R[0]="2089";

T[0]="GE threatens canola exports";

A[0]="By ... Editor";

Dn[0]="20071024";

Dt[0]="Wednesday 24 October 2007";

Acats[0]="a12a82";

B1[0]="      South Australia's canola exports to Japan will be under threat if the State Government does not extend a moratorium on commercial genetically-engineered ";

B2[0]="crops, the Japanese have warned... ";

B3[0]=" ";

B4[0]=" ";

B5[0]=" ";

S1[0]="      South Australia's canola exports to Japan will be under threat if the State Government does not extend a moratorium on commercial genetically-engineered ";

S2[0]=" crops, the Japanese have warned.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Three representatives from Japan's No! GMO campaign, which represents 155 consumer organisations and food producers, were in ";

S3[0]=" Adelaide yesterday to plead with the State Government to extend the ban.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The 300,000 tonnes of canola Japan obtains from Australia each ";

S4[0]=" year amounts to half the national export of the crop.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Canola is one of the major crops grown in South Australia.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S5[0]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; Most is exported.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Japan is one of five key markets.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; South Australian law prevents genetically-engineered crops from ";

S6[0]=" being grown commercially.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; This is under review.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Delegation spokeswoman Ryoko Shimizu said Japanese food producers had obtained canola from ";

S7[0]=" Canada but turned to Australia when Canadian governments allowed genetically-engineered crops to be grown.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'We Japanese consumers are now standing at a ";

S8[0]=" critical crossroads in assuring our food safety,' she said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Australia is the only country that can supply GE-free canola to food-importing countries ";

S9[0]=" like Japan.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; If the moratoria are lifted, it would damage the reputation of Australian crops in Japan and Japanese consumers would stop ";

S10[0]=" buying Australian crops.' She said the relationships between Australian farmers and Japanese consumers 'would collapse' if genetically-engineered crops were allowed.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Delegates yesterday ";

S11[0]=" presented SA Legislative Assembly speaker Jack Snelling with a petition signed by organisations representing 2.9 million Japanese consumers.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Greenpeace GE campaigner Louise ";

S12[0]=" Sales said state governments should continue to protect the environment and industries by extending the bans... ";

R[1]="2057";

T[1]="Major grain loss expected as farmers wait for rain";

A[1]="By ... Editor";

Dn[1]="20070823";

Dt[1]="Thursday 23 August 2007";

Acats[1]="a22a57a74a79a82";

B1[1]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Concern for the nation's grain crops is on the rise, with regions across the north and west of the country desperately in ";

B2[1]="need of rain... ";


B3[1]=" ";

B4[1]=" ";

B5[1]=" ";

S1[1]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Concern for the nation's grain crops is on the rise, with regions across the north and west of the country desperately in ";

S2[1]=" need of rain.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; As the drought in Western Australia continues to take hold, large parts of northern New South Wales and Queensland ";

S3[1]=" are getting drier by the day, with predictions that millions of tonnes would be wiped off the national wheat harvest.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Grains analyst ";

S4[1]=" Lloyd George says frost and a lack of rain is putting a large proportion of crops in danger.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'There was always a ";

S5[1]=" bunch of risk in this just because of how dry the sub-soil was,' he said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'It's essentially been around about 45 days ";

S6[1]=" plus since northern New South Wales [or] Queensland has really had any rain of significance.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Without rain in the next two to ";

S7[1]=" three weeks up there, we're really talking significant yield losses.'.. ";

R[2]="1928";

T[2]="Seeding key to manage blackleg";

A[2]="By ... Editor";

Dn[2]="20070222";

Dt[2]="Thursday 22 February 2007";

Acats[2]="a82";

B1[2]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Selecting the best seeding time to avoid high disease pressure is pivotal in managing blackleg disease in canola according to latest research ";

B2[2]="from the Department of Agriculture and Food... ";

B3[2]=" ";

B4[2]=" ";

B5[2]=" ";

S1[2]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Selecting the best seeding time to avoid high disease pressure is pivotal in managing blackleg disease in canola according to latest research ";

S2[2]=" from the Department of Agriculture and Food.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The research and recent trial results will be outlined today at the Department's annual Crop ";

S3[2]=" Updates, presented by researchers Ravjit Khangura, Moin Salam and Bill MacLeod.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dr Khangura said the research, funded by the Grains Research and ";

S4[2]=" Development Corporation, was aimed at improving blackleg management strategies through better understanding of blackleg and its environment interactions.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; She said the work ";

S5[2]=" included experiments to determine the dynamics of susceptibility to blackleg crown canker in canola.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Results confirmed the three key elements in blackleg ";

S6[2]=" management were the use of resistant varieties, reducing the exposure to spore showers during the susceptible period and use of appropriate fungicide application,' Dr Khangura ";

S7[2]=" said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Avoidance of peak ascospore shower activity in young canola through manipulation of the sowing date is critical to reducing the risk ";

S8[2]=" of severe blackleg.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'However, we also found that canola was more susceptible to blackleg up to the 6-leaf stage, but the length ";

S9[2]=" of this susceptibility window could vary in different regions and with different sowing times.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'For example a crop sown during the end ";

S10[2]=" of May to mid June may remain susceptible for up to 10 weeks of more compared with crops sown during the early to mid May ";


S11[2]=" period.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Therefore, fungicide protection from blackleg in high disease pressure situations, and particularly for late sown crops, could be required for longer ";

S12[2]=" periods for moderately susceptible to moderately resistant varieties.' Dr Khangura said the development of the Blackleg Sporacle model had been a significant leap towards defining ";

S13[2]=" regional risk of blackleg through predicting the onset of blackleg spore showers.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'However, it is important to investigate the role of seasonal ";

S14[2]=" conditions in the development of blackleg and yield losses,' Dr Khangura said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Future blackleg models, forecasting regional disease dynamics and its impact ";

S15[2]=" on yield, may help growers better understand blackleg risks, and assist them in applying cost effective strategies to manage the disease.'.. ";

R[3]="1857";

T[3]="$1.2 million canola and olive oil research laboratory opened";

A[3]="By ... Editor";

Dn[3]="20070207";

Dt[3]="Wednesday 7 February 2007";

Acats[3]="a24a82a93";

B1[3]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; NSW Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald, today opened the new $1.2 million state-of-the-art Australian Oils Research Laboratory at Wagga Wagga Agricultural ";

B2[3]="Institute (WWAI)... ";

B3[3]=" ";

B4[3]=" ";

B5[3]=" ";

S1[3]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; NSW Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald, today opened the new $1.2 million state-of-the-art Australian Oils Research Laboratory at Wagga Wagga Agricultural ";

S2[3]=" Institute (WWAI).<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The Department of Primary Industries' (DPI) laboratory is Australia's one and only internationally accredited chemical and sensory testing facility for ";

S3[3]=" olive oil,' Minister Macdonald said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Scientists and researchers at the Australian Oils Research Laboratory will conduct important tests and screening reports on ";

