Category: Grains

Challenging seasonal conditions and poor crop performance have led to a flattening of agribusiness conditions in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2019, according to NAB’s quarterly Agribusiness Survey. Source: Grain Central Agribusiness confidence drifts lower as dry grinds on: NAB

Some heat-related harvest bans and Wimmera growers’ willingness to hold sales after cashing hay and canola maintained upside pressure on cash and futures. Yields remain below average from WA to southern Queensland. Source: Beef Central Feedgrain Focus: Wait for wheat lifts prices

Major Australian ginner and marketer Namoi Cotton has shed 50 jobs and cut its cashflow estimates in a restructure designed to help it weather the current drought. Source: Grain Central Drought prompts cuts to Namoi Cotton jobs, cashflow

Market attention has shifted to the Victorian and South Australian harvest as NSW growers park the header after a drought-shortened harvest, and reconsider the future for canola as a crop for hay or grazing instead of cash. Source: Grain Central Harvest focus shifts south as drought-hit NSW deliveries wind down

Australia’s winter crop production is forecast to fall by 3 per cent in 2019–20 to 29.4 million tonnes (Mt), according to ABARES’ December Crop Report released today. Source: Grain Central Winter crop slips below 30Mt: ABARES

Australia’s national grain crop wilts to its smallest yields in 12 years as dry and hot weather continue to impact production. Source: ABC Grain National winter crop slump continues as drought bites

PLANT-BASED proteins and the latest in agtech innovation will feature at the evokeAG 2020 conference next February. Source: Sheep Central evokeAG 2020 puts plant-based protein on the menu

Keep up to date with Australian cropping industry developments with Grain Central’s monthly quiz. Source: Grain Central Grain Central’s November grains and cropping news quiz

Wheat prices are showing no signs of easing, but new-crop barley prices have dropped a few dollars per tonne in the past week to levels which are buying domestic slots in eastern Australia and exciting some export interest. Source: Beef Central Feedgrain Focus: Barley finds the floor as new-crop eases

South Australia’s moratorium on growing genetically modified (GM) crops looks set to continue because of an impasse in the state’s Upper House. Source: Grain Central GM moratorium looks set to prevail in SA for now

The Central Queensland Inland Port is beginning to take shape with the completion of earthworks and a rail siding, and GrainCorp on track to have an $18.5-million grain handling facility ready for next year’s harvest. Source: Grain Central CQ Inland Port on course to fast-track grain and container freight

One of Australia’s largest food exporters will lose more jobs in the new year after failing to entice growers to plant rice crops. Source: ABC Grain No water, no work: 100 more jobs to go at SunRice

SunRice has today announced a further reconfiguration of its Riverina operations, with another 100 job losses anticipated in 2020. Source: Grain Central SunRice to further downscale Riverina milling, cut jobs

Wheat and barley bids to growers lift $5-10/t as growers remain reluctant sellers at current levels. Sorghum prices rally further as hopes for widespread early plant evaporate. ASX slides. Source: Beef Central Feedgrain Focus: Warehousing trend, harvest heat lift prices

The Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) is at the centre of efforts to standardise whole grain guidelines for flour mills and offer a method for authenticating whole grain flour. Source: Grain Central New guidelines to authenticate whole grain flour

Five centres of excellence and a network of focus farms will be established in high yield potential grain-growing environments across Australia as part of a major new investment in the GRDC’s new five-year Hyper Yielding Crops initiative. Source: Grain Central New investment to push crop yield boundaries

As farmers around the country debate the best way to prepare for dry times, northern WA’s unique groundwater availability presents a genuine opportunity to grow fodder on-farm. Source: ABC Livestock Pastoralists just add water as they attempt to drought-proof WA’s north

Winter crop harvest tonnages in Western Australia have dropped below earlier forecasts with total production now predicted to be around 11.42 million tonnes (Mt), Source: Grain Central WA winter crop estimate slips to 11.42Mt

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has decided it will not oppose ANZ Terminals Pty Ltd’s proposed acquisition of GrainCorp Bulk Liquid Terminals (GLT). Source: Grain Central ANZ Terminals/GrainCorp deal given all clear

Short covering for wheat and sorghum has lifted values for both grains, and supported barley prices, as the wait for Victorian grain in volume continues and GrainCorp issues its first 2019/20 harvest report. Source: Beef Central Feedgrain Focus: Prices rally on wait for Victorian volume

GrainCorp Limited has announced an underlying net loss after tax of $82 million for the year to 30 September, within its forecast range, and no surprise given drought-reduced intake and tough terms of trade. Source: Grain Central Drought behind FY19 loss of M: GrainCorp

More than four decades of oilseed and processing collaboration by three cottonseed majors has ended, the seed and oils landscape undergoing change as Auscott, Cargill, Namoi dissolve the joint venture partnership and go their separate ways. Source: Grain Central Auscott, Cargill, Namoi split joint venture, case closed

