R[0]="1907"; T[0]="Botanical interns start to bloom"; A[0]="By ... Editor"; Dn[0]="20070222"; Dt[0]="Thursday 22 February 2007"; Acats[0]="a53"; B1[0]="      Ten tertiary students from around Australia will graduate today from the Student Volunteer Botanical Internship Program (SVBIP) after spending the last seven "; B2[0]="weeks working as botanical researchers in Canberra... "; B3[0]=" "; B4[0]=" "; B5[0]=" "; S1[0]="      Ten tertiary students from around Australia will graduate today from the Student Volunteer Botanical Internship Program (SVBIP) after spending the last seven "; S2[0]=" weeks working as botanical researchers in Canberra.
      The annual SVBIP is run by the Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, a joint venture "; S3[0]=" between CSIRO Plant Industry and the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG).
      During the program students obtain professional botany skills, working closely with "; S4[0]=" scientists from the Australian National Herbarium (ANH) and the ANBG.
      Topics such as specimen collection, plant identification and taxonomy are covered in "; S5[0]=" practical sessions and lectures.
      'The practical nature of the Program is a real drawcard for students as it builds on their tertiary "; S6[0]=" training,' says SVBIP Coordinator, Bronwyn Collins of CSIRO Plant Industry.
      'They especially enjoy the field trip to Jervis Bay where they can "; S7[0]=" really demonstrate what they've learnt during the Program.' As well as research skills, students are introduced to other factors involved in successfully pursuing a science "; S8[0]=" career such as how to effectively communicate ideas and how to attract research funding.
      'The Program aims to give students a real-world "; S9[0]=" experience, so we cover things like compiling a grant proposal and where to find jobs.
      Guest speakers come in to talk to "; S10[0]=" the students about jobs in the public and private sectors and conservation agencies,' Ms Collins says.
      Students also make practical contributions to "; S11[0]=" Australia's botanical science, providing support for ongoing scientific projects and adding to and maintaining plant collections in the ANH.
      'As well as "; S12[0]=" research skills, students are introduced to other factors involved in successfully pursuing a science career such as how to effectively communicate ideas and how to "; S13[0]=" attract research funding.' Charlotte Hurry from Monash University says: 'I don't think any of us realised how much of an impact this internship would have "; S14[0]=" upon our lives.
      We've had the opportunity to work with inspirational people whose love of plants and generosity of knowledge has given "; S15[0]=" us the tools to progress with our careers.' The students will celebrate their graduation today with a special ceremony held at the ANBG Theatrette from "; S16[0]=" 11.15 am followed by a barbecue at the Australian National Herbarium.
      The Botanical Internship Program is conducted by the Centre for Plant "; S17[0]=" Biodiversity Research - a joint venture between CSIRO Plant Industry and the Australian National Botanic Gardens... "; R[1]="1906"; T[1]="Kids Eat, Kids Play main survey begins"; A[1]="By ... Editor"; Dn[1]="20070222"; Dt[1]="Thursday 22 February 2007"; Acats[1]="a09a10"; B1[1]="      One of the most important surveys of children ever to be undertaken in Australia gets underway nationally today with thousands of phone "; B2[1]="calls to families across Australia inviting them to participate... "; B3[1]=" "; B4[1]=" "; B5[1]=" "; S1[1]="      One of the most important surveys of children ever to be undertaken in Australia gets underway nationally today with thousands of phone "; S2[1]=" calls to families across Australia inviting them to participate.
      Four thousand young people are being sought to take part in the national "; S3[1]=" nutrition and physical activity survey, known as Kids Eat, Kids Play, being undertaken by CSIRO, through the Preventative Health Flagship and the Human Nutrition Centre, "; S4[1]=" in partnership with the University of South Australia.
      Participants are being recruited throughout the first half of 2007, and the interviews are "; S5[1]=" expected to continue until August 2007.
      Children will be randomly selected from metropolitan and regional areas of all Australian states and territories.
"; S6[1]="       The selected families will be telephoned and invited to take part in the survey, which will involve 230 towns and cities across "; S7[1]=" Australia.
      Participants will be interviewed face-to-face about their food intake, activity patterns, and physical measurements.
      Additional information about the "; S8[1]=" number of steps they take will be collected using a pedometer for seven days for children aged over five, and some general questions about the "; S9[1]=" household will be asked.
      'It is the first national survey of Australian children's nutrient intake since 1995 and the first national physical "; S10[1]=" activity survey since 1985.' Project Director, Professor Tim Olds from the School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, will lead the activity survey, which "; S11[1]=" will include measuring how children use their time and their weight status.
      Nutrition survey activities are managed for the Preventative Health Flagship "; S12[1]=" by Professor Lynne Cobiac, Head of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Flinders University of South Australia.
      This will involve gathering "; S13[1]=" detailed information about the food, beverage and dietary supplement intake of children aged two to 16 years.
      Independent national social research fieldwork "; S14[1]=" company, I-View, will work with the University of South Australia and CSIRO to conduct the survey, which has involved preparing a team of interviewers based "; S15[1]=" in centres across Australia to gather the data.
      It is the first national survey of Australian children's nutrient intake since 1995 and "; S16[1]=" the first national physical activity survey since 1985.
      The survey has been jointly funded by the Department of Health and Ageing, the "; S17[1]=" Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Australian Food and Grocery Council... "; R[2]="1905"; T[2]="Scientists seeking growers' knowledge on orchard pests"; A[2]="By ... Editor"; Dn[2]="20070222"; Dt[2]="Thursday 22 February 2007"; Acats[2]="a18a86"; B1[2]="      Far North Queensland (FNQ) fruit growers are being asked to share their knowledge and experience of orchard pests to help scientists assess "; B2[2]="and design sustainable crop protection measures... "; B3[2]=" "; B4[2]=" "; B5[2]=" "; S1[2]="      Far North Queensland (FNQ) fruit growers are being asked to share their knowledge and experience of orchard pests to help scientists assess "; S2[2]=" and design sustainable crop protection measures.
      With funding from FNQ Natural Resource Management Ltd, scientists from CSIRO in Cairns and Atherton have "; S3[2]=" teamed up with peak horticulture body Growcom to conduct a region-wide survey to investigate the pros and cons of different pest control methods, from the "; S4[2]=" growers' perspective.
      In particular, the scientists are keen to understand real costs and effectiveness of exclusion netting.
      'Managing orchard "; S5[2]=" pests is a difficult task, but growers have developed some innovative strategies to protect their fruit trees, so we'd like to know more about what's "; S6[2]=" working and what's not,' says CSIRO researcher Dr Louise Shilton.
      Growcom Board member Keith Noble is urging growers to get involved in "; S7[2]=" the survey.
      'The more hard data that we are able to collect about the size and range of pest populations affecting fruit "; S8[2]=" orchards the more the industry can tackle these problems by securing research funding into innovative environmentally friendly solutions,' Mr Noble says.
      The "; S9[2]=" scientists hope to gather first-hand information about the habits and impacts of a range of pests affecting fruit orchards, including flying foxes.
      "; S10[2]=" 'It is the first FNQ-wide survey conducted since the use of lethal electric grids was banned as a flying fox control method.' 'From talking with "; S11[2]=" a range of fruit growers across the region, it's clear that parrots may be the main threat to certain fruit crops in one season, while "; S12[2]=" in another it could be fruit moths or flying foxes,' Dr Shilton says.
      'We hope that responses for this survey will provide "; S13[2]=" insights into which pests have had the greatest impact on different orchard types across the region, from 2004 through to the recent lychee season.
  "; S14[2]="     'This survey is different from past ones since it is the first survey of FNQ growers that can be interpreted in light of "; S15[2]=" sound ecological data on spectacled flying fox roosting and movement patterns.
      'Cyclone Larry has had a significant impact on flying fox distribution "; S16[2]=" and behaviour, and we might expect this to be reflected in the growers' experiences of orchard impacts from a range of wildlife since then.' It "; S17[2]=" is the first FNQ-wide survey conducted since the use of lethal electric grids was banned as a flying fox control method.
      The "; S18[2]=" researchers will be visiting FNQ orchards to speak with growers over the next three months.
      Growers can complete the CSIRO Orchard Pests "; S19[2]=" and Protection Survey online, or download and print a copy by visiting www.csiro.au/science/FNQorchardsurvey.
      Growers who prefer to receive a copy by post "; S20[2]=" should phone 07 4091 8824 and leave their postal and phone details.
      Surveys can be returned by REPLY PAID post (no stamp "; S21[2]=" required)... "; R[3]="1904"; T[3]="Ocean study insight to climate change impacts"; A[3]="By ... Editor"; Dn[3]="20070222"; Dt[3]="Thursday 22 February 2007"; Acats[3]="a88a89"; B1[3]="      In support of his research into how climate change affects marine ecosystems, CSIRO Wealth from Oceans National Research Flagship scientist, Dr Tom "; B2[3]="Okey, has been awarded a three-year, $150,000 Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation... "; B3[3]=" "; B4[3]=" "; B5[3]=" "; S1[3]="      In support of his research into how climate change affects marine ecosystems, CSIRO Wealth from Oceans National Research Flagship scientist, Dr Tom "; S2[3]=" Okey, has been awarded a three-year, $150,000 Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation.
      The Fellowship will support Dr Okey's efforts to establish a "; S3[3]=" network of Australian and North American scientists who will collaborate on improving science's ability to assess and predict the impacts of climate change on the "; S4[3]=" biology and ecology of northeast and southwest Pacific marine ecosystems.
      After assessing current knowledge of climate impacts in these regions, the collaboration "; S5[3]=" will investigate ways to track changes, predict future impacts and inform innovative management and policy solutions.
      The network will also build on "; S6[3]=" existing knowledge of environmental impacts - from plant life on the seafloor to fish productivity - by integrating computer-generated models of regional 'virtual ecosystems'.
  "; S7[3]="     'Australia has unique marine ecosystems unlike others elsewhere in the world and knowing how they will respond to longer term shifts in climate "; S8[3]=" will generate added confidence in future management.
      ' Dr Okey has co-authored and edited two benchmark research reports examining evidence of climate "; S9[3]=" change impacts on Australian marine life and Australian fisheries.
      More are in preparation.
      He said the simplest and most "; S10[3]=" profitable way to increase marine ecosystems' resilience to climate impacts would be to invest in restoring their basic functions by reducing the more manageable stressors.
"; S11[3]="       'Bridges being built across ocean science disciplines through research facilities such as the Wealth from Oceans Flagship are honing a new focus "; S12[3]=" on just how Australian marine users and biodiversity will be affected by climate change,' Dr Okey said.
      'Australia has unique marine ecosystems "; S13[3]=" unlike others elsewhere in the world and knowing how they will respond to longer term shifts in climate will generate added confidence in future management.
"; S14[3]="       There is mounting evidence that oceanographic and atmospheric changes caused by greenhouse gas emissions are affecting marine organisms in a variety of "; S15[3]=" ways including: abundance, distribution and breeding and migration cycles.
      These changes are causing community-level shifts that will affect how the ecosystem functions.' "; S16[3]=" Oceanographic and biological changes could also cause major reductions in the ability of ocean ecosystems to produce food for human consumption.
      The "; S17[3]=" Pew Fellows Program in Marine Conservation annually awards five fellowships of $150,000 each that contribute to advancing solutions to the oceans' most pressing problems.
  "; S18[3]="     The program seeks to foster greater public understanding of the direct relationship between life in the sea and life on land.
    "; S19[3]="   The Pew Fellows Program in Marine Conservation is a program of the Pew Institute for Ocean Science in partnership with the University of Miami "; S20[3]=" Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, one of the world's foremost marine research institutions... "; R[4]="1903"; T[4]="Tourism Australia launches new campaign to attract more MICE"; A[4]="By ... Editor"; Dn[4]="20070216"; Dt[4]="Friday 16 February 2007"; Acats[4]="a44"; B1[4]="      A new $2.6 million campaign to attract more international conventions, conventions and business tourists, was launched by Tourism Minister Fran Bailey at "; B2[4]="the 15th Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo in Melbourne today... "; B3[4]=" "; B4[4]=" "; B5[4]=" "; S1[4]="      A new $2.6 million campaign to attract more international conventions, conventions and business tourists, was launched by Tourism Minister Fran Bailey at "; S2[4]=" the 15th Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo in Melbourne today.
      The new Tourism Australia campaign - 'Re-energise in Australia' - would "; S3[4]=" target the world's top 800 decision makers in the UK, US and Asia.
      It will be a long history, high-tech campaign, featuring "; S4[4]=" Indigenous art, didgeridoos, coupled with iPods, podcasts, and virtual guides.
      The campaign will specifically target business events, with event delegates ($554 per "; S5[4]=" day) spending on average six times more per day than leisure tourists ($94 per day).
      'Australia has the best of both worlds "; S6[4]=" - top notch business facilities and great getaways for a relaxing post-conference holiday.
      Through 'Re-energise in Australia', we'll tell the top decision "; S7[4]=" makers that their next conference Down Under can't wait any longer,' Bailey said.
      In 2006, 786,000 business and conference tourists visited Australia, "; S8[4]=" an increase of seven per cent.
      'This is a clever campaign.
      Rather than a sweeping approach, it engages the "; S9[4]=" key decision makers with our innovative technology as well as direct and online marketing,' Bailey said.
      'By targeting business events, we can "; S10[4]=" attract even more big spending tourists who spend valuable dollars in regional Australia.'.. "; R[5]="1902"; T[5]="Unprecedented export growth for small-to-medium businesses"; A[5]="By ... Editor"; Dn[5]="20070216"; Dt[5]="Friday 16 February 2007"; Acats[5]="a08"; B1[5]="      Figures show the proportion of Australian small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) exporting has doubled in the past two years, with the rise of emerging "; B2[5]="economies like China and India driving the surge... "; B3[5]=" "; B4[5]=" "; B5[5]=" "; S1[5]="      Figures show the proportion of Australian small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) exporting has doubled in the past two years, with the rise of emerging "; S2[5]=" economies like China and India driving the surge.
      Austrade's Chief Economist Tim Harcourt said it would normally take SMEs a decade or "; S3[5]=" so to achieve the same result.
      'The emerging economies such as Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC economies) are fast becoming destinations "; S4[5]=" for Australian SME exports, which in turn is boosting exporter numbers,' Mr Harcourt said.
      'And, according to a new survey, the "; S5[5]=" Grant Thornton International Business Report, more than a quarter of Australian SMEs increased their business through China over the past year.