S4[3]=" established and emerging varieties of canola and olive oil to ensure constantly high quality Australian products.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Minister Macdonald said about 50 per ";

S5[3]=" cent of Australia's olive oil is exported into overseas markets including the United States, China, Northern Asia and the European Union.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The ";

S6[3]=" laboratory boasts the latest technology for our scientists, including seed cleaning facilities, a cold store for olives, an oil extraction room as well as seed ";

S7[3]=" grinding, oil extraction and oil testing wings,' he said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The State's $3.6 million olive oil industry and $272 million canola industry will ";

S8[3]=" benefit from this facility and the wide range of services it will provide.' Mr Macdonald said the State Government has assisted the oilseeds and olive ";

S9[3]=" oils industries since their early beginnings.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The new laboratory will allow DPI to continue its great work; it will provide a commercial ";

S10[3]=" testing service of edible oil products for the industry and individuals as well as superior facilities to undertake research across a range of projects,' he ";

S11[3]=" said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'A key function of the laboratory will be to conduct research into identifying better methods to authenticate the quality of olive ";

S12[3]=" products for producers, retailers and consumers.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; This will have massive spin-offs for the export of oil products such as olive oil.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S13[3]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Staff will work closely with oilseed and olive producers, marketers and exporters, and will provide screening services for improved quality traits in major ";

S14[3]=" Australian canola breeding programs.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Today is a major milestone for Dr Rod Mailer and his team who have worked tirelessly for many ";

S15[3]=" years to build Wagga Agricultural Institute's international reputation as a leading oil testing centre.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'I congratulate Dr Mailer and his team and ";


S16[3]=" am sure they will enjoy working in this new environment.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The Australian Oilseeds Federation and Grains Research Development Council have been major ";

S17[3]=" supporters of NSW DPI's research into oilseed quality.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The Australian olive industry through the Australian Olive Association has supported the research program ";

S18[3]=" on olive oil and is an important client of the services at the Wagga Agricultural Institute.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The Rural Industries Research & Development ";

S19[3]=" Corporation is also a strong supporter of oils research at Wagga and has committed nearly $300,000 in project funding.' Mr Macdonald said the laboratory was ";

S20[3]=" already receiving international attention with two university students, one from France and another from Pakistan, undertaking practical studies at the site in 2007... ";

R[4]="1787";

T[4]="Decline in canola yields due to 'soil constraints'";

A[4]="By ... Editor";

Dn[4]="20061223";

Dt[4]="Saturday 23 December 2006";

Acats[4]="a82";

B1[4]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Canola yields in southern Australia decreased by ten per cent during the 1990s, and grain growers fear that acid and saline soils ";

B2[4]="could be partly to blame... ";

B3[4]=" ";

B4[4]=" ";

B5[4]=" ";

S1[4]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Canola yields in southern Australia decreased by ten per cent during the 1990s, and grain growers fear that acid and saline soils ";

S2[4]=" could be partly to blame.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Sub-soil constraints on canola performance, along with increased disease pressure, are thought to be the two main ";

S3[4]=" reasons for the yield decline.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; A new three year $900,000 research project funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is ";

S4[4]=" to look at the relative contribution of subsurface soil constraints to the poor performance of canola.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Project leader Dr Mark Conyers from ";

S5[4]=" the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) says the popularity of canola - invaluable as a 'break' crop - could have led to it being ";

S6[4]=" grown on less suitable soils.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; A cash crop in its own right, canola is used to break the cycle of cereal root ";

S7[4]=" diseases and to improve the performance of wheat.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Research in southern NSW has found that wheat grown after canola yields 20 per ";

S8[4]=" cent more than wheat grown after wheat, and the gross margin for canola-wheat is 25 per cent higher than for wheat-wheat.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dr ";

S9[4]=" Conyers says increased use of canola could have led to increased disease pressure, and that disease is a key factor in yield decline in some ";

S10[4]=" areas.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The decline in relative canola performance could also be due to its increased popularity in the 1990s and the consequent spread ";

S11[4]=" of canola onto less suitable soils.' Researchers have found that the depth that canola roots grow to varies greatly according to soil type, and this ";

S12[4]=" affects how much water the plants can access.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; A CSIRO survey of 130 paddocks from Corowa to Canowindra in southern NSW found ";

S13[4]=" that root depth in heavier sodic (sodium-affected) clay soils was about 100 cm - half that for friable red loams.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; At sowing ";

S14[4]=" time, water stored in subsoil can significantly improve yields - and the amount of stored water available to a crop is strongly influenced by root ";

S15[4]=" depth.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dr Conyers said research undertaken south of Wagga Wagga found that the development of roots of canola plants in about 60% ";


S16[4]=" of paddocks were severely restricted, often resulting in 'J-rooting'.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The study aims to identify key sub-soil constraints such as hardpans, salinity (osmotic ";

S17[4]=" effects or toxicity), acidity and sodicity.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'This will enable us to provide 'best bet' management strategies for ameliorating sub-soil constraints.' 'Our goal ";

S18[4]=" is to improve canola performance so that its important role in the farming system is maintained', Dr Conyers said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; GRDC has awarded ";

S19[4]=" the Graham Centre - a partnership between NSW DPI and Charles Sturt University - funding to lead a consortium to carry out the research.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S20[4]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; Consortium partners include CSIRO, Farmlink, Victorian DPI and the University of Melbourne... ";

R[5]="1742";

T[5]="Canadian canola a slap in the face for Aust farmers: Greenpeace";

A[5]="By ... Editor";

Dn[5]="20061206";

Dt[5]="Wednesday 6 December 2006";

Acats[5]="a82";

B1[5]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Greenpeace says a shipment of Canadian canola which arrived in Newcastle yesterday is a slap in the face for Australian farmers.... ";

B2[5]=" ";

B3[5]=" ";

B4[5]=" ";

B5[5]=" ";

S1[5]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Greenpeace says a shipment of Canadian canola which arrived in Newcastle yesterday is a slap in the face for Australian farmers.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S2[5]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; The environmental group is appealing to the major supermarkets and food processors not to use the genetically modified (GM) canola, imported by grains ";

S3[5]=" trader Cargill.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Spokeswoman Louise Sales says consumers do not want to eat GM foods and the big food chains should respect their ";

S4[5]=" wishes.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; '[We need] to build consumer pressure to make companies like Woolworths and Coles refuse to take the shipment,' she said.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S5[5]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; 'If you look at the figures and the predicted canola crops [it is] 400,000 tonnes and domestic demand is only 100,000 to 115,000 ";

S6[5]=" tonnes, so we've got ample supplies to meet domestic demand.' The Oilseeds Federation has been unavailable for comment... ";

R[6]="1652";

T[6]="Healthier oil may lie in Canadian canola";

A[6]="By ... Editor";

Dn[6]="20061117";

Dt[6]="Friday 17 November 2006";

