Pesticide Alternatives Laboratory

The Pesticide Alternatives Laboratory is committed to researching the most innovative arthropod pest management strategies, tactics and tools available to help agricultural producers and private land owners transition to more economical and environmentally friendly reduced risk and organic pest management.

In order to achieve these goals, the Laboratory carries out research and outreach in certain key arenas:

1. Develop, enhance, and expand Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Upper Midwest specialty & row crops
2. Development and deliver ecosystem assessment measures of sustainability for agricultural and public lands,
3. Carry out on-farm and lab testing of reduced risk and organic pest management strategies and tactics
4. Maintenance of the web based Arthropod Pesticide Resistance Database and publication of the Resistant Pest Management newsletter
5. Development of the cutting-edge means for resource managers in terrestrial ecosystems to make wise management decisions on public lands.

http://whalonlab.msu.edu/index.html

Datacubes released by the ABS

Datacubes released by the ABS (10/07/09):

4618.0 Water Use on Australian Farms, 2007-08. Datacubes for additional regions (Statistical Division, Murray–Darling Basin and non–Murray–Darling Basin).
4627.0 Land Management and Farming in Australia, 2007-08. Datacubes for additional data items at Australia, state and Natural Resource Management region level.
7121.0 Agricultural Commodities, Australia, 2007-08. Datacubes for additional data items at available regional levels (Statistical Division and Natural Resource Management region).

Farm industries in Victorian regions

Commodity outlook and financial performance of key agricultural industries in three different Victorian regions. Papers prepared for Victorian AgFutures. AgFutures aims to assist farmers and farming communities make sense of the changes that will affect agriculture in the future and enable better long term decision making. Over the next 4 years, AgFutures will work with 12 agriculturally based communities each year.

Read the ABARE papers about the Wimmera region, the Mallee region and the Gippsland region.

Successful Pakistan dairy project expanded

Despite operating in a volatile part of the world, a Charles Sturt University (CSU) led project to drive efficiencies in Pakistan’s dairy industry has achieved results and has been re-funded for a further four years.

To read the full CSU news release, CSU readers can click here.

Agricultural industries in New England, and in the North West Slopes and Plains

Statistics about farm numbers, agricultural employment, farm performance, and the beef, grain and sheep industries in this area.

Read this ABARE conference paper here.

Value of the red meat industry to Australia

The Australian red meat and livestock industry encompasses the production and processing of beef, sheep, goats and buffalo, for export and domestic consumption.

Australia is among the world’s largest producers of red meat and is the second largest exporter of beef and sheep meat. Australia is also a large exporter of live animals. Australian meat production has been increasing over time, while domestic consumption (per person) of red meat has fallen. This has led to a greater reliance on export markets.

Go to ABARE to download this June 2009 report.

Farm Biosecurity - 16th edition

In this edition read about the biosecurity risks caused by flooding. Flooding can cause soil erosion, chemical/fertiliser contamination, sediment deposits and can change soil nutrient levels, all of which can impact productivity. Also, read about upcoming Australian and international biosecurity conferences.

Read this enewsletter here.

Drought assistance measures extended across NSW

The Rees Government has extended its drought assistance funding to the State’s drought-stricken rural areas, Minister for Primary Industries Ian Macdonald said yesterday (24 June).

Read this media release here [26.0 kb].

Energy use

Australia's total energy use has increased by 15% over the last six years, according to a report released today (June 25) by the ABS.

Manufacturing, along with the electricity, gas and water industries were the largest domestic energy users (around one-third each), while households made up a further 12 per cent.

Over half of household energy use was on fuels such as petrol, diesel and LPG, about one quarter was on electricity, and the remainder on products such as natural gas, biomass and solar.

Read more in this ABS report - 4604.0.

American ag stats

Look at the 'The census of agriculture' provided by the United States Department of Agriculture for fact sheets about farm numbers, demographics, crops, organic production and more.

Financial performance of slaughter lamb producing farms 2006-07 to 2008-09

Strong international demand and constrained supplies of Australian lamb have resulted in domestic lamb prices remaining at historically high levels in 2007-08. Australian broadacre sheep producers have reduced the national sheep flock and dedicated a greater number of sheep to producing slaughter lambs. Consequently, the number of lambs slaughtered in 2007-08 was 24 per cent more than a decade earlier, despite sheep numbers falling by 31 per cent and a reduction in lambing rates because of drought in parts of Australia.

ABARE paper.