      'You "; S6[5]=" don't have to be a big fish like Rio Tinto or BHP Billiton to find export success in the Chinese market and other emerging economies "; S7[5]=" such as India, Brazil and Russia,' he said.
      Mr Harcourt said new research also found 47 per cent of Australian enterprises "; S8[5]=" see globalisation as a major opportunity for expanding their businesses.
      'Globalisation is here and Australian exporting SMEs are taking up the "; S9[5]=" challenge to export,' he said.
      'Australia's SMEs are at the forefront of ensuring the Australian economy is becoming more integrated with "; S10[5]=" the rest of the world.' Apart from increasing Australia's SMEs exporter numbers, the new global economic engines such as the BRICs, will be hungry for "; S11[5]=" resources, energy and the resource sector expertise, according to Mr Harcourt.
      'Apart from China, India is showing great promise with the growing "; S12[5]=" middle class and favourable demographics, whilst Russia's energy sector is drawing increasingly on Australian skills and technology in mining and agribusiness.
      Brazil "; S13[5]=" is also drawing on Australian expertise in mining and transport infrastructure (aviation and railways) as well as agribusiness, telecommunications, tourism and education,' he said.
  "; S14[5]="     'There's also been a rise of Western Australia and Queensland in the globalisation stakes.
      In WA, 36 per cent "; S15[5]=" of SMEs are exporting to China, whilst in Queensland there is 32 per cent, with both seeing globalisation as a great opportunity.
      "; S16[5]=" 'These statistics are consistent with earlier Reserve Bank research showing WA, NT and QLD as the most export oriented states.
      However, "; S17[5]=" it's not all about resources.
      For instance, an Austrade survey about Women in Export also showed QLD and WA leading the way "; S18[5]=" in terms of female entrepreneurship in education, tourism, and personal and professional services.' In addition to providing export advice, Austrade, the Australian Government's export promotion "; S19[5]=" agency administers schemes and programs to assist Australian businesses succeed in exporting, including the New Exporter Development Program (NEDP).
      The NEDP provides "; S20[5]=" free services to exporters such as advice and information about getting into export, coaching and advice on exporting and on-ground assistance in overseas markets.
  "; S21[5]="     Exporters may also be eligible for assistance through the Austrade administered Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) scheme.
      The EMDG provides "; S22[5]=" partial reimbursement of export promotional costs to eligible SMEs.
      Eligible expenditure includes trade fairs, overseas representatives, marketing visits, free samples, advertising, communications, "; S23[5]=" and overseas buyer visits.
      For more information about exporting phone Austrade on 13 28 78... "; R[6]="1901"; T[6]="Adoption of GM grains increasing overseas"; A[6]="By ... Editor"; Dn[6]="20070216"; Dt[6]="Friday 16 February 2007"; Acats[6]="a12"; B1[6]="      At the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Advisor Update in Adelaide recently, Peter Carr of Carr Consulting and Services discussed the "; B2[6]="widespread adoption of GM technology and GM crops across the world in contrast with the situation in Australia... "; B3[6]=" "; B4[6]=" "; B5[6]=" "; S1[6]="      At the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Advisor Update in Adelaide recently, Peter Carr of Carr Consulting and Services discussed the "; S2[6]=" widespread adoption of GM technology and GM crops across the world in contrast with the situation in Australia.
      About 100 million hectares "; S3[6]=" around the world (including some 40 million hectares in developing countries) have been planted to GM crops, mostly canola, soy, cotton and corn.
    "; S4[6]="   Even countries of the European Union - traditionally a market resistant to GM - are beginning to sow GM crops.
      By "; S5[6]=" contrast, only 200,000 hectares are under GM crops in Australia, and for the most part these are cotton crops.
      Mr Carr talked "; S6[6]=" about the barriers to widespread adoption of GM crops in Australia, and whether consumer fears about the technology are justified... "; R[7]="1900"; T[7]="Pure water wasted"; A[7]="By ... Editor"; Dn[7]="20070216"; Dt[7]="Friday 16 February 2007"; Acats[7]="a40"; B1[7]="      The crisis of water supply to our cities is now of tragi-comic dimension.... "; B2[7]=" "; B3[7]=" "; B4[7]=" "; B5[7]=" "; S1[7]="      The crisis of water supply to our cities is now of tragi-comic dimension.
      A grandstand of politicians of all "; S2[7]=" persuasions offers ever bigger engineering fixes.
      Proposals include massive new dams, large-scale water recycling, new pipelines and costly desalination plants.
    "; S3[7]="   None can be readily implemented; all are expensive; none will help cities cope with climate change; all have major environmental consequences.
      "; S4[7]=" Each, in short, is a mirage.
      The proposals all seek to maintain or increase the supply of potable (drinking quality) water.
  "; S5[7]="     The reality is that 90 per cent of water used in households need not be of that quality.
      In Australia, "; S6[7]=" using potable water to flush a toilet is disturbingly wasteful.
      When this practice began in the 1880s there was a ready supply "; S7[7]=" of potable water for the then attractive novelty of body waste disposal.
      Things have changed substantially since then.
      Southeast "; S8[7]=" Queensland now faces a crisis that exposes the flawed thinking that shaped our historical approach to urban infrastructure, especially for water and sewage.
    "; S9[7]="   There are, however, straightforward technological and behavioural changes that can help us out of the water shortage mess.
      Australian water authorities "; S10[7]=" need to overcome their entrenched scepticism and resistance towards these changes.
      Brisbane's demand for potable water could be greatly reduced by using "; S11[7]=" dry composting toilets and/or by using on-site treatment and recycling of grey water to flush toilets.
      Using on-site recycling of grey water "; S12[7]=" or rainwater in the laundry could significantly reduce use of potable water.
      Bathroom use, including showers, accounts for about a quarter of "; S13[7]=" household water consumption.
      Grey water from the bathroom could be treated and stored on site for use in the laundry, for toilet "; S14[7]=" flushing or garden watering.
      Recent attempts at changing water consumption have had limited success because they do not attack the problem in "; S15[7]=" a fundamental way.
      Increasing the price is one common approach to reducing consumption.
      This misunderstands the nature of water "; S16[7]=" demand and and the way it is affected by cultural and behavioral factors such as fashion in hair care and clothing.
      It "; S17[7]=" also overestimates the public's ability and willingness to reduce basic water-using activities, such as bathing and domestic cleaning.
      Moreover, a significant proportion "; S18[7]=" of households live in flats that are not separately metered, so they have little idea of, or concern for, how much water they use (or "; S19[7]=" how much it costs).
      Flat dwellers tend to believe water shortage is caused not by their consumption but by those who live "; S20[7]=" in houses.
      Significant water price rises also have serious equity effects.
      Doubling the price may have no effect on "; S21[7]=" high-income households but can be onerous for low-income or larger households.
      Rather than focus on 'big engineering' proposals to increase supply, we "; S22[7]=" should develop measures that encourage (and eventually require) households and businesses to harvest and treat much of their own water.
      This would "; S23[7]=" require a program to capture and store rainwater for domestic consumption.
      All new dwellings could be required to install rainwater tanks of "; S24[7]=" reasonable size to supply water for bathroom use.
      This would not only give households some responsibility but would also provide them with "; S25[7]=" a degree of security in their own supply.
      All new dwellings could be required to install greywater recycling systems that store treated "; S26[7]=" water for uses that do not need potable water.
      An extensive program to retrofit older areas with rainwater tanks and greywater treatment "; S27[7]=" and recycling systems also should be implemented.
      Households would become more responsible for the quality of their own recycled grey water and "; S28[7]=" would thus be encouraged to use detergents and cleaning agents that have low levels of phosphate and sodium.
      That would reduce the "; S29[7]=" amount of these chemicals in sewage and make it easier to treat.
      Ultimately, water authorities should be required to deliver a small "; S30[7]=" supply of water to households as their environmental right.
      But this need not be more than 20 kilolitres a person a year "; R[8]="1899"; T[8]="NZ wine exports to Australia up almost 50%"; A[8]="By ... Editor"; Dn[8]="20070216"; Dt[8]="Friday 16 February 2007"; Acats[8]="a13"; B1[8]="      New Zealand Winegrowers says a huge growth in wine sales to Australia is one of the most satisfying aspects of record exports "; B2[8]="in the past year... "; B3[8]=" "; B4[8]=" "; B5[8]=" "; S1[8]="      New Zealand Winegrowers says a huge growth in wine sales to Australia is one of the most satisfying aspects of record exports "; S2[8]=" in the past year.
      Export wine sales last year totalled a record $611 million - double the earnings in 2004.
    "; S3[8]="   Marketing manager Chris Yorke says the New Zealand wine industry is well on target to achieve $1 billion worth of exports by 2010.
  "; S4[8]="     Mr Yorke says exports to both the United Kingdom and the United States were up more than 20% on the previous year, but "; S5[8]=" sales to Australia increased by almost 50%.
      He says that, overall, the volume of wine exported in 2006 was up 13% on "; S6[8]=" the previous year.
      The average price of wine sold per litre was 15% higher... "; R[9]="1898"; T[9]="Dry winter blamed for lower wine grape crop forecast"; A[9]="By ... Editor"; Dn[9]="20070216"; Dt[9]="Friday 16 February 2007"; Acats[9]="a13"; B1[9]="      Western Australia's wine grape growers are predicting the volume of their crop this year will be about 30 per cent below average.... "; B2[9]=" "; B3[9]=" "; B4[9]=" "; B5[9]=" "; S1[9]="      Western Australia's wine grape growers are predicting the volume of their crop this year will be about 30 per cent below average.
"; S2[9]="       This year's national wine grape crush is expected to be down by 40 per cent with a forecast harvest of 1.2 million "; S3[9]=" tonnes, down 800,000 on the previous vintage.
      Picking is nearly finished in the Swan Valley and growers there are reporting crops up "; S4[9]=" to 50 per cent below average for the area.
      Margaret River growers say they are about 15 per cent below average so "; S5[9]=" far.
      John Griffiths from the Wine Industry Association of Western Australia says last year's dry winter is behind the drop.
    "; S6[9]="   'I think we had a cool spring in 2005 when the buds for the fruit were formed and just extremely dry year we've had, "; S7[9]=" I think a lot of people have got very, very dry soils then we've had some hot weather which has exacerbated that,' he said... "; R[10]="1897"; T[10]="Low harvest to wipe out grape glut"; A[10]="By ... Editor"; Dn[10]="20070216"; Dt[10]="Friday 16 February 2007"; Acats[10]="a13"; B1[10]="      A huge drought-driven drop in production is expected to wipe out the wine industry's crippling grape glut over the next year.... "; B2[10]=" "; B3[10]=" "; B4[10]=" "; B5[10]=" "; S1[10]="      A huge drought-driven drop in production is expected to wipe out the wine industry's crippling grape glut over the next year.
  "; S2[10]="     The news is a double-edged sword for the industry, removing an oversupply which has dogged farmers and wineries but punishing growers with lower "; S3[10]=" volumes at dismal prices.
      The glut left an estimated 460 million litres of wine sloshing around in storage last year and as "; S4[10]=" much as 200,000 tonnes of grapes rotting on vines.
      With this year's harvest underway, growers are now predicting the 2007 vintage will "; S5[10]=" weigh in around 1.2 million tonnes - a cut of 800,000 tonnes, or 40 per cent, from last year.
      Wine Grape Growers "; S6[10]=" Australia (WGGA) said that equated to a 400 million litre shortfall that would wipe out the glut.
      'This will get rid of "; S7[10]=" the overhang completely,' WGGA chief Mark McKenzie said.
      'We reckon we're two or even three years ahead of where we projected we'd "; S8[10]=" get back into balance.
      'We've ended up right across the country with much lighter bunches, much more open bunches, and smaller berry "; S9[10]=" size.
      The quality will be terrific, but the quantity is not there.' Growers were still suffering, Mr McKenzie said, with prices often "; S10[10]=" below the cost of production.
      The drought had forced cuts to water allocations, with some growers pruning their crops hard, believing they "; S11[10]=" would not be able to sell all their fruit, while others had left the industry altogether.
      Despite the dramatically smaller vintage this "; S12[10]=" year, prices had still not moved from their current lows to reflect the shortage.
      Growers blamed wineries who locked farmers into spot "; S13[10]=" markets or annual supply agreements at very low prices.
      'The overriding issue for us is there's a degree of market failure happening "; S14[10]=" there because when you know you are running into a short vintage and you know that 2008 is going to be short, the market should "; S15[10]=" tighten and bring prices back to viable levels,' Mr McKenzie said.
      'Wineries are still kicking growers to get another cheap vintage out "; S16[10]=" of them.
      'It's short-sighted.
      Ultimately the wineries are going to be short of fruit and they're forcing experienced growers "; S17[10]=" out of the market because these blokes just can't hang in there.' The grape glut was caused by overplanting in the late 1990s to meet "; S18[10]=" increasing export demands, exacerbated in recent years by bumper harvests produced in ideal conditions.
      The Wine and Brandy Corporation's last annual report "; S19[10]=" found that even exports were under pressure from 'punishing' prices, resulting in the average export price per litre falling nine per cent to $3.80 in "; S20[10]=" 2005-06 - the fifth consecutive annual fall.
      The Federal Government dashed hopes of a rescue package for grape growers last June, telling "; S21[10]=" the industry it had to find its own way out of the glut... "; R[11]="1896"; T[11]="Forecast grain sorghum yields down"; A[11]="By ... Editor"; Dn[11]="20070216"; Dt[11]="Friday 16 February 2007"; Acats[11]="a57a79"; B1[11]="      The latest yield forecast has confirmed that Queensland and northern NSW grain sorghum yields are likely to be much below average.... "; B2[11]=" "; B3[11]=" "; B4[11]=" "; B5[11]=" "; S1[11]="      The latest yield forecast has confirmed that Queensland and northern NSW grain sorghum yields are likely to be much below average.
  "; S2[11]="     Central Queensland is the bright spot, with yields there likely to be average or better.
      Department of Primary Industries and "; S3[11]=" Fisheries scientist Andries Potgieter said computer modelling predicted a median grain sorghum yield of almost 1.9 tonnes per hectare in the northern grain belt this "; S4[11]=" season, well below the long-term median of 2.3t/ha.
      Mr Potgieter said most areas in Central Queensland had yield expectations at or above "; S5[11]=" the long-term median.
      'The yields quoted are averages, so there is yield variation in the various regions that comprise the northern cropping "; S6[11]=" area,' he said.