Acats[6]="a09a82";

B1[6]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Work is under way to try to develop a healthier oil for commercial cooking.... ";

B2[6]=" ";

B3[6]=" ";


B4[6]=" ";

B5[6]=" ";

S1[6]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Work is under way to try to develop a healthier oil for commercial cooking.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Canola oil is not suitable ";

S2[6]=" for baking, fried foods and margarines because it does not have a long shelf life.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Victorian Department of Primary Industries is ";

S3[6]=" part of an attempt to breed a Canadian canola variety that is resistant to the disease blackleg, so it can be grown in Australia.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S4[6]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; Breeder Laura Maher hopes the new oil will be put to the test next year.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Commercial food companies are really ";

S5[6]=" eager to try the product.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; They would like to try for a year it in their industries first to see if it ";

S6[6]=" affects their product flavour, or if they have to change any of their recipes slightly,' she said... ";

R[7]="1588";

T[7]="Canola crushers look to import crop";

A[7]="By ... Editor";

Dn[7]="20061103";

Dt[7]="Friday 3 November 2006";

Acats[7]="a82";

B1[7]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The canola crop has now all but failed this season in New South Wales.... ";

B2[7]=" ";

B3[7]=" ";

B4[7]=" ";

B5[7]=" ";

S1[7]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The canola crop has now all but failed this season in New South Wales.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Canola crushers are currently looking ";

S2[7]=" at importing canola from Western Australia or Canada to meet the state's domestic demand.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Pete MacSmith from Macsmith Milling in the state's ";

S3[7]=" central west says the local figures are not good.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The latest estimates are putting the NSW crop at somewhere between 25 and ";

S4[7]=" 35,000 tonnes,' he said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'There's been a few reasonable crops up in the north.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'There will be very little ";

S5[7]=" harvested in the central west until we get down to the irrigation areas.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Twenty-five to 35,000 tonnes is obviously a long way ";

S6[7]=" below the NSW average which is 400 odd thousand tonnes and even well below last year's crop which suffered due to a late start but ";

S7[7]=" had a great finish of 250 to 280,000 tonnes.'.. ";

R[8]="1493";

T[8]="NSW's crop on a knife edge";

A[8]="By ... Editor";

Dn[8]="20061006";

Dt[8]="Friday 6 October 2006";


Acats[8]="a22a57a82";

B1[8]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The remaining winter crop in NSW is on a knife's edge and almost half of it could fail without rain within the ";

B2[8]="next seven to ten days... ";

B3[8]=" ";

B4[8]=" ";

B5[8]=" ";

S1[8]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The remaining winter crop in NSW is on a knife's edge and almost half of it could fail without rain within the ";

S2[8]=" next seven to ten days.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dry winds and no rain have combined to make the worst conditions possible for the struggling winter ";

S3[8]=" crop, the NSW Department of Primary Industries warned.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Department is downsizing crop predictions as each day without rain passes.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S4[8]=" &nbsp; DPI now expects less than 2.5 million hectares to be harvested.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Previous predictions were about 4.5 million hectares.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S5[8]=" This translates into a very, very poor harvest.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; In good years the NSW winter crop harvest is more than six million tonnes.<BR> ";

S6[8]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; High evaporation rates are sucking available moisture out of the soil leaving crops stressed and in dire need of rain, for some ";

S7[8]=" areas like Coonamble and Walgett it is already too late.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The State's drought figures show 92 per cent of NSW is in ";

S8[8]=" drought but what these figures don't show is how quickly the winter crop prospects are failing.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Many crops have either been opened ";

S9[8]=" to livestock for grazing or will be cut for hay.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Pastures are also doing it tough and as a result we are ";

S10[8]=" seeing farmers offload livestock through the saleyards... ";

R[9]="1426";

T[9]="$700m cut in SA grain crop value";

A[9]="By ... Editor";

Dn[9]="20060921";

Dt[9]="Thursday 21 September 2006";

Acats[9]="a22a74a79a81a82";

B1[9]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The escalating drought is estimated to have wiped close to $700 million from the value of South Australia's grain crop compared to ";

B2[9]="last year... ";

B3[9]=" ";

B4[9]=" ";

B5[9]=" ";

S1[9]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The escalating drought is estimated to have wiped close to $700 million from the value of South Australia's grain crop compared to ";

S2[9]=" last year.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The loss has coincided with warnings of severe social problems in regional South Australia as the drought hits hard.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S3[9]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; SA Farmers Federation grains council president Brett Roberts said employees were already being put off in service industries and from some farms.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S4[9]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The saddest thing I see from this is the social consequences,' he said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Rural towns and businesses in them that ";


S5[9]=" rely on the rural economy will be badly hurt.' Mr Roberts said that country towns and their whole social infrastructure, including sporting clubs, were often ";

S6[9]=" a neglected consequence of drought.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; He said some people were already seeking work in the mining industry and that there was no ";

S7[9]=" way they would return to farming when they had left.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The bad thing about this year is we've got such high cost ";

S8[9]=" structures compared to the past,' he said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'A big issue now is that if we get a heap of hot weather, the ";

S9[9]=" grain we do harvest may suffer quality problems.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; We've got to tough it out and have another go next year.' Mr Roberts ";

S10[9]=" said the grain crop was decreasing by the day as the generally warm weather continued across the state.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Even some reliable cropping ";

S11[9]=" areas in the Mid North and on Yorke Peninsula were looking at total crop failures, he warned.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; His comments follow new estimates ";

S12[9]=" that the state's grain crop will reach only four million tonnes and is already at a level comparable with the 2002 crop of 3.9 million ";

S13[9]=" tonnes.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The new estimate by Primary Industries and Resources SA this week is a huge downgrade from 4.7 million tonnes at the ";

S14[9]=" start of September and 6.7 million tonnes at the start of August.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The forecast comes with a report warning that the Australian ";

S15[9]=" grain crop will reach just 26 million tonnes this year, down 36 per cent from 2005-06... ";

R[10]="1401";

T[10]="Total winter crop production in WA down 41%: ABARE";

A[10]="By ... Editor";

Dn[10]="20060921";

Dt[10]="Thursday 21 September 2006";

Acats[10]="a22a24a57a74a79a82";

B1[10]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Total winter crop production in WA will be down 41 per cent for the 2006-07 year due to a below average winter ";

B2[10]="rainfall and the resultant poor stat to the cropping season, according to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics... ";

B3[10]=" ";

B4[10]=" ";

B5[10]=" ";

S1[10]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Total winter crop production in WA will be down 41 per cent for the 2006-07 year due to a below average winter ";

S2[10]=" rainfall and the resultant poor stat to the cropping season, according to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;  <BR> ";

S3[10]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; * Rainfall in the winter months was below average across the grains belt of Western Australia.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; However, conditions in ";

S4[10]=" the southern and central regions have been better than in the northern districts.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Given that crops were generally sown late, a favorable ";

