats to resume buying livestock, 80 wine varieties to bust Australia's harsh climate, plus the latest from the markets and more.

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A coronavirus outbreak at a Victorian abattoir has the meat industry ensuring us the right protocols are in place to ensure what's happening at U-S meat processing facilities won't happen here.

Cedar Meats in Melbourne's west has been closed for cleaning, after it was identified as the centre of a cluster of covid-19.

In the US, dozens of processing facilities have been shut down, because of workers being infected by the disease.

Rural editor Eddie Summerfield spoke with Australian Meat Industry Council Chief Executive Patrick Hutchinson about how the industry is handling the pandemic.

They spoke about:

- What's happened at Cedar Meats 

- How meat processors are implementing social distancing

- How independent butchers have adapted to the economic impacts of coronavirus

- Why the shut down of abattoirs in the US won't happen in Australia 

- What the outlook for the industry looks like

The volume of farmland being sold in Australia has hit the lowest level in at least 25 years, down by more than 13 percent in 2019.

Rural Bank's 25 year old Farmland Values Report also found the value of Australian farmland increased to $5,271 dollars per hectare.

Rural editor Eddie Summerfield caught up with Head of Sales East Jonathan Hewitt who says it marks the sixth consecutive year of growth.

Listen to the full interview above or Subscribe to the National Rural News podcast: http://bit.ly/RuralNewsPodcast

In today's National Rural News, push for an independent inquiry into Cedar Meats, dairy industry endorses milk price step up, farm values increase for sixth consecutive year, plus the latest from the markets and more.

Subscribe to the National Rural News podcast: http://bit.ly/RuralNewsPodcast