There has been a proliferation of product labels seeking to cash in on consumer concerns over GMOs, even on products that would never even be considered for genetic modification, Source: Grain Central Cagey product labelling exploits consumer GMO fears

Supply-side pressure is weighing on barley and buying it some demand from wheat as tonnage starts to roll into bulk-handling sites across southern Australia. Source: Beef Central Feedgrain Focus: Weaker barley price buys demand

WA grain handler marketer, CBH Group, and WA rail network operator, Arc Infrastructure, have reached an agreement that provides long-term access to the rail network. Source: Grain Central CBH/Arc Infrastructure reach agreement on WA rail access

Keep up to date with Australian cropping industry developments with Grain Central’s monthly quiz. Source: Grain Central Grain Central’s October grains and cropping news quiz

A new partnership between Bio-Gene Technology and the GRDC will drive research into new grain pest control chemistry. Source: Grain Central Partnership to drive research into new grain pest control chemistry

Up to 25 per cent of failed crops tested in NSW in the past week had nitrate levels which posed a health risk to stock consuming the crops through grazing or fodder. Source: Grain Central Nitrate risk in failed crops

A new project developed especially for graduate agronomists in Queensland and NSW will offer newcomers to the grains sector an opportunity to boost their professional skills. Source: Grain Central Upskilling graduate agronomists to handle the tough issues

HAY from failed crops with high nitrate levels could be kill livestock this year, recent testing data from the NSW Department of Primary Industries has shown. Source: Sheep Central NSW DPI warns of toxic failed crop hay risk for livestock

Winter crop harvest is all but completed in Central Queensland where yields have been above average and grain quality levels have been “reasonable”, despite the eastern Australia drought. Source: Grain Central Central Queensland winter crop defies eastern drought

An ABC current affairs piece from 1972 documenting the Northern Agricultural Development Corporation (NADC) and its massive plans for cropping in the NT. Source: ABC Beef Cattle Empire building: ABC News feature on Willeroo Station in 1972

In the early 1970s a company spent millions of dollars developing a cattle and cropping empire near Katherine in the NT. What went wrong? Source: ABC Grain Why did a major cropping project at Willeroo Station in the Top End go bust?

CLOVERS will be a key focus of a new 10-year joint venture between The University of Western Australia and PGG Wrightson Seeds. Source: Sheep Central Clovers will be the focus of 10-year UWA joint venture

PRICES for Australian cropping land have been increasing at more than double the rate of pastoral grazing country values, Rabobank analysis has shown. Source: Sheep Central Cropping land price growth double pastoral grazing increase rate

Praised for its “sweat characters and nuttiness”, a Perth-based distillery and second-generation farmer from Western Australia’s far-north have teamed up to create Australia’s first red corn whiskey. Source: ABC Grain ‘Deep red colour’: The story behind Australia’s first red corn whiskey

Irish empty-nesters Derek and Jackie Edwards are living the dream on the other side of the world, working on farms for food and board in Australia. Source: ABC Livestock Irish luck brings farming couple on a working holiday ‘gap year’ to NSW winery

Despite one of the hardest finishes in a long time, the WA winter crop is yielding better than expected and is on track to produce 11.9 million tonnes. Source: Grain Central WA winter crop holds up under tough finish

Australian ginner Namoi Cotton Limited has lost $4 million in 1H20, with drought slashing its number of bales ginned from the previous year, and a further reduction expected next year. Source: Grain Central Low ginning volume feeds into Namoi’s M 1H20 loss

A 10-year joint venture between The University of Western Australia and PGG Wrightson Seeds has been launched to provide producers with new varieties of annual forage legumes. Source: Grain Central New joint venture to improve annual legume breeding

Wheat and barley prices have eased in the past week as confidence about the quality and quantity of crops in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia builds. Source: Beef Central Feedgrain Focus: Prices ease as southern crops consolidate

Plant Health Australia has listed Karnal bunt and the khapra beetle in its top 10 national-priority plant pests which pose significant risks to the Australian grain industry. Source: Grain Central Karnal bunt, khapra beetle in 10 least-wanted list: PHA

Barenbrug (formerly Heritage Seeds) opens of a new $15-million facility in Toowoomba to provide northern growers with their seed requirements. Source: Grain Central New northern seed facility for Barenbrug

While a Victorian council rejects drought funding it says isn’t needed, farmers in far-west New South Wales say they feel like they’re in a “forgotten corner”. Source: ABC Grain These farmers feel forgotten in the dry, yet elsewhere drought assistance is being handed back

Southern Cotton and Voyager Craft Malt are building a new facility at Whitton in the NSW Riverina which will quadruple Voyager’s capacity, and use gin trash to fire its kiln. Source: Grain Central Bioenergy to link cotton and beer at Whitton Malt House