S5[10]=" spring will be critical for crops in all regions to reach their current potential.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; In early September, good rainfall was received across ";

S6[10]=" the majority of the grains belt, which improved crop conditions.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;  <BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; * The poor start to the winter ";

S7[10]=" cropping season in the state is estimated to have resulted in a 30 per cent reduction in the area sown to winter crops.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S8[10]=" &nbsp; The area sown is likely to have been lower in all regions.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; However, the largest decline is expected in the northern ";

S9[10]=" part of the grains belt.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Reflecting the poor start to the season and continued dry conditions, total winter crop production is forecast ";


S10[10]=" to be 8.4 million tonnes in 2006-07, compared with 14.3 million tonnes in the previous season.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;  <BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; * ";

S11[10]=" Wheat production in 2006-07 is forecast to decline by around 3.7 million tonnes from the 2005-06 crop.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Reflecting the poor start to ";

S12[10]=" the season, continued dry conditions and the variability between regions, yields are forecast to be below the long term average.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Wheat yields ";

S13[10]=" in Western Australia are forecast to be 1.45 tonnes per hectare, a 20 per cent decline from yields achieved in 2005-06.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S14[10]=" <BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; * The area planted to barley in Western Australia is estimated to have fallen by 18 per cent in 2006-07 compared ";

S15[10]=" with the previous season.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; This is the lowest area sown to barley in Western Australia in the past five years.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S16[10]=" &nbsp; Barley yields are forecast to be below the long term average and production is forecast to decline by 886 000 tonnes in 2006-07.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S17[10]=" &nbsp; &nbsp;  <BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; * Canola yields in Western Australia are forecast to be 0.63 tonnes per hectare compared with a ten ";

S18[10]=" year average of 1.10 tonnes per hectare.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The area sown to canola is estimated to have declined by 9 per cent, reflecting ";

S19[10]=" the continued dry conditions.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; It is forecast that 251 000 tonnes of canola will be produced in Western Australia in 2006-07, 60 ";

S20[10]=" per cent less than in the previous season.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;  <BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; * The area planted to lupins in Western Australia ";

S21[10]=" is estimated to have declined by 46 per cent and production is forecast to be 77 per cent lower at 210 000 tonnes in 2006-07.<BR> ";

S22[10]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; This is the lowest production of lupins in Western Australia for over two decades.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Australia's farmers can expect to ";

S23[10]=" suffer major yield downgrades for both winter and summer crops, the government forecaster said in a report released today.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Drought is ravaging ";

S24[10]=" agriculture across the country, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics says.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The total area sown to winter crops in Australia ";

S25[10]=" is estimated to be down by 15 per cent at around 18.6 million hectares in 2006/07,' the ABARE forecast says.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Leading the ";

S26[10]=" winter crops is wheat which ABARE says will be down by 14 per cent to 11.1 million hectares.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; And the forecast for ";

S27[10]=" Australia's summer crops is no better.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Assuming average spring rainfall, the area sown to summer crops is forecast to decline by around ";

S28[10]=" 10 per cent in 2006/07, reflecting the decline in water availability for irrigated crops such as rice and cotton.' The total winter crop is predicted ";

S29[10]=" to come in at 26 million tonnes in 2006-07, down 36 per cent from 2005-06.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; A wet spring is absolutely necessary for ";

S30[10]=" croppers across the country if the wheat harvest is to radically improve on ABARE's predictions.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Most cropping regions of Australia recorded below ";

R[11]="1372";

T[11]="Caution on grazing failed canola crops";

A[11]="By ... Editor";

Dn[11]="20060908";

Dt[11]="Friday 8 September 2006";

Acats[11]="a25a26a27a82";

B1[11]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Farmers contemplating grazing failed crops need to be aware of their responsibilities in relation to the grazing withholding periods for the different ";

B2[11]="chemicals applied to their crops... ";

B3[11]=" ";

B4[11]=" ";


B5[11]=" ";

S1[11]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Farmers contemplating grazing failed crops need to be aware of their responsibilities in relation to the grazing withholding periods for the different ";

S2[11]=" chemicals applied to their crops.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The reminder comes as farmers consider turning stock in on crops which, given the current seasonal conditions ";

S3[11]=" and lack of subsoil moisture, will be hard pressed to produce an economic yield.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Technical Specialist for pulses and oilseeds with NSW ";

S4[11]=" Department of Primary Industries (DPI), Don McCaffery, said canola crops are likely to be the first crops to be grazed off with some already abandoned ";

S5[11]=" in western areas.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The central and southern NSW canola crop is well behind in crop development compared to this time last year ";

S6[11]=" and it is likely some crops will not produce an economic yield if kept for grain,' he said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'By grazing these crops ";

S7[11]=" farmers will be able to recover some of the growing costs via their livestock.' To avoid chemical residues farmers should observe the grazing withholding periods ";

S8[11]=" for any chemicals applied to the crop.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; That includes pre and post-emergent herbicides like atrazine and/or simazine used on TT canola varieties.<BR> ";

S9[11]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Grazing crops within the nominated grazing withholding period can have serious commercial impacts as well as being a breach of the Pesticides ";

S10[11]=" Act.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; National Vendor Declarations (NVDs) for both sheep and cattle ask specific questions about observance of stockfeed withholding periods.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S11[11]=" Producers will face financial penalties, including buyer avoidance or discounts, if stock aren't declared as only grazed on 'clean' feed in the 60 days before ";

S12[11]=" sale.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Farmers should check the labels for all chemicals applied to all of their crops to ensure they are safe to graze.<BR> ";

S13[11]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The grazing of canola or other brassica crops may pose other animal health issues so farmers should: ' Avoid putting hungry stock ";

S14[11]=" onto canola.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Ensure stock have partial gut-fill when they are introduced; ' Introduce stock slowly for short periods of time and observe ";

S15[11]=" them closely for any abnormal behaviour; and ' Where possible, include hay or grain to dilute the diet... ";

R[12]="1247";

T[12]="Workshops aim to keep grain growers on track";

A[12]="By ... Editor";

Dn[12]="20060805";

Dt[12]="Saturday 5 August 2006";

Acats[12]="a22a54a79a82";

B1[12]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Three advanced Control Traffic Farming (CTF) workshops being held in Central Queensland this month will help grain growers make the transition from ";

B2[12]="2 metre to 3 metre wheel track spacing and avoid costly mistakes with machinery modification... ";

B3[12]=" ";

B4[12]=" ";

B5[12]=" ";

S1[12]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Three advanced Control Traffic Farming (CTF) workshops being held in Central Queensland this month will help grain growers make the transition from ";

S2[12]=" 2 metre to 3 metre wheel track spacing and avoid costly mistakes with machinery modification.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries ";

S3[12]=" extension agronomist Brendan Lynch said the free of charge advanced CTF workshops would be held at Capella Cultural Centre on August 14, Gindie Tennis Club ";

