Australian grain growers are being told not become complacent about the future of barley prices without China as a major customer. Farmers desperate to recruit workers this harvest will be pleased to hear the federal agriculture minister saying the government is a step closer to welcoming foreign workers, under the new agriculture or ag visa. As the world gets closer to a net zero emissions target, farmers want to know all about the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for their businesses. The chance to discuss it took place UWA this week, at an event organised by the WA based climate action group AgZero.

Western Australia Country Hour

The WA farm sector is trying to get its head around the implications of the state government's decision to introduce mandatory vaccination for most WA workers. The new measure applies to industries covering about 75 per cent of WA's workforce and employers and employees face fines if they don't comply. The Premier Mark McGowan says the move is to prepare the state for community transmission of COVID-19. Rabobank's Cheryl Kalisch Gordon believes this season's national harvest of winter grains, oilseeds and pulses could end up breaking records, not for volume, but for total value. The Forest Products Commission will soon be making offers to purchase land in the state's South West. Forestry Minister Dave Kelly says the FPC is on the hunt for up to 33, 000 hectares of land for pine plantations.

Cara Peek has been announced as the 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award recipient. The Broome-based lawyer and advocate was awarded for her work in driving employment opportunities for First Nations people in remote Australia through the organisation Saltwater Country. Saltwater Country is an Indigenous-led not-for-profit that uses rodeo sports and country music events to re-engage at-risk Indigenous youth with their pastoral history. The unseasonal cold front that started coming through yesterday dumped as much as forty millimetres of rain to farms in the Northampton shire north of Geraldton. But there was also lots of wind overnight. Corey Folezzani is at Windsor Station, which is 80 kilometres east of Mount Magnet. He has lost half the roof off his homestead, and says the wind coming through was like a tornado.

Western Australian Senator Dean Smith is calling for Rio Tinto to face a judicial inquiry over the destruction of the Juukan Gorge rock shelters. In May 2020, the mining giant blasted two 46,000-year-old rock shelters in WA's Pilbara region, despite traditional owners, warning of the site's cultural significance. A parliamentary into the blast has just concluded saying Rio Tinto's actions were "inexcusable and an affront, not only to the PKKP but to all Australians" and recommends new laws to protect thousands of sacred sites across Australia. Dean Smith was part of that parliamentary inquiry, but says the incident warrants the scrutiny of a judicial inquiry. The Cairns District Court has cleared Queensland pastoralist Scott Harris of breaching cultural heritage protection laws, on his property in the Cape York Peninsula.

A series of community information sessions have been held along WA's south coast to discuss the state government's plans to establish a marine park in the region. A marine park is a type of protected marine area to help conserve marine habitats and biodiversity, while at the same time allowing a range of sustainable activities including fishing, diving, boating and tourism. At this stage the marine park will be located somewhere along the coast between Bremer Bay and the South Australian border. The Esperance Professional Fisherman's Association is worried the process is being rushed through in order to keep a promise made by the Premier to increase marine parks in WA. A growing number of Indonesian fishing boats operating within the Rowley Shoals Marine Park, 300 kilometres off the coast of Broome, has prompted outrage from local fishermen and tour operations. WA Fisheries minister Don Punch says the commonwealth needs to do more in Australia's northern waters.

Despite the lack of useful rain over the last few months, the quality of grain coming off in the northern agricultural zone is far better than expected. The latest Grain Industry of Western Australia crop report shows the state is now on track for a grain harvest of just over 19 million tonnes, worth around $6.5 billion dollars. The CEO of Pulse Australia says some exporters to China have until next Friday to register with the Department of Agriculture in order to meet new Chinese customs requirements. The western demersal fishery closes today - and on the south coast, locals are bracing for an influx of recreational fishermen. Bremer Bay fisher Graeme Drew says recreational bag limits need to be reduced to curb overfishing and spawning fish should be protected.

Speaking at the National Press Club today, Fortescue Metals Group founder and green energy advocate, Andrew Forrest was clearly frustrated that Australia is yet to announce an emissions target. He went as far as saying the Prime Minister should tear up the coalition agreement if the Nationals continue to debate whether to support Australia signing a net zero emissions target. The energy crisis gripping much of the Northern Hemisphere is proving lucrative for Australian gas producers. Gas prices have reached stratospheric heights in recent weeks. Fertiliser prices are set to remain very high with news coming though last night that a number of key ports in China are now refusing to export the product, a ban that could be in place until mid next year.

Grain growers still searching for workers to help get the crop off this season will be pleased to hear about today's launch of Harvest Force. Grower group GrainGrowers has joined forces with three big agribusinesses, Nutrien, Elders and CSBP, who have agreed to release some of their staff to work on the harvest. The lack of skilled farm machinery operators this season means many farmers are spending time training new workers how to do the job. Grain growers have certainly got their challenges this season - the big crop, the lack of workers, difficulties getting trucks and drivers to cart their grain to the bins and now some unexpected roadworks in the central wheatbelt.

The head of the WAFarmers grain section Mic Fels has called on the state government to refer the ongoing industrial dispute at the Port of Fremantle to the Fair Work Commission. In breaking news, transport minister Rita Saffioti has written to the Fair Work Commission asking it to look at intervening in the industrial action at Fremantle Port. A Pilbara pastoralist is calling for firearm law reform across Australia, to put an end to the reckless behaviour of shooters that are a danger to his workers and livestock.

Farmers are insisting the federal government needs to compensate landholders who helped Australia reach earlier emissions reduction targets if it is to win the industry's support for a net zero emissions economy. The WA Nationals held its annual state conference at the weekend. A motion to support net zero by 2050 was eventually passed with a minor amendment. New safety standards requiring rollover bars on new or imported second hand Quad bikes are now mandatory.

A mothballed abattoir in WA's north west is expected to reopen next year, because ownership is being restructured into a cooperative WA's main grain handler, the CBH Group, is increasing freight rates by an average of 18 per cent for the 21/22 season

WA Country Hour

Conservationists slam a decision by the WA Government to grant an exemption to a Kimberley-based fracking project to export gas A farmer in the Esperance region has just spent almost $60,000 of his own money to upgrade an airstrip on his property ahead of bushfire season

Rural news and events from Western Australia and the nation

The canola cash price has reached a record high of around $1000 in Western Australia. Record attendance at the 2021 Kulin Bush Races after a COVID prompted the cancellation of last year's event.

Late season rain is being welcomed by some WA grain growers who say it will boost yield potential head of harvest. Market volatility and a high shipping freight rates has claimed another small iron ore miner in WA's Midwest.

Hosted by Belinda Varischetti, the presenter of the Western Australian Country Hour, the country's finest hour

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Western Australia Country Hour

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