      Mr Potgieter said the yield predictions were developed by a computer model based on the integration of a simple "; S7[11]=" agro-climatic stress index model, actual climate data up to the forecasting date (February 1), and projected climate data after that date.
      'The "; S8[11]=" yield information is used by governments, organisations and businesses needing reliable crop production estimates,' Mr Potgieter said.
      'The forecasts are updated by "; S9[11]=" the tenth of each month and are available from the DPI&F (telephone 13 25 23),' he said... "; R[12]="1895"; T[12]="New management tool for East Australian graziers"; A[12]="By ... Editor"; Dn[12]="20070216"; Dt[12]="Friday 16 February 2007"; Acats[12]="a25a26a27a72"; B1[12]="      CSIRO has just released a new real-time information tool to help graziers in eastern Australia better cope with the impact of climate "; B2[12]="variations on pasture production... "; B3[12]=" "; B4[12]=" "; B5[12]=" "; S1[12]="      CSIRO has just released a new real-time information tool to help graziers in eastern Australia better cope with the impact of climate "; S2[12]=" variations on pasture production.
      Primary producers from Rockhampton in Queensland across to Ceduna in South Australia and down to Tasmania can now "; S3[12]=" access newly released satellite pasture growth data from the Pastures from Space website -: www.pasturesfromspace.csiro.au.
      The Pasture Growth Rate (PGRŪ) data on "; S4[12]=" the website is from the previous weeks' climate records and satellite images which are merged to calculate how fast the pasture is growing at the "; S5[12]=" national, regional, farm and paddock scale.
      PGRŪ supports farmers in making management decisions like grazing rotation, feed budgeting, fertilizer application and other "; S6[12]=" 'precision' techniques.
      Because the data is on the web, near real-time decisions can be made.
      Spatial analyst from CSIRO "; S7[12]=" Armidale, Graham Donald, says PGRŪ provides an assessment of the amount of pasture grown in the last week (in kilograms of dry matter per day).
"; S8[12]="       'The major difficulty graziers face with climatic uncertainty is how to match fluctuating feed supply with demand.
      'Because the "; S9[12]=" data is on the web, near real-time decisions can be made.' 'It is economically and environmentally vital for producers to manage productivity, meet market demand "; S10[12]=" and maximise profit - but to do this they must utilise their available stock feed strategically and sustainably,' Mr Donald said.
      'These "; S11[12]=" accurate satellite estimations of PGRŪ provide information on feed resources allowing producers to more effectively manage their enterprise and raise the productivity of their businesses,' "; S12[12]=" he said.
      'Producers in eastern Australia now have the tools capable of measuring positive and negative effects on their farms and farming "; S13[12]=" regions generally,' Mr Donald said.
      In providing information about seasonal and yearly fluctuations in pasture production, the Pastures from Space project has "; S14[12]=" also proven invaluable as a decision support tool to shire councils, state government agencies and the banking and finance sectors.
      CSIRO developed "; S15[12]=" PGRŪ in collaboration with the Western Australia Departments of Food & Agriculture and Land Information (now known as Landgate), with the Bureau of Meteorology providing "; S16[12]=" critical regional climate data... "; R[13]="1894"; T[13]="Rust diseases - a threat to global food security"; A[13]="By ... Editor"; Dn[13]="20070213"; Dt[13]="Tuesday 13 February 2007"; Acats[13]="a22"; B1[13]="      Chronic food shortages caused by cereal rusts have happened in the past - and today international agricultural agencies are on the alert "; B2[13]="again because of a new threat in Eastern Africa, a rust known as Ug99... "; B3[13]=" "; B4[13]=" "; B5[13]=" "; S1[13]="      Chronic food shortages caused by cereal rusts have happened in the past - and today international agricultural agencies are on the alert "; S2[13]=" again because of a new threat in Eastern Africa, a rust known as Ug99.
      A virulent disease of wheat, Ug99 has the "; S3[13]=" potential to wipe out a quarter of the world's wheat crop.
      Next week, some of Australia's and the world's foremost experts in "; S4[13]=" the field of rust diseases will be in Sydney to attend a symposium on the topic - 'Rust Diseases: Threats to Global Food Security in "; S5[13]=" the Context of Climate Change.' The symposium has been organised by the NSW Centre for Plant and Animal Biosecurity, an alliance between the NSW Department "; S6[13]=" of Primary Industries and the University of Sydney.
      High on the agenda is the threat to global food security from Ug99, which "; S7[13]=" last month was reported to have jumped from eastern Africa and is now infecting wheat in Yemen in the Arabian Peninsula.
      Countries "; S8[13]=" in the predicted pathway of Ug99 grow more than 65 million hectares of wheat a year.
      NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) "; S9[13]=" Principal Research Scientist, Dr Colin Wellings said: 'There is international concern that this new stem rust could destroy vast quantities of wheat and threaten food "; S10[13]=" security at a time that world wheat stocks are at a historic low.
      'The potential for the disease to move into Central "; S11[13]=" Asia is enormous and alarming.' Speakers at the symposium include the facilitator of the Global Rust Initiative (GRI), Dr Richard Ward, who is based at "; S12[13]=" the international plant breeding centre CIMMYT in Mexico.
      GRI was set up in 2005 in response to recurring epidemics of Ug99 in "; S13[13]=" Kenya and Ethiopia.
      (In the early 1950s, a major stem rust epidemic in North America destroyed up to 40 per cent of "; S14[13]=" that continent's spring wheat crop.) Dr Ward says that 'the potential for a serious international epidemic of stem rust based on Ug99 has galvanized considerable "; S15[13]=" global concern to secure wheat yield protection through breeding for rust resistance.' In NSW, wheat growers are on alert because of the discovery of a "; S16[13]=" new stripe rust which disarms a resistance gene that has been bred into some popular varieties of wheat.
      Dr Wellings believes that "; S17[13]=" growers have two to three years before the new stripe rust becomes problematic for wheat varieties carrying the Yr17 resistance gene.
      'If "; S18[13]=" this proves to be the case, then there should be time for farmers to change the varieties they are planting.' Dr Wellings said that for "; S19[13]=" nearly a century, DPI and University of Sydney scientists have been working to find new genes which confer resistance and breed them into Australian cereal "; S20[13]=" varieties.
      He said that in 1973 a stem rust outbreak caused 'historic and massive losses' in crops in northern NSW and Queensland.
"; S21[13]="       This galvanised government and industry to take a national approach to work towards being prepared for new incursions.
      The "; S22[13]=" Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for National Plant Biosecurity is a major sponsor of the symposium.
      Speakers at the symposium include: Mr Terry "; S23[13]=" Enright, Chairman, Grains Research and Development Corporation Prof John Lovett, Chairman, CRC for National Plant Biosecurity Dr Sanjaya Rajaram, ICARDA-CIMMYT, Syria Dr Les Szabo, US "; S24[13]=" Department of Agriculture Dr Rick Ward, Global Rust Initiative Professor Robert Park and Dr Harbans Bariana, University of Sydney The symposium is being held on "; S25[13]=" 21 and 22 February at the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute at Menangle, in Sydney's south-west.
      The program is at: http://www.agric.usyd.edu.au/news/index.shtml Bookings are "; S26[13]=" only open until midday Friday 16th February... "; R[14]="1893"; T[14]="Summer spraying to minimise 2007 locust populations"; A[14]="By ... Editor"; Dn[14]="20070213"; Dt[14]="Tuesday 13 February 2007"; Acats[14]="a86"; B1[14]="      Spraying to control locust populations, which have emerged as a result of summer rains, has commenced in southern shires this week.... "; B2[14]=" "; B3[14]=" "; B4[14]=" "; B5[14]=" "; S1[14]="      Spraying to control locust populations, which have emerged as a result of summer rains, has commenced in southern shires this week.
  "; S2[14]="     The Department of Agriculture and Food has been working in conjunction with landholders and has identified priority target zones in the West River, "; S3[14]=" Ravensthorpe and Jerramungup areas.
      Department locust incident manager Simon Merewether said despite the success of the 2006 locust control program, new locust "; S4[14]=" populations were starting to emerge due to the unseasonal summer rainfall and cooler conditions experienced in parts of the wheatbelt and in the south of "; S5[14]=" the state.
      'As a result of the summer rain, there is plenty of green pasture in the southern areas and some parts "; S6[14]=" of the wheatbelt, making the conditions ideal for locust survival,' he said.
      'Landholders are responsible for locust control on their own properties, "; S7[14]=" however current circumstances mean that the Department will undertake some targeted spraying to contain high density newly emerged locust populations on the south coast.
  "; S8[14]="     'It is important for landholders to spray properties now, if required, to minimise the prospect of large local populations posing a risk to "; S9[14]=" emerging crops and pastures once the 2007 seasons gets underway.
      'The Department's control program will be focused on minimising the scale of "; S10[14]=" the next cycle of egg laying in autumn, in order to reduce the likelihood of another major infestation in the spring and summer of 2007.' "; S11[14]=" The Department will continue to monitor the situation closely over the coming weeks.
      Any questions about locust control should be directed to "; S12[14]=" local Department and Food offices or through the Pest and Disease Information Service on 1800 084 881... "; R[15]="1892"; T[15]="Murray-Darling Basin inflows at record low"; A[15]="By ... Editor"; Dn[15]="20070213"; Dt[15]="Tuesday 13 February 2007"; Acats[15]="a40"; B1[15]="      The latest figures for the Murray-Darling Basin show inflows at record low levels and a grim outlook for 2007 to 2008.... "; B2[15]=" "; B3[15]=" "; B4[15]=" "; B5[15]=" "; S1[15]="      The latest figures for the Murray-Darling Basin show inflows at record low levels and a grim outlook for 2007 to 2008.
  "; S2[15]="     The Murray-Darling Basin Commission says flows from ground water systems into streams have virtually dried up.
      It says rainfall will "; S3[15]=" need to be well above average to produce average inflows into the upper Murray storages.
      The Commission says that storage levels will "; S4[15]=" be very low by the end of May and irrigators will need to rely on rain and run-off water more than ever, since the Dartmouth "; S5[15]=" Dam was completed in 1979... "; R[16]="1891"; T[16]="Storms bring relief to drought-stricken Qld"; A[16]="By ... Editor"; Dn[16]="20070213"; Dt[16]="Tuesday 13 February 2007"; Acats[16]="a35a66a89"; B1[16]="      Isolated storms have brought some relief to drought-stricken parts of southern Queensland over the past 24 hours.... "; B2[16]=" "; B3[16]=" "; B4[16]=" "; B5[16]=" "; S1[16]="      Isolated storms have brought some relief to drought-stricken parts of southern Queensland over the past 24 hours.
      The Darling "; S2[16]=" Downs and the south-eastern inland area received falls of between five and 150 millimetres.
      Jandowae cattle and grain producer Karen Duff says "; S3[16]=" they received half of last year's rainfall, with 180 millimetres of rain recorded yesterday afternoon.
      'The creek quickly went from nothing to "; S4[16]=" out of its banks - quite exciting,' she said.
      'It's just put a different look on the whole farm here, all the "; S5[16]=" dams will be full and all the creeks will be full.'.. "; R[17]="1890"; T[17]="Wine industry forecasts 40pc fall in grape harvest"; A[17]="By ... Editor"; Dn[17]="20070213"; Dt[17]="Tuesday 13 February 2007"; Acats[17]="a13a57"; B1[17]="      This year's national wine grape crush is expected to be down by 40 per cent.... "; B2[17]=" "; B3[17]=" "; B4[17]=" "; B5[17]=" "; S1[17]="      This year's national wine grape crush is expected to be down by 40 per cent.
      Wine Grape Growers Australia "; S2[17]=" is forecasting a harvest of 1.2 million tonnes, down 800,000 on the previous vintage.
      Executive director Mark McKenzie says it is due "; S3[17]=" to the drought and heavy frosts in many grape growing areas.
      And he says it could mean the end of the current "; S4[17]=" grape glut.
      'Our prediction is by 2008 our supply overhang will be gone, because the shortfall against what the normal production in "; S5[17]=" the year is of 1.5 million to 1.6 million tonnes means that there's around the equivalent of 400 million litres short supply out of the "; S6[17]=" 2007 vintage,' he said... "; R[18]="1889"; T[18]="WA water prices reach record high"; A[18]="By ... Editor"; Dn[18]="20070213"; Dt[18]="Tuesday 13 February 2007"; Acats[18]="a05a07a40"; B1[18]="      In Western Australia, record prices have been paid for water for the second time this season.... "; B2[18]=" "; B3[18]=" "; B4[18]=" "; B5[18]=" "; S1[18]="      In Western Australia, record prices have been paid for water for the second time this season.
      Harvey Water, the "; S2[18]=" state's only water cooperative, has sold water for $240 a megalitre, breaking the previous record by $144.
      Irrigators in the region say "; S3[18]=" unexpected reductions in water entitlements have driven demand to unsustainable prices.
      Dairy farmer Dale Hanks says it is now cheaper to buy "; S4[18]=" grain than water.
      'When you start paying $145 a share and you get 60 per cent of that, you're sort of nearly "; S5[18]=" up to $250 a megalitre for the water on the paddock,' he said.
      'You've got to guarantee you're going to get close "; S6[18]=" to three quarters of a tonne of feed harvest for that megalitre, otherwise grain nearly becomes a better option even at the record prices this "; S7[18]=" season.'.. "; R[19]="1888"; T[19]="Drought affecting one in three businesses: survey"; A[19]="By ... Editor"; Dn[19]="20070213"; Dt[19]="Tuesday 13 February 2007"; Acats[19]="a07a35a89"; B1[19]="      A nationwide survey of manufacturing, wholesale and retail businesses has found one in three are being affected by the drought.... "; B2[19]=" "; B3[19]=" "; B4[19]=" "; B5[19]=" "; S1[19]="      A nationwide survey of manufacturing, wholesale and retail businesses has found one in three are being affected by the drought.
    "; S2[19]="   Businesses in both rural and urban areas are suffering, but are optimistic about the future.
      Dun & Bradstreet business consultant Dr "; S3[19]=" Duncan Ironmonger says the survey shows businesses think things are going to improve in the June quarter.
      '[There is] an expectation that "; S4[19]=" the drought will end and I suppose the fuel prices will keep low, so it's not a big rise, but it is the first rise "; S5[19]=" in four quarters in growth in sales,' he said.