S4[12]=" on August 15 and at Moura Memorial Club on August 18.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Lynch said there were many agronomic, economic and environmental benefits ";


S5[12]=" for grain growers who incorporate a fully matched CTF system into their farming enterprise.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Each of the DPI&F coordinated workshops will run ";

S6[12]=" from 8.30am to 5pm.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Farm visits to look at practical CTF machinery modifications are planned for the Capella and Gindie presentations,' Mr ";

S7[12]=" Lynch said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'This is all about encouraging growers to 'bite the bullet' and take the big step to get their tractors, planting ";

S8[12]=" rigs, spray rigs and headers onto one set of 3m wheel tracks.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'CTF benefits include less soil compaction and reduced fuel consumption.<BR> ";

S9[12]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; It also enables growers to take full advantage of labour-saving tractor guidance technology.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The workshops will provide advice on ";

S10[12]=" just what growers should be looking for in an RTK - GPS system.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'There are some costly pitfalls for the unwary when ";

S11[12]=" making significant machinery modifications and this workshop provides many of the answers to save growers time and money,' Mr Lynch said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DPI&F ";

S12[12]=" officers overseeing the Central Queensland Sustainable Farming Systems Project have teamed with the Fitzroy Basin Association to work with Tim Neale and Wayne Chapman from ";

S13[12]=" the consulting group, CTF Solutions.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The two Central Highlands workshops are sponsored by Central Highlands Regional Resources Use Planning Cooperative (CHRRUP) and ";

S14[12]=" the Dawson-Callide workshop is sponsored by the Dawson Catchment Coordinating Association (DCCA).<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Growers wishing to attend a workshop should RSVP to Brendan ";

S15[12]=" Lynch, DPI&F, Emerald, on 4983 7436 or email details to cqsfs@dpi.qld.gov.au... ";

R[13]="1198";

T[13]="GLA approves canola special export licences";

A[13]="By ... Editor";

Dn[13]="20060730";

Dt[13]="Sunday 30 July 2006";

Acats[13]="a08a82";

B1[13]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Chairman of the Grains Licensing Authority Wayne Obst today announced the approval of three canola special export licences, totaling 75,000 tonnes.... ";

B2[13]=" ";

B3[13]=" ";

B4[13]=" ";

B5[13]=" ";

S1[13]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Chairman of the Grains Licensing Authority Wayne Obst today announced the approval of three canola special export licences, totaling 75,000 tonnes.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S2[13]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Obst said two licences were for 30,000 tonnes each to the European Union and one for 15,000 tonnes to the Middle East.<BR> ";

S3[13]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The tonnages issued were reduced from the original applications due to the uncertainty of the season and the reduced estimates of the ";

S4[13]=" canola crop in Western Australia,' Mr Obst said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Two applications for malting barley to China were declined to protect the State's reputation ";

S5[13]=" due to the poor season.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Obst said the GLA was taking a cautious approach to the 2006/07 season and was administrating ";

S6[13]=" the requirements under the Grains Marketing Act, the Ministerial Guidelines and the Operational Procedures for 2006/07.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The GLA continues to undertake rigorous ";

S7[13]=" assessments of all applications, and each application is assessed on its merit.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; All applicants should be aware that one of the criteria ";

S8[13]=" in the Operational Procedures is the past performance of special export licence holders to acquire and export the prescribed grain,' Mr Obst said... ";

R[14]="1172";


T[14]="Canola crop estimates cut";

A[14]="By ... Editor";

Dn[14]="20060721";

Dt[14]="Friday 21 July 2006";

Acats[14]="a57a82";

B1[14]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The 2006 canola crop estimates have been reduced to 1.4 million tonnes - 50,000 tonnes down on last year.... ";

B2[14]=" ";

B3[14]=" ";

B4[14]=" ";

B5[14]=" ";

S1[14]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The 2006 canola crop estimates have been reduced to 1.4 million tonnes - 50,000 tonnes down on last year.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S2[14]=" The Australian Oilseeds Federation says late sowing in many areas, and cold, dry weather during June has led to the lower forecast.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S3[14]=" South Australia's canola crop is faring the best as dry conditions persist in Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria... ";

R[15]="1137";

T[15]="Avoid weed risk with feed grains";

A[15]="By ... Editor";

Dn[15]="20060718";

Dt[15]="Tuesday 18 July 2006";

Acats[15]="a22a74a79a82a85";

B1[15]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Department of Agriculture and Food has urged farmers feeding grains in the present dry period to adopt good biosecurity practices to ";

B2[15]="avoid the spread or introduction of weeds... ";

B3[15]=" ";

B4[15]=" ";

B5[15]=" ";

S1[15]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Department of Agriculture and Food has urged farmers feeding grains in the present dry period to adopt good biosecurity practices to ";

S2[15]=" avoid the spread or introduction of weeds.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Manager of DAFWA's invasive species program Damian Collopy said landholders and managers buying in ";

S3[15]=" feed grains for stock needed to take precautions to reduce the risk of introducing unwanted weeds.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Weeds of major concern which could ";

S4[15]=" be introduced were resistant ryegrass, wild radish and wild turnip.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;  Mr Collopy said skeleton weed was not a normal contaminant of ";

S5[15]=" grain as there were few skeleton weed plants about at harvest time.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; In most years flowering and seed set of skeleton weed ";

S6[15]=" occurred from mid to late December.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;  'The seed of skeleton weed is also light and fragile, and is removed from the ";

S7[15]=" grain by the harvesting operation.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The seed is mostly non-viable in just a few months.' Mr Collopy said that when seed was ";


S8[15]=" purchased, the buyer could request certification of purity from weeds and other contaminants.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;  ' However, feed grains are not certified, which ";

S9[15]=" means farmers cannot check to see if any weeds are present as contaminants,' Mr Collopy said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Sellers are not required to carry ";

S10[15]=" these assurances except in the case of declared weeds.' Mr Collopy said buyers should therefore determine as far as possible, the weed status of the ";

S11[15]=" consignment.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Other precautionary measures recommended by the Department included: ' Cleaning before feeding out to minimise the risk of introducing unwanted weeds.<BR> ";

S12[15]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ' For a fee a representative sample can be tested by AGWEST Plant Laboratories to accurately determine the presence of any weed ";

S13[15]=" species.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ' Feed out on a limited area.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; This avoids spreading potential weeds over a wider area, while making ";

S14[15]=" it easier to check for the emergence of new weeds.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Collopy said it was always a good farm biosecurity practice to ";

S15[15]=" be vigilant for the establishment of new weeds and to control them, and to promptly report new unidentified plants which might have weed potential.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S16[15]=" &nbsp; &nbsp;  'This especially applies when new weeds are found in areas where feed grains have been distributed,' Mr Collopy said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

R[16]="852";

T[16]="Climate change to cost grain";

A[16]="By ... Editor";

Dn[16]="20060608";

