Category: Regional

Beer, bugs and biomass: global techs help make food chains more sustainable

31/7/2023

REGIONAL, TECHNOLOGY

With the race on in Australia to explore more sustainable food production methods, global technology groups Bühler and Vyncke are backing local agribusinesses to fast-track innovation in fields such as complementary proteins, biomass, insects and beers.

Published in evokeAG

Lifelong bee obsession delivers Sweet Justice

10/7/2023

REGIONAL, SMALL BUSINESS, SOCIAL

Claire Moore never imagined her lifelong bee obsession would see her end up entrenched in Victoria’s criminal justice system, for good.

Published by OAK Magazine

Claire Moore, founder of honey enterprise, Sweet Justice. (Image: Emma Foster)

What the flock? Sheep facial recognition tech on the way

24/4/2023

REGIONAL, TECHNOLOGY

If it comes as a surprise that sheep don't all look the same, it’s likely to be a bigger surprise to hear technology that recognises their faces is on the cusp of being commercialised with the potential to add significant value to the sheep industry.

First published by Westpac Wire.

Facial recognition technology for sheep is near commercialisation, says Dr Mark Ferguson. (Supplied)

How a 10-year-old tragedy turned transformative for young farmers

4/4/2023

REGIONAL

Since shock ripped through Australasia’s cattle industry 10 years ago when industry champion Zanda McDonald tragically died, his influence hasn’t slowed as the careers of dozens of young agriculturalists have been turbocharged by an award in his honour.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Australian cattle industry champion, the late Zanda McDonald. (Julie McDonald)

Unconventional route to the bush for ag prize winner

2/4/2023

REGIONAL

Mitch Highett, recently named co-winner of this year's prestigious agricultural prize, the Zanda McDonald Award, forged an unconventional route into the farming industry.

First published by Westpac Wire.

Mitch Highett. (Supplied)

Recognition for rural mum beating isolation

7/9/2022

REGIONAL, DIVERSITY

Stephanie Trethewey’s mission to tackle the crippling isolation faced by many mothers in rural Australia saw her crowned this year’s national winner of the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award.

First published in Westpac Wire.

Stephanie Trethewey (and her son), founder of Motherland, named this year’s national winner of the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award. (Tas Ag Co)

Family ordeal inspires farm accessibility campaigner

28/8/2022

REGIONAL, DIVERSITY

After a chat with her dad confirmed for Josie Clarke that farmers with disability face an accessibility advocacy vacuum, she set out to tackle it, earning her this year’s NSW ACT Agrifutures Rural Women’s Award.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Founder of Ability Agriculture, Josie Clarke (left), with her dad Glen at their Kempsey family farm. (Rachael Lenehan)

Outback town lifts homeownership with unique scheme

3/7/2022

REGIONAL, FINANCE, INDIGENOUS

For a handful of locals in the very remote townships in Queensland’s Burke Shire council, the idea of owning a home has turned from impossible to imaginable, as a unique homeownership scheme takes hold.

First published on Westpac Wire

Sisters Madison (left) and Jordan Marshall were the first to buy their Burketown homes through a unique homeownership initiative. (Supplied)

The cattle and cheese innovators smashing stereotypes

17/10/2021

REGIONAL

Elisha Parker, co-founder of Cattlesales.com.au (Agrifutures Rural Women's Awards)

The co-founders of a first-of-its-kind cattle trading platform and a new hub applying craft beer thinking to small dairy farms are among a wave of innovative rural women smashing the old stereotype that farming is synonymous with men.

The dog school with a mental health difference

10/10/2021

REGIONAL

Kelly Barnes knew her 14-year-old farm working Kelpie, Dugald, was a mate, but never guessed he’d spark a program to tackle mental health struggles in farming communities.

First published in Westpac Wire.

Kelly Barnes, founder of Mates Working Dog School, with her dogs Jess and Dugald. (Lauren Hay, Hamilton Spectator)

Cheers! Winemakers toast ‘goldilocks’ vintage

3/8/2021

REGIONAL

Australian winemakers – and wine lovers – finally have something to smile about after two years marred by the impacts of drought, bushfires, smoke taint, export volatility and COVID.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Paul Lindner, co-owner of Langmeil Winery in South Australia’s Barossa Valley, with the shiraz vine planted in 1843, thought to be the world’s oldest. (Supplied)

No fence needed: Aussie tech creates virtual paddocks

14/4/2021

REGIONAL

Cattle graziers Rob and Ainsley McArthur using eShepherd intelligent neckbands, a world-first Australian innovation that creates virtual fences. (Image: Henrietta Attard)

Neckbands on cattle may become a common sight as farmers embrace a world-first Australian tech innovation which creates virtual fences to manage grazing patterns, first trialled by cattle graziers Ainsley and Rob McArthur.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Milking new farm tech to cut cost – and carbon

28/9/2020

REGIONAL, SMALL BUSINESS

Sam (left) and Peter Doolan. (Image: supplied)

After becoming a ‘guinea pig’ in a pioneering trial dubbed Keeping Carbon on the Farm, Doolan’s dairy is starting to reap the bottom-line rewards – and slash emissions – through enviro-friendly experiments.

First published in Westpac Wire

Going bush: WFH ‘biggest leveller’ for the regions

9/7/2020

REGIONAL

Jo Palmer, remote work advocate. (Image: supplied)

Seismic social and technological shifts propelled by COVID-19, like the mass move to working from home and sweeping telehealth reforms, may benefit the bush long term, say experts including remote work advocate Jo Palmer.

First published in Westpac Wire

Dairy farmers look to milk new opportunities

11/5/2020

REGIONAL, DIVERSITY, SMALL BUSINESS

Cressida Cains, Pecora Dairy. (Image: supplied)

Small dairy farmers have not escaped the COVID-19 fallout, but artisan cheesemaker Cressida Cains believes there are “incredibly exciting” opportunities for her industry emerging from the pandemic.

First published in Westpac Wire.

‘It should be a luxury’: meat’s meaty challenge

19/11/2019

REGIONAL

South Australian farmer Ellen Litchfield. (Image: supplied)

The "alternative meat" industry is taking off and while beef farmer Ellen Litchfield says it’s a positive step as the population expands, farm-grown meat shouldn’t be a “scapegoat”.

First published in Westpac Wire

Latest Published articles

Beer, bugs and biomass: global techs help make food chains more sustainable

Lifelong bee obsession delivers Sweet Justice

What the flock? Sheep facial recognition tech on the way

How a 10-year-old tragedy turned transformative for young farmers

Unconventional route to the bush for ag prize winner

Recognition for rural mum beating isolation

Family ordeal inspires farm accessibility campaigner

Outback town lifts homeownership with unique scheme

The cattle and cheese innovators smashing stereotypes

The dog school with a mental health difference

Cheers! Winemakers toast ‘goldilocks’ vintage

No fence needed: Aussie tech creates virtual paddocks

Milking new farm tech to cut cost – and carbon

Going bush: WFH ‘biggest leveller’ for the regions

Dairy farmers look to milk new opportunities

‘It should be a luxury’: meat’s meaty challenge

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