      'The profits although still negative, a negative net index, [are] not as bad "; S6[19]=" as it was in the previous quarter.'.. "; R[20]="1887"; T[20]="New Online Parts Ordering Saves Time"; A[20]="By ... Case IH"; Dn[20]="20070213"; Dt[20]="Tuesday 13 February 2007"; Acats[20]="a01"; B1[20]="      Case IH is making it quicker and easier for farmers to order spare parts with the launch of a new online parts "; B2[20]="catalogue... "; B3[20]=" "; B4[20]=" "; B5[20]=" "; S1[20]="      Case IH is making it quicker and easier for farmers to order spare parts with the launch of a new online parts "; S2[20]=" catalogue.
      The catalogue, which can be accessed via the Case IH website, allows farmers to build a complete list of spare parts "; S3[20]=" for equipment models as far back as the 1930s, at any time of the day or night.
      'The system contains a full "; S4[20]=" list of parts for our current and heritage tractor brands including David Brown, International and Steiger models,' said Tom Pryde, Case IH Aftersales Business Manager.
"; S5[20]="       'With over one million part detail lines available, we expect the site to be popular with farmers using modern equipment, and antique "; S6[20]=" tractor enthusiasts alike.' One of the system's greatest benefits is its ability to help farmer's increase their time efficiency.
      'Because farmers can "; S7[20]=" log on and compile their list of parts 24-hours a day, we're expecting the site to be particularly beneficial at key times such as pre-harvest "; S8[20]=" when farmers are proactively planning their parts purchases for the season ahead.' The site has been designed with simplicity in mind.
      Farmers "; S9[20]=" can search for parts by either looking up the equipment model number or typing in the spare parts number if they know it.
    "; S10[20]="   'So no matter what your level of equipment knowledge, the site makes it easy for you to take control over the parts ordering process,' "; S11[20]=" Tom said.
      The site lists the full range of spare parts for the entire Case IH equipment range - from cane "; S12[20]=" harvesters to tractors.
      It also provides a detailed part illustration.
      'So if you're not sure if you've ordered the "; S13[20]=" right part, you can look at the illustration and match it up to your existing part to be confident you've ordered the right thing.' Once "; S14[20]=" farmers have compiled their parts list, they can either email or fax it to their local dealer who will process the order and contact them "; S15[20]=" when their parts are ready to be picked up.
      'The system expedites the entire ordering process and gives farmers a greater level "; S16[20]=" of control over their parts ordering.' For more information on the site, go to www.caseih.com ... "; R[21]="1886"; T[21]="Schoolboy pair wins BHP Billiton Science Award"; A[21]="By ... Editor"; Dn[21]="20070213"; Dt[21]="Tuesday 13 February 2007"; Acats[21]="a54a93"; B1[21]="      Two schoolboys from Redeemer Baptist School in North Parramatta, NSW have been named as the winners of the 2007 BHP Billiton Science "; B2[21]="Awards for developing a device that measures colour contrasts on various materials.
      The device will benefit vision-impaired people... "; B3[21]=" "; B4[21]=" "; B5[21]=" "; S1[21]="      Two schoolboys from Redeemer Baptist School in North Parramatta, NSW have been named as the winners of the 2007 BHP Billiton Science "; S2[21]=" Awards for developing a device that measures colour contrasts on various materials.
      The device will benefit vision-impaired people.
      The "; S3[21]=" BHP Billiton Science Awards are a partnership between CSIRO, the Australian Science Teachers Association and BHP Billiton.
      They reward students who have "; S4[21]=" undertaken practical research projects which demonstrate innovative approaches and thorough scientific procedures.
      As part of a project titled Versatile Colour Identification and "; S5[21]=" Luminance Contrast Determination, Ian Cannon and Rickystan Savaiko developed a prototype of a portable photometric device that measures the colour contrast between two adjacent surfaces.
"; S6[21]="       The device could be useful in improving building design and making spaces more accessible to vision-impaired people.
      As part "; S7[21]=" of their research, they have also developed a unique mathematical algorithm to determine luminance contrast.
      Robbie Bishop-Taylor form Great Lakes College, Forster, "; S8[21]=" NSW won a second-place award for his project titled The identification of Critical Salinity Thresholds for Upper Estuarine Plants.
      Parts of Australia "; S9[21]=" are facing a water shortage.
      Reduced river flows mean that salt can accumulate in estuarine areas at higher levels than normal.
  "; S10[21]="     Robbie looked at the critical salinity levels that five common upper estuarine plants could tolerate.
      Marcus Littlewood and James Dawson "; S11[21]=" Smith from Scotch College in Melbourne, Victoria were awarded third place.
      Their project MP3 Players and Noise Induced Hearing Loss, looked at "; S12[21]=" whether people were using MP3 players in a way that could damage their hearing.
      They compared their results to acceptable OHS levels "; S13[21]=" for acceptable noise exposure limits.
      As a result several of their friends have turned down the volume on their MP3s.
    "; S14[21]="   As part of their prize 16 student finalists from all over Australia attended an all expenses paid BHP Billiton Science Camp run by CSIRO "; S15[21]=" in Melbourne from 3-6 February.
      They also received cash prizes.
      Ann Burke, from Marist Regional College, Burnie, Tasmania was "; S16[21]=" selected as the national winning teacher for her outstanding work in promoting open-ended student research... "; R[22]="1885"; T[22]="Grain-fed feedlot cattle numbers on the rise"; A[22]="By ... Editor"; Dn[22]="20070213"; Dt[22]="Tuesday 13 February 2007"; Acats[22]="a27"; B1[22]="      New figures show the number of grain-fed cattle in feedlots are at their second-highest level.... "; B2[22]=" "; B3[22]=" "; B4[22]=" "; B5[22]=" "; S1[22]="      New figures show the number of grain-fed cattle in feedlots are at their second-highest level.
      More than 908,000 head "; S2[22]=" were being fed in the December quarter, up 24 per cent on the previous year.
      The survey by the Australian Lot Feeders "; S3[22]=" Association (ALFA) also shows grain prices have skyrocketed by up to 92 per cent.
      President Malcolm Foster says feedlotters are under enormous "; S4[22]=" pressure.
      'There'll be a lot of feedlots who'll be into the red now I would imagine and more will move in that "; S5[22]=" direction while ever the grain price remains where it is and the cattle price remains where it is,' he said.
      'For those "; S6[22]=" who have a choice about it, I suspect the next time cattle prices come back substantially further than they have, you could well start to "; S7[22]=" see feedlots start to empty out as we move in through this year.'.. "; R[23]="1884"; T[23]="Farmers to grow new wheat variety"; A[23]="By ... Editor"; Dn[23]="20070213"; Dt[23]="Tuesday 13 February 2007"; Acats[23]="a22a81a93"; B1[23]="      South Australian farmers will be able to grow a new wheat variety this season, which can both tolerate tough dry conditions and "; B2[23]="perform well in a good year... "; B3[23]=" "; B4[23]=" "; B5[23]=" "; S1[23]="      South Australian farmers will be able to grow a new wheat variety this season, which can both tolerate tough dry conditions and "; S2[23]=" perform well in a good year.
      The variety Gladius has also proved to be the highest yielding commercial breed during trials in "; S3[23]=" the state.
      Australian Grain Technologies (AGT) spokesman Dr Tim Jeffries says it is a breakthrough.
      'Farmers will often make "; S4[23]=" their big dollars in the years in the good seasons and what they want to do is to try and minimise their losses in the "; S5[23]=" tough years,' he said.
      'This is what this variety is designed to do and we're really excited that we've got something that "; S6[23]=" has this unique combination of being able to tolerate the drought, but kick on and produce a good yield under good conditions.'.. "; R[24]="1883"; T[24]="Wine exports at record highs"; A[24]="By ... Editor"; Dn[24]="20070213"; Dt[24]="Tuesday 13 February 2007"; Acats[24]="a08a13"; B1[24]="      Australian wine exports reached record volume and value levels in the 12 months to the end of January.... "; B2[24]=" "; B3[24]=" "; B4[24]=" "; B5[24]=" "; S1[24]="      Australian wine exports reached record volume and value levels in the 12 months to the end of January.
      The "; S2[24]=" Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation says export volumes in the 12-month period rose 9 per cent to 768 million litres, with the overall export value "; S3[24]=" up 2 per cent to $2.85 billion.
      However, average prices per litre for the exported wine dropped 7 per cent to $3.71 "; S4[24]=" in that period, due mainly to bulk wine shipments dominating the export growth.
      Bulk wine represented 28 per cent of total exports, "; S5[24]=" according to the corporation's latest wine export approval report.
      The United Kingdom and the United States continued to be Australia's largest export "; S6[24]=" markets but China was a primary factor in the overall value and volume growth, the corporation's information and analysis manager Lawrie Stanford said.
    "; S7[24]="   The UK market was valued at $943 million in the 12-month period, just ahead of the US at $927 million.
      The "; S8[24]=" top five export markets by value were the UK, US, Canada ($242 million), New Zealand ($93 million) and Germany ($71 million).
      Exports "; S9[24]=" to China rose from three million litres to 24 million litres, he said.
      'In addition to China, other significant contributors to growth "; S10[24]=" in the period included Scandinavia, Ireland and Singapore,' Mr Stanford said.
      Exports to Scandinavian countries Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland increased by "; S11[24]=" 19 per cent on the corresponding 12-month period, while exports to Ireland rose 20 per cent and exports to Singapore increased 19 per cent... "; R[25]="1882"; T[25]="New star found in Southern Cross"; A[25]="By ... Editor"; Dn[25]="20070213"; Dt[25]="Tuesday 13 February 2007"; Acats[25]="a93"; B1[25]="      It's taken a month to hit the news, but astronomers have discovered that Beta Crucis - the left point of the Southern "; B2[25]="Cross - has a binary companion... "; B3[25]=" "; B4[25]=" "; B5[25]=" "; S1[25]="      It's taken a month to hit the news, but astronomers have discovered that Beta Crucis - the left point of the Southern "; S2[25]=" Cross - has a binary companion.
      The discovery revealed in early January by a team from Swarthmore College and West Chester University "; S3[25]=" of Pennsylvania, led by Professor David Cohen.
      The team was studying x-ray emissions from the star using the orbiting Chandra X-Ray Observatory, "; S4[25]=" and detected a second nearby source.
      The separation of the two stars as seen from the telescope is said to be equivalent "; S5[25]=" to that of the headlights of a car about 100km away - 'well within the capabilities of NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory.' The companion star has "; S6[25]=" not been detected by optical telescopes because it is so much dimmer than Beta Crucis, which is the nineteenth brightest star in the sky.
  "; S7[25]="     Extending the previous analogy, it is as if one of the headlights was replaced by a firefly.
      Since the x-ray "; S8[25]=" brightness of the two starts is much more similar, Chandra could show them both.
      It has yet to be determined whether or "; S9[25]=" not the two stars are orbiting each other, or if they just happen to passing close to each other at the moment.
      "; S10[25]=" In this context, 'close' is approximately ten times the distance between our Sun and Pluto, and we see the stars as they were 352 years "; S11[25]=" ago.
      The researchers note that if the newly discovered star was added to the Australian flag, it would not be distinguishable from "; S12[25]=" Beta Crucis... "; R[26]="1881"; T[26]="Wine makers showcase new corks"; A[26]="By ... Editor"; Dn[26]="20070213"; Dt[26]="Tuesday 13 February 2007"; Acats[26]="a13"; B1[26]="      Not so long ago, all wine was bottled with a cork made from, well, cork.... "; B2[26]=" "; B3[26]=" "; B4[26]=" "; B5[26]=" "; S1[26]="      Not so long ago, all wine was bottled with a cork made from, well, cork.
      Then, around 1990, the "; S2[26]=" first synthetic cork - the Cellucork, from England - appeared.
      And with a pop, it opened a Pandora's bottle of alternatives.
  "; S3[26]="     The wine industry sells more than 15 billion bottles of its product each year worldwide.
      With prices for what the "; S4[26]=" industry refers to as 'closures' ranging from as little as a nickel to a dollar or more for the finest natural cork, there's plenty of "; S5[26]=" money to be made in what might seem the rather simple business of holding wine in a container.
      The world's natural cork "; S6[26]=" merchants and their challengers showed off their products recently in Sacramento, Calif., at the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium, a convention that during three days "; S7[26]=" drew about 10,000 people from throughout the wine business.
      The alternatives to natural cork have grabbed roughly 45 percent of the U.S.
"; S8[26]="       closure market, according to Chris Sipola, vice president of Newpak USA, which distributes both natural and newfangled corks.
      In "; S9[26]=" Australia and New Zealand, the numbers are much higher, with screw-on caps alone commanding 60 percent of the market or more.
      And "; S10[26]=" the choices are expanding each year: from cork-shaped stoppers made from proprietary blends of rubber, foam and plastic, to metal and plastic screw-tops - not "; S11[26]=" to mention new juice-box-style containers that eliminate the bottle altogether.
      On the floor of the exhibition hall at the Sacramento Convention Center, "; S12[26]=" John Belforte, president of Beltappo Inc., laid out his line of marbled, multi- colored, thermoplastic corks.
      He stood in front of a "; S13[26]=" rainbow- colored banner that read, 'Break with tradition: Let's party!' Belforte said he's been perfecting his product for 15 years, and claims that he's come "; S14[26]=" up with something that offers many of the benefits of wine corks, without the problems of unreliability - and it comes in colors, to boot.
"; S15[26]="       'We've got things in our recipe that I can't tell you about,' Belforte said, a sentiment echoed at other booths on the "; S16[26]=" floor.
      The industry has been divided by a string of patent-infringement suits, Belforte said.
      The drive for new cork "; S17[26]=" materials stems from the fact that natural corks contain varying amounts of a musty-smelling compound known as TCA.
      This chemical leaches into "; S18[26]=" wine and, even at tiny concentrations, causes a noticeable smell and taste known as 'cork taint' - which leads to dissatisfied customers.
      "; S19[26]=" In the 1990s, one study found that cork taint affected as much as 5 percent of all wine.
      But while synthetic corks "; S20[26]=" and screw caps prevent cork taint - and tend to be cheaper as well - they have their own problems, too.
      Wine "; S21[26]=" goes bad in storage if it gets either too much or too little oxygen.
      High-quality natural cork will, ideally, let in just "; S22[26]=" the right amount.
      Screw caps, on the other hand, tend to let in not enough oxygen; synthetic corks can let in too "; S23[26]=" much.
      The natural cork industry also has fought back with some innovations of its own.
      Amorim, a Portuguese company "; S24[26]=" that produces 3 billion natural corks each year, has invested $40 million over the past year to develop new technologies to clean TCA from its "; S25[26]=" corks, said Jack Squires, vice president of the company's U.S.
      division.