Australia’s biggest faba bean processor is months away from starting up at Horsham, which this week hosted the Australian Pulse Conference, and its isolates are already in hot demand across the globe. Source: Grain Central Made-in-Horsham pulse isolates in demand as start-up nears: APC2019

The ACCC is calling on irrigators and other water market participants to share their views on the operation of water markets in the Murray-Darling Basin. Source: Grain Central Views sought on Murray-Darling Basin water markets

One of Australia’s largest seed companies is changing names, with Heritage Seeds to be known as Barenbrug from October 28, 2019. Source: Grain Central Heritage Seeds to change name to Barenbrug

Canada’s PSP Investments has entered into an agreement with NSW irrigator and cotton and nut producer, Webster Limited, to extend its ownership of ordinary shares from 19.1 per cent at present to 100pc. Source: Grain Central Webster to delist if Canada’s PSP buy-out proceeds

An Adelaide start-up could soon be producing drinking straws made with Australian-grown straw, replacing the need for plastic ones. Source: ABC Grain ‘Rye-cycled’ natural straws helping environment and farmers in war on single-use plastic

Hot weather has brought on the South Australian harvest which is now underway in the upper Yorke Peninsula with the first load delivered yesterday into Port Pirie. Source: Grain Central First new crop grain delivered to Viterra network

Feedgrain prices were up this week as consumer and supplier haggle over the cheapest new-crop prices for earliest possible delivery. Source: Beef Central Feedgrain Focus: Prices up in thin market

Pacific Seeds has completed the installation of a state-of-the-art $2.4 million seed processing plant at the company’s site at Toowoomba in southern Queensland. Source: Grain Central Pacific Seeds completes .4 million custom seed processing line

One of Australia’s largest food exporters, SunRice, cuts more than 30 regional staff after producing its second-lowest rice crop. Source: ABC Grain SunRice sheds more jobs after second lowest crop on record

Second-lowest rice crop on record has forced Sunrice to offload 130 staff and reconfigure milling operations. Source: Grain Central Sunrice cuts staff, reconfigures milling after second-lowest crop on record

Keep up to date with Australian cropping industry developments with Grain Central’s monthly quiz Source: Grain Central Grain Central’s September grains and cropping news quiz

A NEW perennial legume with the potential to revolutionise grazing in sandy infertile pastoral areas will be available to Australian and South African farmers next year. Source: Sheep Central New perennial legume destined for poor soils

Western Australia’s CBH Group is giving its growers a rebate of $1 per tonne on its 2018-19 deliveries, but is forecasting a zero rebate for 2019-20. Source: Grain Central CBH Group delivers million operations rebate

Sustainable farming for this Eyre Peninsula family means organic, holistic practices and homeschooling four children. Source: ABC Grain Natural, holistic farming and homeschooling: the family living the good life on Eyre Peninsula

Advances in genetically-modified plant technology and a better understanding of how to grow the crop in a tropical environment have reignited efforts to develop a cotton industry in northern Australia. Source: Grain Central Cotton makes a comeback in Australia’s north

NSW grain and cotton grower Gus O’Brien has a straightforward philosophy when it comes to successful staff retention: ‘pay well, provide reasonable accommodation and give them some rein’. Source: Grain Central Retaining staff in tough times: a grower’s perspective

The Queensland town of Monto that was drought declared and had the local mine close on the same day is determined to see the community survive. Source: ABC Grain Drought declared on same day as mine is mothballed, yet locals refuse to buckle

Ongoing challenging conditions mean eastern Australia will likely face another season of grain imports from WA and overseas, with new season crop prices reflective of this reality, according to the latest NAB outlook. Source: Grain Central Declining winter crop forecasts reflect drop in commodities index: NAB

Twenty-two of Australia’s leading primary producers focused on a more innovative, resilient and sustainable agricultural sector have been awarded Nuffield Farming Scholarships for 2020. Source: Grain Central Nuffield Scholarships for 2020 announced

The world wheat price is forecast to average 6 per cent lower in 2019–20 at US$218 per tonne while world wheat production is forecast to reach a record 766 million tonnes, according to ABARES Agricultural Commodities report released today. Source: Grain Central Drought, feedgrain demand factor into mixed commodity outlook: ABARES

Poor performance at work can impact your career progression and may lead to unhappiness in the workplace and lower remuneration. What are employers looking for in an employee? Source: Grain Central Recruitment: What type of employee are you?

A special, drought support bus is touring the hard-hit regions of NSW, bringing front-line drought assistance and information to farming communities. Source: Grain Central Drought support kicks in as NSW dry tightens grip

Hugh Bowman is one of the world’s best jockeys and now he is set to be immortalised in art, in his home town of Dunedoo, alongside champion mare Winx. Source: ABC Grain Winx and her jockey Hugh Bowman to be immortalised on his hometown silo

Pilot Malting Australia’s malting facility in WA has been granted accreditation for future malt barley varieties. Source: Grain Central Malting facility accreditation opens opportunities for barley