Financial performance of beef farms 2006-07 to 2008-09

Average cash incomes for beef farms in northern and southern Australia are projected to increase by nearly 50 per cent and 60 per cent respectively in 2008-09. However the majority of small-scale farms (with 100 to 200 cattle) in southern Australia are projected to increase beef cattle turn-off and reduce livestock numbers.

This new ABARE report can be read here.

Environmental views and behaviour, 2007-08

This report presents findings about environmental issues, electricity use, water use, water collection and disposal and environmental involvement. Data from this report is used to obtain a better understanding of the factors that influence people to participate in environmental activities and energy and water conservation practices.

Access this ABS report 4626.0.55.001 here.

Management of irrigation water storages

The dry conditions experienced in the Murray-Darling Basin in recent years have seen unprecedented reductions in the availability of water for irrigation. Climate change predictions suggest that significant reductions in water availability will be observed across the Basin in the long term.

Irrigation water is an increasingly scarce commodity. This report considers giving water users greater control over storage decisions; and capacity sharing, a system where irrigators are allocated explicit property rights to storage capacity in major reservoirs. Read this 26th May ABARE report here.

Livestock and Meat, Australia

This ABS publication presents statistics on livestock slaughterings and meat production. These statistics are based on a monthly collection from abattoirs and other major slaughtering establishments.

Read 7218.0.55.001 here.

Sales of Australian Wine and Brandy

This newly released ABS report presents information on the quantity of Australian produced wine (classified by type - fortified, table, sparkling, etc.) and brandy sales up to April 2009. It also presents a breakdown of imports and exports.

Access 8504.0 here.

Changes to CAB Abstracts

The database CAB Abstracts, previously an index only, now contains some full-text content, including more than 36,000 journal articles, reports, and conference papers.

CAB Abstracts covers an array of subject areas, including agriculture, animal and vet sciences , environmental sciences, food and nutrition, health, leisure and tourism, and plant sciences.

Access for CSU users is via the Journal Databases home page.

Saving the soil (Audio)

With estimates of 1.7 billion or more mouths to feed globally by 2030, research into sustainable farming is helping farmers make the right decisions about their crops under the challenges of climate change.

Sustainable farming is a term used to describe farming practices which aim to maintain and improve the economic viability of agricultural production, as well as the natural resource base and other ecosystems that are influenced by farming activities.

Tillage is the agricultural preparation of the soil by ploughing, ripping or turning it, and in this podcast CSIRO Plant Industry researcher Dr John Kirkegaard explains how a no-till ‘conservation cropping’ approach is helping farmers conserve soil quality, improve water-use efficiency, while saving fuel, maintaining soil Carbon and crop productivity.

Dr Kirkegaard has been conducting research into sustainable farming since 1989 and details how this type of agricultural practice can make a significant environmental difference.

http://www.csiro.au/multimedia/Saving-the-soil.html

CSIRO Times: First International Plant Phenomics Symposium

This 4-page edition covers the research addressed at The First International Plant Phenomics Symposium attended by plant biologists from around the world.

http://www.csiro.au/resources/CSIRO-Times-Issue-17.html

Farm Biosecurity News - 15th edition

This edition contains articles about winter weed control, Mexican Feather grass, Bitou bush award, a pilot pest scheme at Swan Hill, seed imports in Tasmania and more.

Read here.

EndNote MasterClasses

Library faculty liaison staff will be conducting a series of EndNote MasterClasses in 2009, for academic staff and postgraduate students. These workshops are intended for current EndNote users who want to ‘do just a bit more’ with EndNote, and will include:

*what's new in X2?
*using term lists to improve consistency and accuracy of information in your
library, and manage abbreviated journal names
*managing in-text citations with CWYW
*formated vs unformated references
*combining chapters in a thesis
*creating or modifying referencing styles
*options for collaboration with other researchers
*using OpenURL links (SFX) to locate the full text of journal articles
*EndNote web

The first sessions will be conducted at Thurgoona and Bathurst as follows:
Thurgoona - Tuesday 16 June 11-12.30pm Thurgoona Learning Commons
Bathurst - Wednesday 17 June 9.30-11.00am Bathurst Library, Computer Lab. Rm 404/405

There are limited places available for these hands on workshops.
Please RSVP to Greg Fry gfry@csu.edu.au by Friday 12 June.

Effects of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme on the economic value of farm production

ABARE research released shows that the initial effect of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme on the value of farm production will differ between sectors, based on the proportion of emissions intensive inputs, the emissions intensity of production and the extent to which agricultural processors also pass on their increased costs to farmers.

http://www.abare.gov.au/publications_html/ins/insights_09/a6.pdf

Ag Mag

Read the bi-annual ABS agriculture newsletter Here.