      Natural cork is harvested in many Mediterranean countries "; S26[26]=" - Portugal is the world leader - from a certain variety of oak.
      A tree has to be at least 40 years "; S27[26]=" old before it yields wine-quality cork.
      Harvesting doesn't kill the trees, which typically live more than 100 years.
      Market "; S28[26]=" researchers say that cork preferences vary widely around the globe.
      This happens to be one area in which American and French tastes "; S29[26]=" align, said Jane Robichaud of Tragon Corp., a market research company.
      English and Australian consumers say they're happy to bring a screw-top "; S30[26]=" bottle of wine to a dinner party, something American and French drinkers find abhorrent, she said.
      While top-quality red wines to be "; R[27]="1880"; T[27]="Livestock producers taking on-farm research into own hands"; A[27]="By ... Editor"; Dn[27]="20070207"; Dt[27]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[27]="a25a26a27"; B1[27]="      Australia's livestock producers are being given the opportunity to design, conduct and get funding for their own on-farm research projects.... "; B2[27]=" "; B3[27]=" "; B4[27]=" "; B5[27]=" "; S1[27]="      Australia's livestock producers are being given the opportunity to design, conduct and get funding for their own on-farm research projects.
    "; S2[27]="   The initiative, coordinated by Meat & Livestock Australia, is known as Producer Research Support (PRS) and allows livestock producers to research and trial practices "; S3[27]=" that will improve the financial or environmental performance of a property.
      National PRS co-ordinator, Gerald Martin said over 300 producer groups "; S4[27]=" have participated in the PRS on-farm trials and encouraged producers across the country to get involved and tackle those issues that directly impact on the "; S5[27]=" day-to-day running of their business.
      'The great thing about the PRS program is that it puts research into the hands of producers "; S6[27]=" - basically we are giving farmers the opportunity to trial their own research at a local level,' Mr Martin said.
      'Livestock producers "; S7[27]=" are in the best position to determine what on-farm research and management practices work for them.
      They live and breathe the challenges "; S8[27]=" every day, so it makes sense that they be given an avenue to get involved when it comes to designing and implementing local R&D on-farm.
"; S9[27]="       'Many groups have already tackled agronomic aspects such as weeds, soil fertility and improved pasture species.
      Others have trialed "; S10[27]=" better grazing management, the value of supplements and improved genetics - the opportunities are endless.' The deadline for producers to submit applications for research support "; S11[27]=" is 28 February.
      Application forms can be obtained on the MLA website - www.mla.com.au/producersupport.
      The PRS program provides participants "; S12[27]=" with on-going support through a dedicated co-ordinator, phone number and email address.
      The PRS program will also provide regional facilitators who will "; S13[27]=" be available to assist groups with the reporting of progress back to MLA.
      Successful groups can receive up to $15,000 in support "; S14[27]=" over three years, with the funds helping to cover the expertise needed and expenses that are not normal items, such as feed quality testing.
  "; S15[27]="     Producers are encouraged to utilise the best local expertise, such as DPI staff and local consultants, to help design and manage the trials.
"; S16[27]="       'The goal of this initiative is to allow producers to trial, adapt and adopt improved management options on their own farm - "; S17[27]=" or more simply - put their ideas into action,' Mr Martin said... "; R[28]="1879"; T[28]="New Wheat Variety for the Tough Times"; A[28]="By ... Editor"; Dn[28]="20070207"; Dt[28]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[28]="a22a55"; B1[28]="      Australian Grain Technologies (AGT) today released Gladius, a new wheat variety with excellent tolerance to the tough, dry conditions often encountered by "; B2[28]="South Australian growers... "; B3[28]=" "; B4[28]=" "; B5[28]=" "; S1[28]="      Australian Grain Technologies (AGT) today released Gladius, a new wheat variety with excellent tolerance to the tough, dry conditions often encountered by "; S2[28]=" South Australian growers.
      Approximately 300 tonnes of Gladius are expected to be available through local seed distributors, ready for 2007 sowing.
  "; S3[28]="     Gladius was designed to help growers manage the high risk of cropping in South Australia's hostile climatic conditions.
      'Most South "; S4[28]=" Australian growers want to capture the highest possible financial returns in good growing years to buffer the often severe consequences of drought years,' said Dr.Stephen "; S5[28]=" Jefferies, Chief Executive Officer of AGT.
      'Therefore the challenge for our wheat breeders is to develop a variety that shows solid "; S6[28]=" performance in the good years, and is tough enough to avoid or minimise losses in the bad drought years.' 'We developed Gladius with this in "; S7[28]=" mind, and believe it will be a valuable tool for managing the climatic risks in South Australian cropping.' Gladius was tested as RAC1262 and developed "; S8[28]=" by AGT's Roseworthy wheat breeding team, in collaboration with former SARDI employee Dr.Neil Howes.
      Gladius was derived from a cross involving Excalibur, "; S9[28]=" Kukri, Krichauff, a Trident derivative and RAC875, a breeder's line that was not released commercially but has demonstrated exceptional performance under drought conditions.
    "; S10[28]="   'The cross that generated Gladius combines the grain yield of Excalibur, Krichauff and RAC875 with the rust and disease resistance and quality of "; S11[28]=" Kukri and the Trident derivative,' said Haydn Kuchel, head wheat breeder for Australian Grain Technologies at Roseworthy.
      'The exciting news is "; S12[28]=" that Gladius has shown excellent yield performance in good years like 2005, and in tough years like 2006.' In fact, preliminary results from the 2006 "; S13[28]=" National Variety Trials show Gladius to be the overall highest-yielding commercial variety across South Australian trials.
      This excellent performance in a drought "; S14[28]=" year was preceded by an overall second ranking to Pugsley in the higher yielding 2005 season trials.
      Over five years of trials "; S15[28]=" specifically targeting drought affected areas in South Australia, Gladius has often produced yields 20-30% higher than benchmark varieties Frame and Yitpi, and 10-15% above other "; S16[28]=" proven drought performers Wyalkatchem and Westonia.
      'AGT was able to fast-track the development of Gladius due in part to financial contributions from "; S17[28]=" the South Australian Grains Industry Trust and the South Australian Premier's Drought Relief Fund,' said Dr.Jefferies.
      'The additional support enabled AGT "; S18[28]=" to significantly shorten the time period from first cross to commercial release by three years on this particular variety.' Gladius is the latest variety release "; S19[28]=" from AGT and its plant breeding venture partners, including the Grains Research and Development Corporation, University of Adelaide, South Australian Research and Development Institute, Sydney "; S20[28]=" University and Graincorp... "; R[29]="1878"; T[29]="Regional Updates focus on seasonal issues"; A[29]="By ... Editor"; Dn[29]="20070207"; Dt[29]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[29]="a53a54a57"; B1[29]="      Key seasonal issues affecting farmers will be the focus of this year's Department of Agriculture and Food Regional Crop Updates.... "; B2[29]=" "; B3[29]=" "; B4[29]=" "; B5[29]=" "; S1[29]="      Key seasonal issues affecting farmers will be the focus of this year's Department of Agriculture and Food Regional Crop Updates.
    "; S2[29]="   Seven Regional Updates are being held in key agriculture areas this year starting with Merredin - February 20, Jerramungup - February 21, Northam "; S3[29]=" - February 22, Corrigin - February 23, Buntine - March 7 and concluding in Esperance and Dongara on March 8.
      The "; S4[29]=" Agribusiness Crop Updates will be held on February 14 and 15 at Burswood Entertainment Complex.
      Department Crop Updates convenor Greg Shea "; S5[29]=" said with the recent summer rainfall and flooding in Esperance, a number of key issues including disease and weed management would all be addressed through "; S6[29]=" the Regional Updates.
      'Regional Updates will continue to provide farmers with a forum to update their information on cropping and pastures, "; S7[29]=" but also allow an opportunity for other key issues to be addressed,' he said.
      'This year, keynote speaker Dr John O'Donovan "; S8[29]=" will also attend both the Agribusiness and the Regional Updates at Merredin, Jerramungup, Northam and Corrigin.
      'Dr O'Donovan, a Canadian research "; S9[29]=" scientist, will address delegates in Perth and then travel around the State discussing issues including Roundup ReadyŪ technology and integrated weed management.' More information "; S10[29]=" and registrations forms can be found by visiting www.agric.wa.gov.au and clicking on the 'Crop Updates 2007' link.
      The Grains Research and "; S11[29]=" Development Corporation is a major supporter of Agribusiness and Regional Crop Updates... "; R[30]="1877"; T[30]="New lupins adapted to the south coast"; A[30]="By ... Editor"; Dn[30]="20070207"; Dt[30]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[30]="a19a81"; B1[30]="      Underperforming lupins on the south coast could be a thing of the past with the development of better adapted varieties by the "; B2[30]="Department of Agriculture and Food... "; B3[30]=" "; B4[30]=" "; B5[30]=" "; S1[30]="      Underperforming lupins on the south coast could be a thing of the past with the development of better adapted varieties by the "; S2[30]=" Department of Agriculture and Food.
      Researcher Peter White said recent trials involving the advanced breeding line WALAN2224 showed its dominance in "; S3[30]=" areas prone to black pod syndrome (BPS), a common disorder on the south coast.
      Speaking at the Department's annual Agribusiness Crop "; S4[30]=" Updates, supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation, Mr White said lupins had a reputation of yielding below their potential in the southern agricultural "; S5[30]=" regions of Western Australia.
      'From our observations, yield potential can exceed 4.0 t/ha, but harvested yields are often less than 2.0 "; S6[30]=" t/ha.
      In the past we have put this down to excess vegetative growth causing poor pod set and low harvest index,' Mr "; S7[30]=" White said.
      'The more recent discovery of black pod syndrome, where pods turn brown or black prematurely with poorly developed seeds, "; S8[30]=" looks to be another cause of the low and variable yields produced by lupins on the south coast.' Mr White said research trials in "; S9[30]=" the Esperance region in 2006 investigated if there were any advanced breeding lines with potential for release as varieties that had higher tolerance to BPS "; S10[30]=" than Mandelup.
      'WALAN2224 produced more than 30 per cent higher yield than Mandelup in situations where BPS was severe and may "; S11[30]=" be suitable for release on the south coast,' he said.
      'At podding, many plants showed symptoms of blackening and some plants "; S12[30]=" had died.
      About 2 to 5 times more plants of Tallerack and Mandelup were blackened compared with Quilinock, WALAN2224 or WALAN2235.
  "; S13[30]="     'Fewer plants of Tallerack and Mandelup also survived to maturity than for Quillinock, WALAN2224 or WALAN2235.' Mr White said WALAN 2224 "; S14[30]=" produced the highest grain yield of all genotypes.
      Tallerack, on average, produced the lowest yields and Mandelup the second lowest.
    "; S15[30]="   However, Tallerack and Mandelup had higher numbers of pods than Quilinock, WALAN2224 or WALAN2235.
      'WALAN2224, WALAN2235, and Quilinock have a "; S16[30]=" higher level of resistance to BPS than Mandelup and are likely to be superior genotypes for environments where BPS is prevalent,' Mr White said.
  "; S17[30]="     'The high yields and low level of blackening seen for these genotypes in this trial is consistent with results from CVT trials "; S18[30]=" from 2004 to 2006.'.. "; R[31]="1876"; T[31]="2007 Seasonal Outlook"; A[31]="By ... Editor"; Dn[31]="20070207"; Dt[31]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[31]="a57"; B1[31]="      Recent trends in broad-scale climate indicators suggest that El Niņo conditions have peaked and begun to break down according to Department of "; B2[31]="Agriculture and Food researcher David Stephens... "; B3[31]=" "; B4[31]=" "; B5[31]=" "; S1[31]="      Recent trends in broad-scale climate indicators suggest that El Niņo conditions have peaked and begun to break down according to Department of "; S2[31]=" Agriculture and Food researcher David Stephens.
      Dr Stephens said for the first time in eight months below normal pressures were consistently "; S3[31]=" recorded in the Western Australian region and heavy rains from a decaying cyclone brought flooding to the Esperance region.
      He said "; S4[31]=" the majority of twelve commonly used forecasting models were indicating a gradual cooling in Pacific ocean temperatures and a return to neutral conditions by mid "; S5[31]=" year.
      'The Department's climate indices also indicate a similar, but more dramatic cooling in the next six months and a more "; S6[31]=" optimistic outlook for 2007,' Dr Stephens said.
      Details of possible seasonal scenarios based on ocean/atmosphere indicators in the Australian/Pacific region; a "; S7[31]=" review of the main forecast model predictions; and the Department's developmental forecasting system will be presented at this month's Agribusiness Crop Updates.
      "; S8[31]=" 'In terms of wheatbelt rainfall, the analogue system suggests that average to above average rainfall is likely over summer and at least average rainfall "; S9[31]=" is likely between May and October,' Dr Stephens said.
      'Based on preliminary data for January, the system currently selects the three La "; S10[31]=" Niņa years: 1964, 1970 and 1995, and the two neutral years 1952 and 1978.
      'The three La Niņa years generally had "; S11[31]=" average to above average rainfall while the two neutral years had average to below average rainfall in the main growing season.' Dr Stephens said "; S12[31]=" the system skill at predicting growing season rainfall at this time of the year was greatest for the central and southern WA wheatbelt.
    "; S13[31]="   'Overall, the Department indices suggest that a more optimistic approach to decision-making is recommended in 2006 and confidence in this assessment would be "; S14[31]=" enhanced if a La Niņa developed.' Research undertaken at the Department and the University of New South Wales has found that an enhanced sea "; S15[31]=" surface temperatures (SST) gradient (cool in south Indian Ocean, warm near Indonesia) is positively related to growing season rainfall in the wheatbelt.
      "; S16[31]=" 'A reduced SST gradient to the north-west of Australia and strong high pressures over Australia were the major contributing factors to drought conditions in "; S17[31]=" 2006,' Dr Stephens said.
      'The recent trend towards warmer (SST) in the State's north-west could contribute to an enhanced SST gradient "; S18[31]=" and enhanced cloud band activity.
      'In this event an above average growing season could develop.
      But the lesson "; S19[31]=" from 2006 is that trends in SST in this region need to be closely followed.' Dr Stephens said summer rains had already led to "; S20[31]=" accumulation of soil moisture reserves in the eastern and south-eastern regions of the wheatbelt.
