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Next phasePremiumPendulum to grow Alterra avocado project as CEO exits

WA’s biggest wine producer and a former lieutenant of Andrew Forrest have both been put in charge of project managing the next stage of an avocado development in the South West.

Jenne Brammer

Growth risksPremiumBanks putting ‘proxy bans’ on red meat businesses

Financial service providers are being influenced by anti-farm animal activists, with difficulties in gaining financial services starting to emerge across the meat and livestock industry.

Jenne Brammer

Seafood successPremiumAbalone producer marks record sales in face of COVID

Strategic partnerships opened new bulk order channels through Taiwan and the UK, while sales volumes continued through traditional channels into Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne.

Jenne Brammer

Profits warningWA farms face biggest hit from climate change

The federal government's agriculture forecaster has warned farm profits could take a severe hit if producers fail to adapt to changing climate.

Matt Coughlan

Rodent fearsPremiumFears of mouse explosion after signs in Mid West

Farmers across WA have been urged to get out into their paddocks and search for signs of mice, after unusually early reports of mice damage near Geraldton

Jenne Brammer

Teething problemsPremiumSO4 in trouble again with Lake Way

Aspiring sulphate of potash producer Salt Lake Potash has called a halt on its shares ahead of a production downgrade and likely capital raising for its Lake Way project near Wiluna.

Stuart McKinnon

Location, location, locationCommentsPremiumWA sees wine glass half full as China sanctions bite

Only 60 per cent of wine destined for China will find a place in other existing markets by 2025 but WA producers are likely to have a leg up over the Eastern States in the search for new markets.

Kimberley Caines

Blistering attackPremiumExporter Wellard blasts banks for industry prejudice

Live export shipping operator Wellard claims Commonwealth Bank and other banks have effectively become a moral arbiter, refusing to do business with legitimate, legal businesses.

Jenne Brammer

Growing industryPremiumWork on Collie’s cannabis hub kicks off

Cannaponics’ 3600sqm greenhouse should be finished by the end of the year, while the 2000sqm manufacturing facility will be operating by the second quarter of 2022.

Jenne Brammer

Code ‘breaches’PremiumWatchdog takes Harvey Fresh owner to court

The competition and consumer watchdog alleges Lactalis breached a number of provisions of the Dairy Code, weakening the bargaining power of the farmers that supplied its milk.

Jenne Brammer

Trade warPremiumChina sanctions on Aussie wine could deliver $2.4b hit

China’s imports of bottled wine from Australia are expected to ‘cease entirely’ on the back punishing anti-dumping tariffs on local wine exports, highlighting the urgency to find new markets.

Danielle Le Messurier

Crop switchPremiumBarley hope but farmers miss malt premium

Australia is still exporting millions of tonnes of barley despite the loss of access to China but the premium for growing malt varieties no longer exists.

Jenne Brammer

Snout in troughPremiumPork group wins court case over lost wages claim

Seven years after leaving the State’s peak pork producers group under a cloud, its former chief executive Russell Cox has failed in his legal attempts to claim more than $100,000 in unpaid wages.

Jenne Brammer

Record PricesCattle prices crash through record $10/kg barrier

Australian cattle prices are continuing to soar after the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator pushed into record territory overnight, breaking through the $10 mark to sit at a whopping 1003.44¢/kg.

Adam Poulsen

Ship showPremiumFarmers nervous over Premier’s Indo vessels talk

WA’s agriculture sector is on edge after Premier Mark McGowan suggested ships could be banned from Indonesia as a last resort.

Jenne Brammer

Good yearPremiumWA sheep producers collect WAMMCO bonuses

Global shipping challenges and WA borders have made life difficult for a major WA meat processor, but it is still managing to pay its producer members a reasonable rebate.

Jenne Brammer

Labour crisisPremiumMacTiernan to lobby Feds for farm worker quarantine fix

Making Christmas Island detention centre available for skilled grain harvest workers to quarantine is one proposal WA Agriculture Alannah MacTiernan wants the Federal Government to consider.

Jenne Brammer

Executive changesPremiumVegetablesWA long-serving boss departs

WA’s peak vegetable advocacy group will embark on a national search for a new chief executive following the resignation of John Shannon.

Jenne Brammer

Tariffs costPremiumUK helps to pick up slack of China wine crash

A booming UK market for Australian wine has not been enough to offset the heavy loss of exports to China but has given the industry hope it can survive by growing sales in new countries.

Daniel Newell

ValePremiumEsperance farmer Chris Reichstein passes away

Chris Reichstein — recognised as one of Australia’s best farmers — has lost his battle with cancer, after generously donating his farm to benefit the local community.

Jenne Brammer

ASIC victoryPremiumStar witness in Frank Wilson case given video pass

The former head of Quintis’ US arm will be allowed to give evidence from the US, paving the way for ASIC’s case against Mr Wilson to be heard next month.

Sean Smith

Cropping 2021PremiumWaterlogging washes out crop yield potential

Agronomists and farmers say this is the first time wet weather has posed a widespread and significant issue in the region since 2016, when crops were affected by frost and waterlogging.

Cally Dupe

UPDATEDBig twist after strawberry needle scandal

The prosecution has dropped all charges against a Queensland woman who had been accused of inserting needles into strawberries.

Blake Antrobus

Horticulture Pay RatePremiumNational Farmers Federation slam piece rates claims

Australia’s peak horticultural body will fight for farmers’ access to piece rates and workers to earn “better than a fair day’s pay” after a major workers’ union took aim at the system this week.

Shannon Verhagen