Dt[16]="Thursday 8 June 2006";

Acats[16]="a22a24a57a74a79a82a89";

B1[16]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Soaring temperatures and declining rainfalls caused by climate change could wipe a billion dollars a year off Australia's wheat industry within 30 ";

B2[16]="years, a study suggests... ";

B3[16]=" ";

B4[16]=" ";

B5[16]=" ";

S1[16]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Soaring temperatures and declining rainfalls caused by climate change could wipe a billion dollars a year off Australia's wheat industry within 30 ";

S2[16]=" years, a study suggests.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Professor Peter Grace, from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), today said a study of five main wheat-growing ";

S3[16]=" areas predicted changes to weather patterns could cause a drop in production of up to 24 per cent.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Prof Grace said atmospheric ";

S4[16]=" carbon dioxide levels were predicted to increase significantly in Australia over the next 30 to 50 years, causing temperatures to rise up to 3C and ";

S5[16]=" rainfall to drop by about 20 per cent or more.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Under these conditions, and with the wheat varieties and agronomic practices currently ";

S6[16]=" used in Australia, we could expect to see an average decline in wheat yields across the country of 15 per cent, which equates to around ";

S7[16]=" a $1 billion in lost income,' Prof Grace said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; '(Climate change) really will impact ...<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; across all industries where ";

S8[16]=" potentially something's being grown.' Prof Grace, research director of QUT's Institute for Sustainable Resources, said climate change would cause crops to grow quicker and lead ";

S9[16]=" to the introduction of new pests and diseases.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Advertisement:     As rainfall dropped because of climate change, precious water ";

S10[16]=" supplies could be diverted from farming to more 'pressing needs' such as human consumption and sanitation, he said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'This will put pressure ";

S11[16]=" on domestic food production and our export markets,' Prof Grace said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Of the five grain-growing areas examined in the study, those most ";


S12[16]=" affected by global warming were the South Australian regions of the Southern Mallee (24 per cent drop in production) and the northern Eyre Peninsula (19 ";

S13[16]=" per cent).<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Riverina district in NSW recorded a 12-per-cent reduction, central eastern WA a 10-per-cent drop and the Darling Downs in ";

S14[16]=" Queensland 4-per-cent decline.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Prof Grace said there was an urgent need to fully explore farming practices which save water.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S15[16]=" Drought resistant crop varieties which already existed in other parts of the world should also be introduced or developed.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The usual short-term ";

S16[16]=" solutions are being put in place when it's a long-term problem with long-term consequences,' he said... ";

R[17]="667";

T[17]="Fertility of red scrub soils confirmed";

A[17]="By ... Editor";

Dn[17]="20060410";

Dt[17]="Monday 10 April 2006";

Acats[17]="a22a74a79a82";

B1[17]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Central Queensland grain growers know that the red scrub soils grow better crops than the open downs but they want answers so ";

B2[17]="they can better manage their soils... ";

B3[17]=" ";

B4[17]=" ";

B5[17]=" ";

S1[17]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Central Queensland grain growers know that the red scrub soils grow better crops than the open downs but they want answers so ";

S2[17]=" they can better manage their soils.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries officers working with the Central Queensland Sustainable Farming Systems project ";

S3[17]=" organised a March 22 soil pit field day at Peter and Kim Mifsud's property, Wandina, north of Clermont.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The field day which ";

S4[17]=" attracted 35 people was to compare the two soil types and explain why they performed differently.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DPI&F extension agronomist Anne Sullivan teamed ";

S5[17]=" with Jessica Mowat and Maurie Conway to excavate two 1.5m pits on the red scrub soil and downs soils in response to a research query ";

S6[17]=" put to a Kilcummin district workshop by Mr Mifsud last year.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Peter Mifsud farms 5600 hectares and has a mix of open ";

S7[17]=" downs and brigalow scrub soils with many paddocks having both soil types which is a management issue.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Ms Sullivan said that prior ";

S8[17]=" to the field day soil samples were taken and forwarded for chemical and biological analysis.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The open pits allowed a physical examination ";

S9[17]=" of the soil profile and DPI&F senior research scientist Michael Braunack identified the areas of good and poor soil structure within each pit.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S10[17]=" &nbsp; 'There was clear evidence of wheel track soil compaction but the cracking nature of the clay soil assisted in the recovery from this structural ";

S11[17]=" degradation,' Ms Sullivan said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DPI&F research scientist Stuart Buck said the soil tests on the open downs soil showed 70 per cent ";

S12[17]=" clay content and an effective plant rooting depth of 80cm.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; By comparison, the scrub soil had 65 per cent clay content and ";

S13[17]=" was 1.2m to 1.4m deep boosting the potential availability of stored soil moisture.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Our soil tests showed there was 53kg/ha of available ";

S14[17]=" plant nitrogen in the downs soil to a depth of 80cm,' Mr Buck said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Soil nitrogen availability in the scrub soil to ";

S15[17]=" a similar depth of 80cm revealed 105kg/ha of available nitrogen.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Water and fertility are the key factors driving production so the results ";


S16[17]=" clearly demonstrate why the two soil types perform differently,' Mr Buck said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Crop yield research indicates that to grow a 2.5 tonnes/ha ";

S17[17]=" prime hard wheat crop, there has to be about 100kg/ha of available nitrogen in the soil profile,' he said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Ms Sullivan said ";

S18[17]=" that based on these soil test results, there was scope for Peter Mifsud to save money by reducing his nitrogenous fertiliser application on the red ";

S19[17]=" scrub soil.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Another soil fertility indicator showed that the available organic carbon that enables soil nitrates to be mineralised and made available ";

S20[17]=" to the plant was significantly higher in the red scrub soil (1.4 per cent) in comparison with the downs soil (0.8 per cent).<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S21[17]=" &nbsp;  DPI&F senior soil microbiologist Nikki Seymour undertook microbiological analysis of nematode communities to assess fungal and bacterial counts to gauge soil health.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S22[17]=" &nbsp; &nbsp;  The microbiological tests revealed little difference between the two soil types following the extended fallow enforced by the prolonged 2005-06 drought conditions.<BR> ";

S23[17]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Ms Sullivan said the Mifsuds were now planning to plant a wheat crop in early April following welcome early March rain which ";

S24[17]=" had replenished the soil moisture profile.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DPI&F Central region extension officers were planning to hold similar soil pit field days across other ";

S25[17]=" farmer groups as part of the Central Queensland Sustainable Farming Systems project.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The planned soil pits to be excavated at Capella, Dysart, ";

S26[17]=" Gindie and in the Dawson Callide region would be comparing cropping soils with those sown to butterfly pea and leucaena... ";

R[18]="593";

T[18]="Bees boost canola seed yields";

A[18]="By ... Editor";

Dn[18]="20060306";

Dt[18]="Monday 6 March 2006";

Acats[18]="a82";