      'Farmers should respond to stored soil moisture "; S21[31]=" and the timing of opening rains, but also pay close attention to updates of seasonal forecasts and SSTs to the north of Australia,' he said.
"; S22[31]="       'If a La Niņa develops high world grain prices could remain high as a La Niņa is more often than not "; S23[31]=" related to drier conditions in major production areas in North America, southern South America and parts of southern Europe, though the planted crop area is "; S24[31]=" another important factor.' Further details and monthly updates are available on DAFWA's climate website www.agric.wa.gov.au/climate in the ENSO Technical Summary... "; R[32]="1875"; T[32]="Green bridge key to wheat streak"; A[32]="By ... Editor"; Dn[32]="20070207"; Dt[32]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[32]="a22a93"; B1[32]="      WA cereal growers are being urged to destroy 'green bridge' cereals and grasses prior to sowing where they are at risk of "; B2[32]="disease threat by wheat streak mosaic virus... "; B3[32]=" "; B4[32]=" "; B5[32]=" "; S1[32]="      WA cereal growers are being urged to destroy 'green bridge' cereals and grasses prior to sowing where they are at risk of "; S2[32]=" disease threat by wheat streak mosaic virus.
      Department of Agriculture and Food virologist Roger Jones said removing the 'green bridge' at "; S3[32]=" least four weeks before sowing so that no grass plants were still surviving was the most effective means of limiting the impact of the disease.
"; S4[32]="       He said growers should also not sow seed that has been saved from conspicuously infected crops and, in high risk situations, "; S5[32]=" could delay sowing to avoid seedlings emerging in warm conditions that favoured greater vector mite activity.
      Dr Jones will update agribusiness "; S6[32]=" and research leaders at the Department's annual Agribusiness Crop Updates on 14-15 February, supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation.
      "; S7[32]=" 'Following the detection of wheat streak mosaic virus in the Merredin district in August 2006, the Department undertook an extensive survey of wheat crops and "; S8[32]=" trials throughout the grainbelt,' Dr Jones said.
      In the survey of wheat trials involving 4,016 samples, wheat streak mosaic virus was "; S9[32]=" detected on 9 of 23 farms and in 13 of 44 trials.
      In the survey of commercial crops, 7,630 random samples "; S10[32]=" were tested and infection was found on 19 of 27 farms and in 27 of 75 crops.
      'The virus was detected "; S11[32]=" in many different wheat varieties in crops and trials at sites over a very wide area in all rainfall zones ranging from Esperance in the "; S12[32]=" south to Dongara in the north,' Dr Jones said.
      'However, infected sites were concentrated particularly in the eastern grainbelt districts that "; S13[32]=" received considerable summer and autumn rains.' Dr Jones said this distribution of infected sites indicated that a substantial 'green bridge' before the growing season "; S14[32]=" favoured high infection in following wheat crops.
      He said the virus was detected in alternative hosts including volunteer wheat, barley, annual "; S15[32]=" ryegrass, barley grass, windmill grass and wild oats.
      'Examples particularly from the Merredin district indicated that, where this 'green bridge' was "; S16[32]=" not adequately controlled, major crop loss could result,' he said.
      A seed testing service for seed samples sent in by growers "; S17[32]=" will be available from AGWEST Plant Laboratories from February 2007... "; R[33]="1874"; T[33]="Scientists identify wheat germplasm suitable for acid soils"; A[33]="By ... Editor"; Dn[33]="20070207"; Dt[33]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[33]="a22a81a93"; B1[33]="      NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) scientists have identified a major new source of wheat germplasm tolerant of aluminium toxicity, paving the "; B2[33]="way for the breeding of new bread wheat varieties able to grow in acid soils... "; B3[33]=" "; B4[33]=" "; B5[33]=" "; S1[33]="      NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) scientists have identified a major new source of wheat germplasm tolerant of aluminium toxicity, paving the "; S2[33]=" way for the breeding of new bread wheat varieties able to grow in acid soils.
      Scientists from DPI in Wagga Wagga and "; S3[33]=" Tamworth screened hundreds of ancient landrace wheats collected from around the world as part of a research effort to find aluminium (Al) tolerant bread wheats.
"; S4[33]="       Landraces are the ancestors of modern wheat cultivars.
      Most sources of Al tolerance in Australian wheat can be traced "; S5[33]=" back to Brazil or China, and according to DPI molecular biologist Dr Harsh Raman, the new genetic material found appears to be different from that "; S6[33]=" used in current breeding programs.
      An initial laboratory study of 250 landraces found 35 were Al tolerant.
      After a "; S7[33]=" root tip stain was applied, root regrowth was measured and 33 of these were found to increase their root length after exposure to Al.
  "; S8[33]="     The tolerant landraces come from eight countries - Bulgaria, Croatia, India, Italy, Nepal, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey - and Dr Raman said that "; S9[33]=" subsequent molecular analysis indicated that they are from diverse genetic backgrounds.
      'Conventional breeding has reduced the available gene pool of wheat, possibly "; S10[33]=" reducing the availability of useful or novel genes adapted to stress such as that induced by aluminium.' Landraces have already proved a valuable source of "; S11[33]=" important genes, such as those conferring reduced height used extensively in Australian wheat breeding programs.
      Dr Raman said the new landraces could "; S12[33]=" be used to expand the genetic base currently available and may also hold other important genes.
      'Given that there is mostly more "; S13[33]=" than one stress factor placed on a plant at any one time, the possibility exists that landraces that are adapted to one stress may carry "; S14[33]=" useful adaptations to other stresses such as salinity, nutrient deficiencies and foliar and root diseases.' Acid soils are one of Australian farming's worst environmental problems.
"; S15[33]="       About 70 percent of Australian soils are associated with extremes in pH.
      Low pH releases aluminium at levels which "; S16[33]=" are toxic to many crop species, constraining root growth and uptake of water and nutrients.
      In NSW, acid soils are estimated to "; S17[33]=" cause losses of up to $400 million dollars each year.
      The landrace germplasm examined for this research came from the Australian Winter "; S18[33]=" Cereals Collection, located at Tamworth.
      Initial findings were reported in the international journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution.
      The "; S19[33]=" research was funded under the NSW Government's Biofirst strategy... "; R[34]="1873"; T[34]="Beattie changes tack on river water sales"; A[34]="By ... Editor"; Dn[34]="20070207"; Dt[34]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[34]="a40"; B1[34]="      QUEENSLAND Premier Peter Beattie has overruled his deputy and his Water Minister by ordering a review of the state government decision to "; B2[34]="sell new water allocations in the Murray-Darling Basin... "; B3[34]=" "; B4[34]=" "; B5[34]=" "; S1[34]="      QUEENSLAND Premier Peter Beattie has overruled his deputy and his Water Minister by ordering a review of the state government decision to "; S2[34]=" sell new water allocations in the Murray-Darling Basin.
      The move came as NSW Premier Morris Iemma strengthened his support for John Howard's "; S3[34]=" $10 billion water strategy, which includes a commonwealth takeover of the basin.
      Opening new divisions between the Labor states, Mr Iemma dismissed "; S4[34]=" concerns by Queensland and South Australia about the federal plan.
      'I don't really care whether they do or they don't, NSW is "; S5[34]=" going there and the NSW position is final,' Mr Iemma said.
      Mr Beattie said he would discuss with the Prime Minister the "; S6[34]=" plan by Queensland to sell eight billion litres of water a year from the Warrego River, part of the Murray-Darling system, at Thursday's summit of "; S7[34]=" premiers whose states take in the basin.
      The Australian revealed last month that the water allocations from the Warrego, a major tributary "; S8[34]=" of the Darling River, would be sold at two auctions in March.
      A $3 billion plan to buy back water allocations issued "; S9[34]=" by the states is a key plank of Mr Howard's strategy to revolutionise control of the basin.
      Overallocation of irrigation entitlements by "; S10[34]=" the states has been identified as a major cause of water shortages in the basin.
      Mr Beattie said the Warrego sales plan "; S11[34]=" was a longstanding commitment that had been endorsed by the National Water Commission.
      'However, given the Prime Minister's new interest in water "; S12[34]=" reforms, it is an issue I intend to discuss with him at our meeting this week,' Mr Beattie said late yesterday.
      State "; S13[34]=" government sources confirmed that the sales were being reviewed.
      Earlier, Deputy Premier Anna Bligh and Queensland Natural Resources and Water Minister Craig "; S14[34]=" Wallace had insisted the auctions would proceed, snubbing calls from federal Environment and Water Resources Minister Malcolm Turnbull, water experts and even irrigators for them "; S15[34]=" to be deferred or cancelled.
      Mr Turnbull responded by attacking the Queensland plan.
      'In the present circumstances, this is "; S16[34]=" a regrettable decision which underlines the need for a whole-of-basin approach,' Mr Turnbull said.
      While Victoria's Steve Bracks has also signalled his "; S17[34]=" backing for the water plan, Mr Howard was reluctant to spell out Canberra's response if South Australia and Queensland maintained their opposition to the water "; S18[34]=" blueprint... "; R[35]="1872"; T[35]="WA to buy more renewable energy"; A[35]="By ... Editor"; Dn[35]="20070207"; Dt[35]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[35]="a36a67a94"; B1[35]="      The Western Australian Government today challenged the Federal Government and industry to follow its lead as it pledged to buy one-fifth of "; B2[35]="its energy needs from renewable sources within three years... "; B3[35]=" "; B4[35]=" "; B5[35]=" "; S1[35]="      The Western Australian Government today challenged the Federal Government and industry to follow its lead as it pledged to buy one-fifth of "; S2[35]=" its energy needs from renewable sources within three years.
      Premier Alan Carpenter said the 20 per cent renewable energy commitment would form "; S3[35]=" part of his Labor Government's forthcoming Climate Change Action Plan.
      'Climate change is a very real issue affecting the entire planet,' "; S4[35]=" Mr Carpenter said.
      'Buying more renewable energy is one tangible way that we can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.' "; S5[35]=" He said the 20 per cent target in 2010 would bring a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of about 90,000 tonnes per year - "; S6[35]=" the equivalent of taking 21,000 cars off the road... "; R[36]="1871"; T[36]="Pig poo methane to generate power"; A[36]="By ... Editor"; Dn[36]="20070207"; Dt[36]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[36]="a29a36a94"; B1[36]="      A pig farmer near Donald, in south-west Victoria, plans to cut the running costs of his desalinator with the help of pig "; B2[36]="effluent... "; B3[36]=" "; B4[36]=" "; B5[36]=" "; S1[36]="      A pig farmer near Donald, in south-west Victoria, plans to cut the running costs of his desalinator with the help of pig "; S2[36]=" effluent.
      Robert Adams' plan is to use methane from the stored poo to generate power.
      He says the 'biogas "; S3[36]=" recovery unit' will reduce the extra $10,000 a year he is spending on electricity for desalination.
      'From the research that we've done "; S4[36]=" and looking at it, I'd have quite a few tanks set up to do this recovery system,' he said.
      'It should provide "; S5[36]=" a bit to reduce emissions to the atmosphere of course, certainly cuts down on the amount of gas floating around and reduces the smell around "; S6[36]=" the house too.
      'It would be doing more than one thing.'.. "; R[37]="1870"; T[37]="Wool industry to meet Chinese processors over wool quality"; A[37]="By ... Editor"; Dn[37]="20070207"; Dt[37]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[37]="a08a25a63"; B1[37]="      The Australian wool industry will meet with Chinese processors in mid-April to discuss the quality of Australia's wool clip.... "; B2[37]=" "; B3[37]=" "; B4[37]=" "; B5[37]=" "; S1[37]="      The Australian wool industry will meet with Chinese processors in mid-April to discuss the quality of Australia's wool clip.
      "; S2[37]=" It is in response to an open letter from a group of processors, which raised concerns about clip preparation, dark fibres and trading contracts.
  "; S3[37]="     The chairman of the Federation of Australian Wool Organisations, John Lewis, is just back from China, where he says there was a productive "; S4[37]=" meeting with a representative of the processors.
      'Their major issues are to do with contamination and presentation of the wool,' he said.
"; S5[37]="       'They've been experiencing a few problems in various shipments.
      'I've had a look at some of them, they've got "; S6[37]=" photographic evidence.
      'We'll be getting a dossier on that prior to the meeting and having a look at it.'.. "; R[38]="1869"; T[38]="Aust poultry not at risk despite UK bird flu outbreak: consultant"; A[38]="By ... Editor"; Dn[38]="20070207"; Dt[38]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[38]="a30a33"; B1[38]="      A 10 kilometre surveillance zone has been set up around the site of the UK's first H5N1 bird flu outbreak.... "; B2[38]=" "; B3[38]=" "; B4[38]=" "; B5[38]=" "; S1[38]="      A 10 kilometre surveillance zone has been set up around the site of the UK's first H5N1 bird flu outbreak.
    "; S2[38]="   Investigations are continuing into how the shedded turkeys at a farm in Suffolk contracted the virus, but all of the 160,000 turkeys on the "; S3[38]=" property are being destroyed.
      Veterinary consultant to the Australian Poultry Industry Dr Peter Scott says similarities between British and local poultry practices "; S4[38]=" do not mean that Australian poultry are also at risk.
      'We're in a fortunate situation in Australia,' he said.
      "; S5[38]=" 'We are an island and some years ago through evolutionary type pathways, the typical waterfowl that carry avian influenza, particularly the H5N1 virus, the anthraforms, "; S6[38]=" we're very fortunate they don't migrate down to Australia, they migrate to Indonesia but they don't come down any further.'.. "; R[39]="1868"; T[39]="PM to discuss federal Murray Darling Basin proposal with premiers"; A[39]="By ... Editor"; Dn[39]="20070207"; Dt[39]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[39]="a40"; B1[39]="      The Prime Minister is planning to meet state governments on Thursday to try to advance his plan to take control of water "; B2[39]="in the Murray Darling Basin... "; B3[39]=" "; B4[39]=" "; B5[39]=" "; S1[39]="      The Prime Minister is planning to meet state governments on Thursday to try to advance his plan to take control of water "; S2[39]=" in the Murray Darling Basin.
      Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT have given the proposal cautious assent as part of John "; S3[39]=" Howard 's plan to spend $10 billion addressing water shortages.
      But Mr Howard still faces the hurdle of persuading South Australia's Premier "; S4[39]=" Mike Rann that the states should give some of their constitutional power over water resources to the Federal Government.
      Meanwhile a water "; S5[39]=" economics expert says there could be major tax advantages for farmers whose water licences are compulsorily acquired.