Land use of Australian agricultural businesses: ABS

Almost two thirds of agricultural businesses made changes to their land management practices over the past 5 years, according to a report released today (29.05) by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Read here.

Korean beef market

The U.S.A. and Australia have been the major suppliers of beef to Korea. However, the discovery of BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) in the U.S.A. in December 2003 resulted in Korea imposing an import ban on U.S.A. beef. As a result, Australia increased its share of the Korean beef market significantly. Korea reopened its market to U.S.A. beef in 2008 which led to an increase in U.S.A. beef exports to Korea in the second half of 2008. It is critical for Australia to continue to address consumer preferences and promote the clean and safe image of Australian beef.

Read this ABARE report.

Monitoring the social and economic impacts of forestry

'Monitoring the social and economic impacts of forestry' was released this month (May 2009) and identifies social and economic cost and benefits of forestry; direct and flow-on benefits of forestry activity; and the impacts of current policy settings on the forest industry. Case studies were carried out in Northeast Tasmania and the ‘Green Triangle’ on the Victorian and South Australia border.

This report was prepared by the ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society.

Water Use on Australian Farms, 2007-08

Australia's farms dropped their irrigation water usage by almost one fifth during 2007-08, according to figures released today (26.05.09) by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

ABS 4618.0

AgrowKnowledge: The National Center for Agriscience and Technology Education

will improve the math, science, and technical competencies of agriculture technology graduates across the nation who are preparing for careers that support the most efficient and sustainable food and fiber production in the world. Kirkwood Community College with partner colleges, secondary schools, and universities, guided by the vision of the agriculture industry, will institutionalize improvements in select agriculture technology education programs. These programs will serve as models for the nation.

To accomplish this vision, AgrowKnowledge will focus on three areas of activity: curriculum development, faculty development and capacity building. Specific directions in each of these activity areas will be determined annually by a Critical Issues Conference. Conference breakout sessions will address needs and establish outcomes for annual projects and faculty development activity. Projects and activities will be accomplished by 18 Agriculture Technology Education Teams and then institutionalized, in following years, by all appropriate partners. The annual conferences will also address best practices in the three primary areas of activity as improvements are institutionalized.

http://www.agrowknow.org

Agricultural Commodities, Australia, 2007-08 - ABS

This publication contains final estimates for the main commodities collected in the 2007-08 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS). Included are statistics on land use, industry activity, crop and horticulture area and production, and livestock. The data are based on a response rate of 87% from a sample of approximately 33,000 agricultural businesses selected for the 2007-08 ARMS.

Read this ABS report - 7121.0.

Water focus for Chinese visit

Senior scientists from Hohai University, in Nanjing in central China, will talk and travel with senior CSU researchers to investigate how Australia manages its water and to explore possibilities for collaboration.
Read CSU News here.

Biggest biochar research project in Australia’s history

THE federal government today announced $1.4 million for the biggest biochar research project in Australia’s history – and one of the biggest in the world.

CSIRO will coordinate the three-year project, to look at biochar’s potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and boost farm productivity.

Read the article in The Land (21.05.09) here.

Great Southern property for sale

THE receivers of the failed pastoral and timber investment group, Great Southern, are seeking to raise hundreds of millions of dollars from the sale of the company's three major cattle stations.

Interest in acquiring the huge properties in Western Australia and Far North Queensland has jumped since Great Southern went into administration at the weekend with potential buyers now looking to make the most of the group's plight.

Read the full article in The Land (21.05.09) here.

Carbon trading scheme draws Danish praise

THE host of the global climate negotiations in Copenhagen has given a ringing endorsement of the Federal Government's plans to introduce a carbon trading scheme, backing its offer to make significant cuts to Australia's emissions if there is an ambitious global agreement.

Read the SMH article (21.05.09) here.

Bushfires like 1500 Hiroshimas

Devastating February bushfires that killed 173 people generated enough energy to fuel 1,500 atomic bombs, according to the bushfires royal commission.

Read the SMH article (21.05.09) here.

Mineral projects and Energy projects in Australia

In the six months to April 2009, 18 major minerals and energy projects with a capital expenditure of $5.2 billion were completed. A further 74 projects were at an advanced stage with projected expenditure of $80 billion.

Read this bi-annual ABARE report here.

Livestock Products - ABS report

Information regarding livestock slaughtering, meat production, livestock products, livestock exports and more.

