National Rural News

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Drought assessments underway across Australia

The government agency that assesses whether farmers can get financial drought support is travelling around Australia before deciding which areas will continue to get funding.

Cockatoos put a spanner in environmental works

Environmental works are being damaged by large populations of cockatoos in Victoria.

Canegrowers seize on coral report

The Canegrowers Organisation is using a recent study to support it's argument that farming isn't to blame for a decline in the growth of coral in the Great Barrier Reef.

Nursery industry urged to breed sterile plants

The Australian nursery industry is being urged to follow North America and breed sterile lines of garden plants that can't spread by seed as weeds.

Dairy company struggling to maintain farmer milk price

Despite having to delay weekly payments to suppliers, milk company United Dairy Power is holding off making any changes to their milk price.

Hot stuff

Temperatures rocketed off the gauge yesterday at the tiny West Australian town of Pindar, around 600 kilometres north east of Perth.

Rural business hopes for economic lifeline

A study by Monash University's Centre for Retail Studies shows rural Australians have a gloomy view of the country's economic future.

ALCOA to slash 13 000 jobs worldwide

Aluminium giant Alcoa is the latest multinational mining company to slash jobs in the face of the credit crisis.

Gas project is go for Western Australia

An $800 million dollar gas project in Western Australia will now go ahead, one month after it was mothballed.

Massive detours for trucking companies amid northern floods

Trucking companies servicing the Queensland to Northern Territory route are starting to take a three and a half thousand kilometre detour via South Australia because of road closures caused by flooding.

New look management team for Queensland sugar

Queensland Sugar Limited has announced it's new board.

Small business braces for dairy downturn

Small business operators in dairying communities are preparing to bare the brunt of dropping milk prices.

Southern Queensland graziers hope to get their share of rain

Graziers in south west Queensland are hoping the drought in the region will be broken within the next two weeks - even though they haven't received a drop of rain.