      Professor Mike Young from the "; S6[39]=" University of Adelaide says water licences taken by the Federal Government as part of the Murray Darling Basin plan are likely to attract bigger tax "; S7[39]=" breaks and compensation payments than those offered up voluntarily.
      He says the Government has to reimburse property owners for inconvenience and dislocation.
"; S8[39]="       'It's a bit like when somebody has the government approach them to put a freeway or a pipeline through their property,' he "; S9[39]=" said.
      'In those circumstances, people are actually paid enough money to enable them to relocate and the money they receive is subject "; S10[39]=" to very different taxation rules.
      'So it can end up as a win for the isolated person who really doesn't want to "; S11[39]=" stay there any more if they can find a way out.'.. "; R[40]="1867"; T[40]="Australia's hidden dangers take deadly toll on tourists"; A[40]="By ... Editor"; Dn[40]="20070207"; Dt[40]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[40]="a44"; B1[40]="      Australia is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world, but its beaches, rainforests and deserts take a deadly toll "; B2[40]="on tourists... "; B3[40]=" "; B4[40]=" "; B5[40]=" "; S1[40]="      Australia is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world, but its beaches, rainforests and deserts take a deadly toll "; S2[40]=" on tourists.
      According to official statistics, 2,433 overseas visitors, including 25 children, have died in the past seven years with causes of "; S3[40]=" death ranging from drowning to heat stroke and even a jellyfish sting.
      The figures released by the Australian bureau of statistics and "; S4[40]=" the national coroners' information system suggest many tourists are taken unawares by the country's harsh natural environment, or die during recreational activities.
      "; S5[40]=" In a two-year period between 2003 and 2005, seven people died while scuba diving or snorkelling, two died while hiking, one died while paragliding, "; S6[40]=" another died on a parachute jump, three people lost their lives on fishing expeditions and two people died after games of tennis and golf.
  "; S7[40]="     Heat stroke claimed the lives of three tourists while 65 were killed in car crashes and six people died in falls.
    "; S8[40]="   Another 276 deaths in the same period were attributed to natural causes.
      Australia's idyllic beaches, a magnet for sun worshippers, also "; S9[40]=" hold hidden dangers.
      Among the drowning fatalities in the past seven years were eight children under the age of 10 on holiday "; S10[40]=" with their families while another 17 youngsters aged 10 to 19 were also pulled dead from the water.
      Sean O'Connell, spokesman for "; S11[40]=" one of Sydney's lifeguard organisations, said tourists flock to beaches without realising the dangers and suggested people on inbound flights to Australia should be informed "; S12[40]=" about dangerous sea currents.
      'You could conceivably hop off a plane, go to your backpackers' hostel, hop on the bus and be "; S13[40]=" swimming at Bondi within four hours and there is this terrible rip you wouldn't even know about,' he told the Sydney Daily Telegraph.
    "; S14[40]="   'In some cases the rip appears to be the calmest part of the water.' With at least one tourist dying after a jellyfish sting "; S15[40]=" and others injured by animal bites, visitors are also being warned to admire Australia's wildlife from a safe distance.
      Ranger Craig Adams "; S16[40]=" of the Australian Reptile Park said crocodiles can hide in 30cm (12') of water and pounce unexpectedly.
      'People don't realise a koala "; S17[40]=" will give you a nasty bite or carve you up with its claws,' he said.
      'A wombat can knock you over.' More "; S18[40]=" than five million people visit Australia every year, among them 800,000 British visitors, and most people return home safely, according to tourist officials.
    "; S19[40]="   In the past two weeks however there have been two shark attacks, and at the weekend hundreds of swimmers on three of Perth's most "; S20[40]=" popular beaches were warned to leave the water after a two-metre long shark was seen near the shore.
      In another incident, a "; S21[40]=" 25-year-old man was airlifted to hospital after he swam into a swarm of bluebottle jellyfish.
      He was treated for multiple stings and "; S22[40]=" released.
      In an editorial, the Sydney Morning Telegraph called the tourist fatalities, and those of Australians who have died 'the price paid "; S23[40]=" for a country where nature has not been totally cowed by human development'... "; R[41]="1866"; T[41]="Finding the good oil"; A[41]="By ... Editor"; Dn[41]="20070207"; Dt[41]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[41]="a16a17"; B1[41]="      Just as the quality of olives can vary from year to year, so too can the quality of olive oil.... "; B2[41]=" "; B3[41]=" "; B4[41]=" "; B5[41]=" "; S1[41]="      Just as the quality of olives can vary from year to year, so too can the quality of olive oil.
    "; S2[41]="   I've recently sampled quite a few olive oils from around the country which I found quite fascinating, firstly due to the sheer volume of "; S3[41]=" oil now being produced in Australia, but also to be able to compare them with the Italian and Spanish oils that have dominated our market "; S4[41]=" for some time.
      Italy and Spain are the top two producers in the world, with oils from Tuscany in Italy considered some "; S5[41]=" of the world's best.
      However, Australia, as well as other countries and states such as New Zealand, South Africa and California, notably "; S6[41]=" all wine regions as well, are now also producing first-rate olives and oils.
      Like good wine, regionality and climate play a big "; S7[41]=" part in the quality and flavour of olive oil.
      Unlike wine, the first run or new season oil is usually the best, "; S8[41]=" both for taste and longevity.
      Extra-virgin oils are best used in most recipes, extra-virgin referring to the first press of the olives, "; S9[41]=" giving the oil its distinctive flavour and colour.
      These also have a good shelf life and should keep for a reasonable period "; S10[41]=" of time if stored in a cool place, preferably in a dark glass bottle to avoid sunlight affecting them.
      Rose Grey and "; S11[41]=" Ruth Rogers of London's River Cafe fame are so fanatical about what oils they use they travel to Italy each year to taste various producers' "; S12[41]=" offerings before deciding what they will buy and use for the next year.
      While I'm not that particular I do insist on "; S13[41]=" the using one of Australia's best quality oils in the kitchen at e'cco, Joseph 'First Run' extra-virgin olive oil produced by Joe Grilli of Primo "; S14[41]=" Estate in South Australia, when available, or his green label extra-virgin olive oil for the remainder of the year.
      As for the "; S15[41]=" imported ones, I prefer the Italian Tuscan-style oils that are quite fruity and have a little pepper on the back of the palate.
    "; S16[41]="   Some of the Spanish oils are so peppery they literally grab you in the back of the throat they are so sharp.
    "; S17[41]="   Whatever your preference might be, quality is quite often dictated by price, so I strongly recommend using the best quality oil you can afford... "; R[42]="1865"; T[42]="PM backs carbon permits"; A[42]="By ... Editor"; Dn[42]="20070207"; Dt[42]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[42]="a05a89"; B1[42]="      JOHN Howard is considering a voluntary carbon trading system - based on permits to pollute - to encourage business to reduce greenhouse "; B2[42]="gases... "; B3[42]=" "; B4[42]=" "; B5[42]=" "; S1[42]="      JOHN Howard is considering a voluntary carbon trading system - based on permits to pollute - to encourage business to reduce greenhouse "; S2[42]=" gases.
      But he will not put a 'crude' tax on carbon emissions.
      Ahead of the release of an industry "; S3[42]=" and government discussion paper on what an emissions trading system could look like, the Prime Minister favours a 'permit' system rather than imposing a price "; S4[42]=" on carbon.
      States have begun implementing their own carbon trading schemes, some of which also use permits.
      But Canberra "; S5[42]=" is urging them to instead work on a national scheme.
      Mr Howard acknowledged last night a trading regime would increase the price "; S6[42]=" of electricity and water over the longer term.
      But he insisted the Government would not embark on any scheme that priced Australia's "; S7[42]=" energy companies out of world markets or forced a rapid rise in domestic electricity and gas tariffs.
      'Everybody should accept that over "; S8[42]=" time things like electricity will become more expensive, as over time water will become more expensive,' he said.
      'Whether it becomes much "; S9[42]=" more expensive depends on how you do it.' Experts have devised a number of permit-based trading systems, including one from academic and Reserve Bank board "; S10[42]=" member Warwick McKibbin, but it is understood that Government is working up its own version.
      Experts such as Professor McKibbin say the "; S11[42]=" key to a carbon market is imposing long-term constraint on emissions.
      Mr Howard told the ABC's Lateline that 'one way of doing "; S12[42]=" it is to issue permits'.
      He said: 'Those permits are traded and over time the market establishes a price.' Mr Howard said "; S13[42]=" making it compulsory for coal-fired power stations to use new technology was not viable.
      'That doesn't sound very much to me like "; S14[42]=" a market mechanism when you compel somebody to apply a particular technology,' he said.
      'It is far better if you want to "; S15[42]=" keep faith with the market approach to develop a carbon pricing or carbon trading system.' The discussion paper will be the first significant federal response "; S16[42]=" to the climate change challenge following the report of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, released on Friday, which warned of a global temperature "; S17[42]=" increase of up to 4C by 2100 unless deep cuts are made in global greenhouse gas emissions caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels.
"; S18[42]="       Mr Howard rejected suggestions that a carbon trading scheme was the same as a tax on carbon, being considered by the West "; S19[42]=" Australian Government.
      'The imposition of a tax is a very crude, inefficient and potentially damaging way of dealing with it because it "; S20[42]=" pays no proper regard to market forces,' Mr Howard said.
      'It's important that we develop an approach to carbon pricing that is "; S21[42]=" acceptable to and sympathetic to ...
      Australian industry because Australian industry employs millions of people.' Labor leader Kevin Rudd said yesterday the "; S22[42]=" Prime Minister was playing catch-up.
      'A year ago, or more, Labor put forward a positive plan for national emissions trading and a "; S23[42]=" scheme for that and now Mr Howard seems to be indicating he may embrace a similar proposal,' Mr Rudd said... "; R[43]="1864"; T[43]="Screw caps on the nose with UK wine buffs"; A[43]="By ... Editor"; Dn[43]="20070207"; Dt[43]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[43]="a13"; B1[43]="      It is hailed as the simple mantra of the wine industry - keep the wine in the bottle and the air out.... "; B2[43]=" "; B3[43]=" "; B4[43]=" "; B5[43]=" "; S1[43]="      It is hailed as the simple mantra of the wine industry - keep the wine in the bottle and the air out.
"; S2[43]="       But wine producers around the world who switched to screw caps may soon be hit with a corker - the smell of "; S3[43]=" rotten eggs.
      British experts say screw caps stop wines breathing and leave them at risk of a chemical process called sulfidisation, which "; S4[43]=" can result in a smell like burning rubber or rotten eggs.
      The problem - mostly affecting metal capped reds - was identified "; S5[43]=" at the annual International Wine Challenge event.
      Tests of 9000 bottles found 2.2 per cent had sulfidisation and other problems linked to "; S6[43]=" the wine not being able to absorb oxygen, or 'breathe'.
      Now some supermarkets and liquor stores in Britain are being told to "; S7[43]=" expect returns from disappointed customers after it emerged one in 50 bottles sold there could be affected.
      However, WA wine experts were "; S8[43]=" quick to defend Australia's production of screw tops, saying they are safer, cheaper and easier to use than corks.
      John Griffiths, president "; S9[43]=" of the Wine Industry Association WA, said Britain and Europe had gone to great lengths to resist moves away from the traditional cork and its "; S10[43]=" perceived requisite glamour, and he was not convinced there was a problem.
      'Sometimes I think they try to bring their quasi-scientific results "; S11[43]=" to bear when there really isn't a point to be made,' Mr Griffiths said.
      'I'd be surprised if anyone has done a "; S12[43]=" genuine, scientific study of 9000 bottles of wine.
      Screw tops perform well 99.9 per cent of the time and WA's fantastic wines "; S13[43]=" are proof.' Marnie Devitt, manager of Cottesloe Cellars, said her screw cap wines had met with no complaints and the method was widely accepted in "; S14[43]=" Australia as a way to preserve the fresh, aromatic qualities that could otherwise be ruined by cork taint.
      Vasse Felix wine maker "; S15[43]=" David Dowden admitted dropping the cork seal led to some teething problems, particularly with red wine.
      However, Australia and New Zealand were "; S16[43]=" the first to find ways to neutralise dirty aromas and he believed Europe and Britain were still catching up.
      Mr Dowden's white "; S17[43]=" wines are all under screw cap but his premium reds are under cork.
      Sulfides exist naturally in wine and odours can be "; S18[43]=" eradicated by methods such as decanting or tipping the wine back and forth, which allows the oxygen to neutralise the compound thiol, which gives sulfur "; S19[43]=" its smell... "; R[44]="1863"; T[44]="Chateau de plastic"; A[44]="By ... Editor"; Dn[44]="20070207"; Dt[44]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[44]="a13"; B1[44]="      Cask wine is so terribly 1970 compared to these very 'now', environmentally friendly vessels, writes Ben Canaider.... "; B2[44]=" "; B3[44]=" "; B4[44]=" "; B5[44]=" "; S1[44]="      Cask wine is so terribly 1970 compared to these very 'now', environmentally friendly vessels, writes Ben Canaider.
      AUSTRALIANS are "; S2[44]=" inventive types.
      Whether it is building a better lawnmower or designing a stronger clothes line, we like to tinker.
      "; S3[44]=" Improving on the seemingly unimprovable.
      Wine packaging is no different.
      The glass bottle may have been with us for "; S4[44]=" about 400 years, and on a dinner table the bottle might be a sign of cultural sophistication, but if we can find a better way "; S5[44]=" to package wine, why not? Endeavours in this regard are not new, of course.
      Thirty years ago we enthusiastically embraced a bag "; S6[44]=" in a cardboard box.
      Our wine cask proved to be a very effective way of drinking four or five litres of fermented "; S7[44]=" sultana juice during the various courses of a Chinese takeaway banquet.
      More recently, look at the way those little metal screw-caps have "; S8[44]=" aggressively attacked the traditional cork stopper.
      And the innovation shows no signs of abating.
      Make way for the Prisma "; S9[44]=" Pak, the Vino-Lok, the Shuttle, and the PET.
      Paper, plastic, rubber and glass, but not where you'd normally expect to find it.
"; S10[44]="       The Prisma Pak is probably the most visually challenging.
      It's a tall paper box trying to be a cylinder, "; S11[44]=" or vice versa - it is hard to tell.
      It holds a litre of Long Flat 2006 semillon sauvignon blanc, and the "; S12[44]=" Pak is made in Mildura by Best Bottlers - it's the Tetra Prisma Aseptic Testra Pak.