B1[18]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bee pollination of canola plants has been demonstrated to increase seed and oil production by about 20 per cent.... ";

B2[18]=" ";

B3[18]=" ";

B4[18]=" ";

B5[18]=" ";

S1[18]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bee pollination of canola plants has been demonstrated to increase seed and oil production by about 20 per cent.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S2[18]=" Department of Agriculture research officer Rob Manning said research at a site near Wongan Hills examined the benefits of placing hives of honeybees in canola ";

S3[18]=" at a density of about one hive per hectare.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The findings will be presented at the 8th Asian Apicultural Association Conference 2006 ";

S4[18]=" in Perth on 20-24 March.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The conference will bring together Asian and Australian scientists involved in honey bee research and beekeepers to ";

S5[18]=" hear about the latest industry developments.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Manning said the canola research involved placing three 100-hive apiaries in a crop of Karoo ";

S6[18]=" canola for a period of 51 days, or about 90 per cent of the flowering period.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Using sample plots, plants were harvested, ";

S7[18]=" measured for height, number of branches, number of pods and total seed yield and oil content.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; He said the research confirmed the ";

S8[18]=" use of honeybees increased seed yield and the benefits of honeybee pollination declined the further plants were from an apiary.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Further work ";

S9[18]=" confirmed that poorly pollinated plants channelled more resources into larger seeds, while plants benefiting from insect pollination produced more but smaller seeds.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ";


S10[18]=" 'The benefits to growers of insect pollination come from higher yields through more pods per plant, more seeds per pod and higher rates of germinability ";

S11[18]=" of resultant seed,' Mr Manning said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'In this experiment, yields of seed and oil increased by more than 20 per cent or ";

S12[18]=" by 400 kilograms more seed and 150 kilograms more oil per hectare.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'There are several explanations for the increased yield including an ";

S13[18]=" enhanced production of fertile pods and thus more seed, particularly small seed.' Mr Manning said the distance of plants from the apiary influenced the yield ";

S14[18]=" of pods with yield declining in plots located more than 200 metres from the apiary.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'In all cases there was no difference ";

S15[18]=" in yield between the 100 and 200 metre plots but yield dropped sharply at 300 metres before recovering somewhat at 400 metres,' he said... ";

R[19]="556";

T[19]="Grain prices higher in 2006-07";

A[19]="By ... Editor";

Dn[19]="20060302";

Dt[19]="Thursday 2 March 2006";

Acats[19]="a22a24a57a74a79a82";

B1[19]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Delegates at the OUTLOOK 2006 conference heard good news for grain and oilseeds producers, with forecast higher prices in the year ahead, ";

B2[19]="according to ABARE commodity analyst Leanne Lawrance... ";

B3[19]=" ";

B4[19]=" ";

B5[19]=" ";

S1[19]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Delegates at the OUTLOOK 2006 conference heard good news for grain and oilseeds producers, with forecast higher prices in the year ahead, ";

S2[19]=" according to ABARE commodity analyst Leanne Lawrance.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Reduced supplies of grains and oilseeds, combined with strong demand, particularly from intensive livestock industries, ";

S3[19]=" is forecast to drive prices higher in 2006-07,' Ms Lawrance told conference delegates.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Barton ACT 2600 Ms Lawrance also spoke of the ";

S4[19]=" particular importance of China to the medium term grains outlook.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; As dietary habits in China continue to change, the demand for grains ";

S5[19]=" and oilseeds by intensive livestock industries will increase.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Ms Lawrance also flagged other important factors to the outlook for grains and oilseeds, ";

S6[19]=" including Brazil's soybean production and the demand from ethanol and biodiesel industries.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Robin Schaefer, from Schaefer Enterprises, gave a first hand account ";

S7[19]=" of how the adoption of new technologies such as yield mapping and no-till farming has increased the economic and environmental sustainability of his farming business.<BR> ";

S8[19]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Schaefer spoke of the new technologies such as inter-row sowing and auto steer that he is looking at implementing into his ";

S9[19]=" practices to further improve his business.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; In addressing the issues of 'staying competitive', Michael Iwaniw, Managing Director of ABB Grain Ltd, said ";

S10[19]=" 'our goal in staying competitive is to remain focused on supplying the burgeoning Asian region where future sales potential is immense.' Mr Iwaniw also spoke ";

S11[19]=" of the increased competition that has emerged from the former Soviet Union, in world barley trade.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Graham Brookes, PG Economics, United ";

S12[19]=" Kingdom, told the conference that the farm income benefits from GM crops was US$4.8 billion worldwide in 2004.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The introduction of GM ";

S13[19]=" crops had reduced the use of pesticides and has led to significant environmental gains,' Mr Brookes told delegates... ";

R[20]="195";


T[20]="Ministers give nod to GM traces in canola";

A[20]="By ... Editor";

Dn[20]="20060222";

Dt[20]="Wednesday 22 February 2006";

Acats[20]="a12a82";

B1[20]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Grain with traces of genetically modified material will be allowed to be traded after an agreement by federal and state agriculture ministers, ";

B2[20]="bending a moratorium on the commercial release of GM crops across five states... ";

B3[20]=" ";

B4[20]=" ";

B5[20]=" ";

S1[20]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Grain with traces of genetically modified material will be allowed to be traded after an agreement by federal and state agriculture ministers, ";

S2[20]=" bending a moratorium on the commercial release of GM crops across five states.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The agreement, made yesterday at the Primary Industries Ministerial ";

S3[20]=" Council meeting in Launceston will tolerate levels of GM material of up to 0.9 per cent after a spate of contaminated canola was detected in ";

S4[20]=" crops this year.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Moratoriums imposing a nil tolerance, including in Victoria, would now be lifted to allow for the unintended or accidental ";

S5[20]=" presence of GM canola in conventional canola crops in a move applauded by farmer groups but denounced by anti-GM groups, including Greenpeace.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S6[20]=" Victorian Agriculture Minister Bob Cameron said this year's harvest could now go ahead without disruption.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; No farmers would be prosecuted for growing ";

S7[20]=" conventional canola with trace levels of GM material, he said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Cameron said a threshold for the presence of GM material at ";

S8[20]=" 0.9 per cent was consistent with the standard accepted by the European Union.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Under the agreement, seed companies would be required to ";

S9[20]=" reduce the traces of GM material in conventional canola to 0.1 per cent over the next two planting seasons, he said... ";

R[21]="107";

T[21]="New breeding facility for Wongan Hills";

A[21]="By ... Editor";

Dn[21]="20060222";

Dt[21]="Wednesday 22 February 2006";

Acats[21]="a02a07a08a09a22a79a82a93";

B1[21]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Western Australia s crop breeding effort has been bolstered with the completion of new state-of-the-art seed handling and storage facilities at the ";

B2[21]="Department of Agriculture s Wongan Hills Research Station... ";

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S1[21]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Western Australia's crop breeding effort has been bolstered with the completion of new state-of-the-art seed handling and storage facilities at the Department ";