ABS production 7215.0 - Livestock Products, Australia, Mar 2009.

Irrigation - ABS report

In 2006-07, irrigated agricultural land comprised less than 0.5% of all agricultural land in Australia. The gross value of production from irrigation was $12,319 million, which represented 34% of the total gross value of agricultural production. In 2000-01, GVIAP was $9,669 million and represented 28% of the total gross value of agricultural production.

Find out more out in this ABS report 4610.0.55.008 - Experimental Estimates of the Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production, 2000–01 to 2006–07.

Government Drought Support : Inquiry Report

Governments need to commit to a long term reform path that recognises that the primary responsibility for managing risks, including those relating to climate variability and change, rests with farmers.

Access this Productivity Commission Inquiry Report here.

Murray-Darling Basin

The federal government is going to spend $300 million on a new scheme to cut water use in the southern part of the basin. The scheme is to be spent over four years, and involves replumbing farms to cut water use. Find out more on the Elders website.

Australia's plantations 2009

'Australia's Plantation' is an annual update about timber plantation areas that highlights trends in plantation development.

In the past ten years the total plantation area has increased by about 55% ! The increase is almost entirely hardwood plantations.

Download the report from here.

Asia's Next Challenge: Securing the Region's Water Future

Decreased access to a safe, stable water supply in Asia "will have a profound impact on security throughout the region," warns a new Asia Society Leadership Group report. In response to the cascading set of consequences reduced access to fresh water will trigger—including impaired food production, the loss of livelihood security, largescale migration within and across borders, and increased economic and geopolitical tensions and instabilities—the report recommends a comprehensive strategy to avert a regional crisis.

http://www.asiasociety.org/taskforces/water/

On-Farm Impacts of an Australian Emissions Trading Scheme - Economic analysis

This report provides detailed information on the impacts of a CPRS at the farm level. While embedding its analysis in an economywide perspective, this report provides detailed impact estimates for each agricultural sector and each type of farm. It will be a useful basis for those contemplating investment or formulating policy and will help to inform RIRDC as it plans its research and development priorities into the future.

By: Tingsong Jiang, Kevin Hanslow, David Pearce

to see this publication from RIRDC please click here

Innovation in grazing

An automatic grazing system that utilises robots to move an electric fence was demonstrated for the first time in the Netherlands in March.

Read the 'Australian Dairyfarmer' article here.

Farm Biosecurity - May 09

The newest edition of Farm Biosecurity News is available online. Learn how to record and manage diseases, pests and weeds, and read about biosecurity research and activity in Australia and around the world.

Plastic bags gone from South Australian check-outs

Checkout-style plastic bags disappeared from South Australian shops on the 4th May 2009 - the first state in Australia to ban them. All retailers, from large supermarkets to small takeaway food shops, are subject to the ban. They will offer compostable as well as reusable bags at a cost to consumers instead.

Read the SMH article here.

Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy

The Institute for Food and Development Policy/Food First shapes how people think by analyzing the root causes of global hunger, poverty, and ecological degradation and developing solutions in partnership with movements working for social change.

http://www.foodfirst.org/

Environmental History Resources

The environment is one of the most pressing concerns facing society in the 21st century. The environmental debate is hugely complex with cultural, social, economic, moral, political and scientific dimensions all interacting. Key to this debate is Environmental History which provides an valuable long-term perspective on environmental change.

The site presents topics as wide ranging as public health, conservation, preservation of nature, smoke abatement, municipal housekeeping, occupational disease, air pollution and water pollution, and generally the historical interaction between culture and nature. The emphasis of the site is on Europe, in particular the area around the North Sea basin but with a keen eye on linking this with the wider world. This is reflected in the range of articles, bibliographies and other material that this website has to offer.

http://www.eh-resources.org/index.html

Gunnedah field days coming up in August

The Commonwealth Bank AgQuip field days are going to be held from 18-20 August in Gunnedah, New South Wales. The field days attract over 100,000 visitors, the largest visitation of any rural field days in the country.

Find more details here.

RIRDC Rural Women's Award

More than 100 rural women from across the country will descend on Canberra later this month (May) to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the RIRDC Rural Women’s Award. The award recognises women’s contribution to primary industries and also provides them with support and resources to further develop their skills and abilities.

Read more information here.

CSU expert on swine flu

John Glastonbury, Associate Professor in Diagnostic Pathology with Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at Wagga Wagga, is available for comment on emergency management of the swine influenza in animals.

For further details, see the CSU news item (29/04/09).