      All five words are registered.
  "; S13[44]="     Long Flat managing director Maurice Dean likes that the Prisma Pak is recyclable and uses a quarter of the carbon emissions used to "; S14[44]=" produce a glass vessel.
      Dean also points out that the Tetra pack idea is not really new.
      'Remember the "; S15[44]=" Sunny Boy ice blocks we use to buy after school? Tetra Paks.
      One and a half billion litres of liquids go into "; S16[44]=" Tetra every year.' The difference with the Prisma Pak is in the way it pours.
      Block-shaped Tetra packs tend to 'glug' when "; S17[44]=" you pour them; the Prisma pours evenly, even if it does look a bit uncomely.
      Long Flat released 6000 cases of the "; S18[44]=" one-litre Prisma white wine last November, and to date the response has been very good.
      So good, they are going to bring "; S19[44]=" out more Prisma-packed wine.
      'It's convenient, it is lighter and safer than glass, and for a small company like us, it suits "; S20[44]=" our niche.' Part of that niche is in Ontario, Canada.
      The state-run liquor-buying monopoly, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, has announced "; S21[44]=" a plan there to reduce alcohol packaging waste.
      The monopoly would therefore look favourably on products packaged with recyclability and a low "; S22[44]=" environmental footprint in mind.
      Which is part of the reason Foster's Wolf Blass Bilyara reserve wines have been packaged in PET - "; S23[44]=" that is, polyethylene terephthalate.
      Commonly known as a plastic bottle.
      Foster's says the bottle's lower weight means less energy "; S24[44]=" is spent transporting the stuff - one of many environmental advantages.
      PET doesn't degrade in landfill and its chemical composition is inert, "; S25[44]=" which means it doesn't contaminate soil or water.
      Yet while the PET bottle looks more like a traditional wine bottle than the "; S26[44]=" Prisma Pak, it does have one problem: oxygen and acetaldehyde migration.
      PET offers no long-term barrier to oxygen, so these bottles are "; S27[44]=" very much for filling and then near-immediate drinking.
      There's also some debate about how much acetaldehyde can leach out of the plastic "; S28[44]=" into the wine.
      How much of a problem that presents is linked to how much you do or don't like rotten-egg gas "; S29[44]=" smells - the acetaldehyde.
      The Hardy wine company is also experimenting with acrylic bottles.
      But it is motivated more "; S30[44]=" by convenience for the 'end user' than by environmental concerns.
      The Shuttle is a 187-millilitre acrylic bottle with a plastic wine 'glass' "; R[45]="1862"; T[45]="Wine glut to end soon"; A[45]="By ... Editor"; Dn[45]="20070207"; Dt[45]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[45]="a13"; B1[45]="      When it comes to wine, consumers have never had it so good.
      But the wine glut that has generated "; B2[45]="savage discounting and a wealth of cleanskin bargains may soon end, as the drought reduces grape crops... "; B3[45]=" "; B4[45]=" "; B5[45]=" "; S1[45]="      When it comes to wine, consumers have never had it so good.
      But the wine glut that has generated "; S2[45]=" savage discounting and a wealth of cleanskin bargains may soon end, as the drought reduces grape crops.
      Earlier this month US beverage "; S3[45]=" group Constellation Brands, owner of Hardy Wines, predicted the drought would slash the 2007 harvest by up to a quarter.
      Next year's "; S4[45]=" harvest could also be affected.
      Winemakers' Federation of Australia said for many growers the drought would mean short-term pain for long-term gain.
"; S5[45]="       'The 2007 vintage, which is starting to be picked, is likely to be 20 to 25 per cent down due to drought "; S6[45]=" and frost damage,' said spokesman Simon Birmingham.
      'But the expectation is that the drought will see the industry move back into balance "; S7[45]=" quicker than was otherwise expected.' The current oversupply is due to the planting of 40,000 hectares across Australia in 1997-99.
      These vines "; S8[45]=" started producing crops from 2002-03, and added to the bumper crops of 2004-06.
      He said where previously the industry was talking about "; S9[45]=" recovery in three to five years, forecasts were now looking at two to three years.
      But drinkers would not see a price "; S10[45]=" spike.
      'It's more likely to be an adjustment … consumers are getting a bargain at present in terms of the surplus and "; S11[45]=" extensive retail discounting.
      But we don't expect prices to rise all that much in the next 12 months, despite the drop in "; S12[45]=" intake.' Dan Murphy's national merchandise manager Steve Donohue said now was an unprecedented time to buy wine.
      'The price of wine this "; S13[45]=" year is considerably lower this year than it has been for many years,' Mr Donohue said.
      'The vintage that has been produced "; S14[45]=" each year has exceeded the demand both domestically and in the export market.' He said Australians were now spending less per litre on wine than "; S15[45]=" they had in recent years.
      Cleanskins were popular, with the glut reducing prices to between $4 and $10 a bottle, Mr Donohue "; S16[45]=" said.
      Last year the glut prompted Dan Murphy's to hold a $2 cleanskin promotion, which moved more than 1 million bottles in "; S17[45]=" the first week.
      Alfred Pizzini, owner of Pizzini Wines in Whitfield in the King Valley, predicted drought and frost would reduce his "; S18[45]=" crop from an average 14 tonnes a hectare to about six tonnes this year.
      'We would have lost about 55 per cent "; S19[45]=" of our crop to frost last year,' Mr Pizzini said.
      'And the drought is definitely having an effect.
      Australia-wide, "; S20[45]=" the lack of water is going to have the biggest impact.' The winery is also waiting to see what impact bushfire smoke will have on "; S21[45]=" the crops... "; R[46]="1861"; T[46]="US drinks record 300m cases of wine in 2006"; A[46]="By ... Editor"; Dn[46]="20070207"; Dt[46]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[46]="a08a13"; B1[46]="      The US consumed a record 300m cases of wine in 2006, according to latest government statistics - almost enough for the US "; B2[46]="to drink its way out of a six-year wine glut, say some reports... "; B3[46]=" "; B4[46]=" "; B5[46]=" "; S1[46]="      The US consumed a record 300m cases of wine in 2006, according to latest government statistics - almost enough for the US "; S2[46]=" to drink its way out of a six-year wine glut, say some reports.
      The figure supports the belief that wine is a "; S3[46]=" rapidly growing trend in the country.
      'Wine is finally entering the mainstream of American life,' wine industry consultant Jon Fredrikson of "; S4[46]=" California-based Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates told decanter.com.
      In 2005 a Gallup poll saw wine edge ahead of beer as the favourite "; S5[46]=" tipple of US consumers.
      Fredrikson said more wines were being made to appeal to the mainstream American palate saying 'fruit-forward, round, "; S6[46]=" flavourful products that taste good to the average adult.' He added that 'inviting packaging' and non-traditional names, which 'break down intimidating barriers,' helped to "; S7[46]=" increase sales.
      Screwcaps have also played a major role with screwcapped wine sales increasing nearly 25% in 2006, according to research "; S8[46]=" by market analysts ACNieslen.
      The consumption increase applies to a wide range of wines, from the $5 to 10 per bottle "; S9[46]=" variety to higher quality wines above $10, which also grew rapidly by over 10% in volume on 2005.
      'There is still "; S10[46]=" a way to go, in that consumption is very low compared to other countries,' said Frederickson.
      Statistics show that only 1 "; S11[46]=" in 3 adults drink wine in the US, and that per capita consumption is just 2.4 gallons - well below that of the UK, Australia "; S12[46]=" or New Zealand.
      The news was released at the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium in Sacramento.
      'The "; S13[46]=" waning glut should mean some reprieve from years of low prices and slim profit margins,' said local newspaper the Sacramento Bee... "; R[47]="1860"; T[47]="Wine labelling deal a bottler"; A[47]="By ... Editor"; Dn[47]="20070207"; Dt[47]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[47]="a13"; B1[47]="      AUSTRALIA has signed a new worldwide wine labelling agreement, but France isn't part of the gang.... "; B2[47]=" "; B3[47]=" "; B4[47]=" "; B5[47]=" "; S1[47]="      AUSTRALIA has signed a new worldwide wine labelling agreement, but France isn't part of the gang.
      France has launched "; S2[47]=" its own national wine label, while Australia has agreed with the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina on uniform labelling regulations.
    "; S3[47]="   Australian sales to those five countries amount to 47 per cent of total wine exports, worth $1.2 billion a year.
      The "; S4[47]=" wine industry believes the new labelling could save up to $25 million a year because producers will not need different labels for each export market.
"; S5[47]="       Wine in France is labelled by region... "; R[48]="1859"; T[48]="Why 2006 was a year to leave behind, but not to forget"; A[48]="By ... Editor"; Dn[48]="20070207"; Dt[48]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[48]="a02a57a93"; B1[48]="      Australia is in one of the worst drought periods in history.
      But farmers are making the most of what "; B2[48]="rain they receive, while improving their environmental sustainability according to GRDC supported scientist Dr Nigel Wilhelm and Geoff Thomas, project manager with the Low Rainfall "; B3[48]="Collaboration Group.. "; B4[48]=" "; B5[48]=" "; S1[48]="      Australia is in one of the worst drought periods in history.
      But farmers are making the most of what "; S2[48]=" rain they receive, while improving their environmental sustainability according to GRDC supported scientist Dr Nigel Wilhelm and Geoff Thomas, project manager with the Low Rainfall "; S3[48]=" Collaboration Group Key points
      * Farmers adopting better technology and cropping techniques
      * Adoption of more environmentally "; S4[48]=" and economically sustainable practices
      * Early seeding has been central to improvements since the 1970s Many Australian farmers will remember the "; S5[48]=" drought of the past 12-months as the worst in history.
      The 2006 winter crop produced only about one-third of the tonnage produced "; S6[48]=" in 2005 and the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE) has warned that $6.2 billion will be wiped from the value of farm "; S7[48]=" production.
      But these figures could have been much worse if it weren't for the innovation and technology being applied by Australian farmers.
"; S8[48]="       If the 2006 season had been experienced 30 years ago for example, the impact on the economy and the environment would have "; S9[48]=" been considerably worse.
      So why was production in 2006 relatively better? Despite the lack of growing season rains, there were some "; S10[48]=" weather factors that helped yields, including some stored soil moisture from summer rains, and heavy frosts in June which slowed the crops and enabled them "; S11[48]=" to cope better with the tough spring.
      In some cases, the lack of windy conditions in winter meant that crops were not "; S12[48]=" cut, nor did they lose as much moisture.
      All of these factors were probably important.
      But they don't explain "; S13[48]=" why current farming systems produced better crop yields under drought conditions than those of the 1970s, especially with regard to the impressive differences in crop "; S14[48]=" performance on lighter soils in the southern regions of Australia.
      What 2006 has shown is that modern cropping technologies, innovations and skills "; S15[48]=" have enabled farmers to plant earlier and make better use of valuable soil moisture.
      Research has clearly demonstrated that in the temperate "; S16[48]=" and Mediterranean climates of southern Australia, where crops are maturing under increasingly hotter and drier conditions, early seeded crops will generally outperform those sown later.
"; S17[48]="       In 2006 the benefits of early seeding were spectacular.
      Every district had stories of paddocks which produced economically positive "; S18[48]=" yields right next to paddocks which were written off.
      The only apparent difference was the time of seeding.
      Tools "; S19[48]=" such as grass-selective herbicides, pasture and crop-topping, herbicide-tolerant crop cultivars and no-till farming have all had a major influence on crop productivity and profitability by "; S20[48]=" increasing the opportunities for seeding crops on the opening rains.
      This increases the length of the effective growing season for the crop, "; S21[48]=" regardless of how the rest of the season plays out, and means that the crop has every opportunity to access stored and in-season water, particularly "; S22[48]=" during a dry spring.
      New grain varieties offering resistance to a wide range of diseases and better methods of grassy weed control "; S23[48]=" (including the development and use of selective herbicides) have also played a significant role.
      Other tools such as wider seeders, more powerful "; S24[48]=" tractors, satellite guidance systems and auto-steer, more efficient boom spray units and better adapted crop cultivars have all added value to this fundamental change in "; S25[48]=" farming systems since the 1970s.
      These modern cropping techniques have had significant ecological and environmental benefits - something that is often forgotten "; S26[48]=" by those that chose to critisise the farming sector.
      This is particularly evident this year with the low levels of wind erosion "; S27[48]=" experienced in the past six months - despite the drought.
      So in many respects, while farmers have every reason to feel disappointed "; S28[48]=" with 2006, they should reflect on just what has been achieved since the 1970s.
      They have made significant improvements in the agronomic "; S29[48]=" and environmental performance of their farming systems.
      Much of this was made possible by research performed growers and the Australian Government through "; S30[48]=" the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), in conjunction with a variety of partners including state agriculture departments, universities, the CSIRO and farming groups themselves.
"; R[49]="1858"; T[49]="New alert for Water Hyacinth"; A[49]="By ... Editor"; Dn[49]="20070207"; Dt[49]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[49]="a67a85"; B1[49]="      The Department of Agriculture and Food has issued a new alert for water hyacinth, a declared plant in Western Australia and one "; B2[49]="of the world's worst water weeds... "; B3[49]=" "; B4[49]=" "; B5[49]=" "; S1[49]="      The Department of Agriculture and Food has issued a new alert for water hyacinth, a declared plant in Western Australia and one "; S2[49]=" of the world's worst water weeds.
      Department spokesman Simon Merewether said reports had been received that water hyacinth was being sold "; S3[49]=" at a weekend market in Perth.
      'It is also still frequently found in garden ponds in the metropolitan Perth, and in "; S4[49]=" country regions,' he said.
      'Water hyacinth looks an attractive plant, but it is an aquatic weed that presents a major threat "; S5[49]=" to our environment and economy.
      'It clogs waterways, reducing fish populations, harbouring mosquitoes, and causing great problems for communities by waterways.
"; S6[49]="       It must be eradicated for the good health of our rivers and other waterways.
      'It is illegal to "; S7[49]=" sell or keep water hyacinth in Western Australia, and it must not imported.
      Water hyacinth in a pond or aquarium must be "; S8[49]=" destroyed.' Mr Merewether said water hyacinth was a weed that could only survive in water.
      'The plants can be destroyed "; S9[49]=" by composting or by drying them out and placing securely in a plastic bag before disposing in a rubbish bin,' he said.
      "; S10[49]=" Suspect plants can be reported to the Pest and Disease Information Service - freecall 1800 084 881 or to the nearest Department office... ";