S2[21]=" of Agriculture's Wongan Hills Research Station.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Local grain growers were invited to examine the new $1.5 million facilities, officially opened today at ";

S3[21]=" the Research Station's 80th annual field day.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Acting Director General Rob Delane said the Wongan Hills Research Station formed an integral part ";

S4[21]=" of the Department's overall crop breeding program which had developed 80 per cent of wheat varieties currently grown in WA.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Delane ";

S5[21]=" said the breeding programs co-funded by grain growers through the Grains Research and Development Corporation and royalties underpinned the success of the State's grain industry ";

S6[21]=" exports.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Wongan Hills is the operational base for much of the Department's crop breeding field research, pure seed production activities and related ";

S7[21]=" research support,' he said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The new seed handling and storage capacity incorporates facilities such as new cool room storage, processing and work ";

S8[21]=" areas to improve operational efficiencies and research capability.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Further investment has also been made in the development of new sheep handling areas, ";

S9[21]=" the construction of a fertiliser storage shed and machinery shed, modifications to existing sheds and road and earth works.' Mr Delane said crop breeding was ";

S10[21]=" a vital part of the Department's extensive research and development program, which aimed to improve the marketability, productivity and sustainability of the State's grains industry.<BR> ";

S11[21]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Field testing on the research station and the storage, assessment, preparation and distribution of new crop breeding lines forms a critically important ";

S12[21]=" component of the breeding effort.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Wongan Hills Research Station has about 1000 hectares of land under crop rotations each year, with ";

S13[21]=" approximately 500 hectares used for crop breeding, crop seed production and crop agronomy experimentation.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The field day provided industry with an opportunity ";

S14[21]=" to view the new and improved facilities and to discuss the latest research and development activities, including the performance of new crop varieties... ";

R[22]="95";

T[22]="MLA AGM resolutions announced";

A[22]="By ... Editor";

Dn[22]="20060222";

Dt[22]="Wednesday 22 February 2006";

Acats[22]="a02a07a08a22a24a25a27a79a82";

B1[22]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) today announced the 11 resolutions to be voted on by MLA members at the upcoming Annual General ";

B2[22]="Meeting (AGM) in Melbourne on 16 November... ";

B3[22]=" ";

B4[22]=" ";

B5[22]=" ";

S1[22]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) today announced the 11 resolutions to be voted on by MLA members at the upcoming Annual General ";

S2[22]=" Meeting (AGM) in Melbourne on 16 November.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Among the resolutions to be voted on will be the selection of three nominated Board ";

S3[22]=" directors.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Current MLA Board director and company deputy chairman Don Heatley will be seeking re-selection along with first-time nominees Peter Boyden and ";

S4[22]=" Jay Simms.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Don Heatley has served on the MLA Board since 1998 and owns and operates two north Queensland properties that carry ";

S5[22]=" 9,000 head of cattle which supply the Japanese, US and live export markets.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Heatley has served on the Queensland Government's Livestock ";

S6[22]=" Export Advisory Committee, as well as having held positions with the Cattle Council of Australia and the North Queensland Beef Research Committee.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S7[22]=" Peter Boyden has more than 30 years marketing experience in both the domestic and international food industries, having served locally as Marketing Director of Unifoods ";


S8[22]=" Australasia and Managing Director of Foods, Unilever Australasia.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Boyden is currently a director of Food Standards Australia New Zealand and previously ";

S9[22]=" was a director of the Australian Food and Grocery Council and Unilever Australasia.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jay Simms is a Queensland cattle producer with over ";

S10[22]=" 37 years experience in livestock production across northern Australia.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Simms has a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from New Mexico State University, ";

S11[22]=" specialising in livestock production.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Simms has owned and operated properties in northern Western Australia and Queensland and has held positions with ";

S12[22]=" the Kimberley Pastoral Industry Advisory Committee and the Northern Beef Production Industry Committee.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Four additional resolutions have been put forward by MLA: ";

S13[22]=" - Changes to the definition of 'producer' in MLA's constitution to broaden the eligibility for MLA membership along with a change to the timing provisions ";

S14[22]=" in MLA's constitution to enable the return date for members' levies notices to occur after the date on which members' resolutions are due.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S15[22]=" &nbsp; - Three resolutions for the selection of cattle, sheep and feedlot producer representatives to the MLA Board selection committee.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The remaining ";

S16[22]=" four resolutions to be voted on were put forward by MLA members and include: - The removal from office of MLA Board director, Don Heatley.<BR> ";

S17[22]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; - An amendment to the MLA constitution to remove the peak council class of membership.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; - An amendment to ";

S18[22]=" the MLA constitution that will allow a change to the level of livestock transaction levies to be proposed by 200 members of a livestock class ";

S19[22]=" (grassfed cattle, grainfed cattle, sheep or goat) or 20 per cent of that class - whichever is the lesser number.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; - A ";

S20[22]=" change to the MLA constitution that would enable the direct election of up to six MLA directors, with four MLA Board member positions.. ";

R[23]="88";

T[23]="GLA announces latest decisions";

A[23]="By ... Editor";

Dn[23]="20060222";

Dt[23]="Wednesday 22 February 2006";

Acats[23]="a02a07a08a22a24a74a79a82";

B1[23]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Chairman of the Grain Licensing Authority Colin Mann today announced approval of 125,000 tonnes of feed barley to the Middle East..... ";

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S1[23]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Chairman of the Grain Licensing Authority Colin Mann today announced decisions which included approval of 125,000 tonnes of feed barley to the ";

S2[23]=" Middle East and the declining of a applications to export a further 125,000 tonnes of feed barley to the Middle East.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; An ";

S3[23]=" application for 60,000 tonnes of malting barley to China and 38,000 tonnes of canola toJapan were also declined.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Mann said licences ";

S4[23]=" issued to date will ensure wide competition and marketing options to producers for prescribed grains.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; However, volumes granted to 'core markets' of ";

S5[23]=" the main licence holder Grain Pool Pty Ltd are now reaching a level that could begin to impact on their marketing strategies and or the ";

S6[23]=" State's reputation as a reliable grain exporter.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'All applications to 'core markets' or clearly established customers of the main licence holder will ";

S7[23]=" continue to be subjected to very rigorous scrutiny and assessment and new market opportunities will receive priority,' said Mr Mann.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'However, exporters ";


S8[23]=" are not denied access to any market because they can also still buy grain for their customers through the Grain Pool Pty Ltd and if ";

S9[23]=" it is in the best interests of producers I am sure negotiations can prove positive,' Mr Mann said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Effectively this provides a ";

S10[23]=" power of veto over increased quantities to 'core markets' unless grain exporters can substantiate benefit to producers and the State.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Grain ";

S11[23]=" Licensing Authority will continue to operate within the parameters of the Legislation and base its decisions on the merits of each application and the evidence ";

S12[23]=" presented about each market or market segment... ";