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George the Farmer founder Simone Kain and Quality Wool Genevieve Dyson, of Quality Wool, with George and a display of wool discovery kits that are expected to reach about 4000 students.

Wool discovery kitsPremiumNominations are open to assign wool discovery kits

Teachers, parents and members of school communities are encouraged to get in the running to receive one of 50 wool discovery kits as part of a national competition.

Bob Garnant

ZELP Sense is a low-cost, easy-to-use system for continuously measuring methane emissions from individual cows.

new techPremiumUK company launches breakthrough livestock emissions device

A UK-based agricultural technology company has identified Australia as a priority market for its breakthrough wearable device for real-world livestock emissions measurement

Melissa Pedelty

GRDC Harvester Set-up workshop in Carnamah in 2025.

hands-on learningPremiumWA farmers are saving harvesting days with free workshops

WA farmers are saving almost six days of harvesting and reducing losses after participating in leading grains research organisation’s harvester workshops, which will run again this year pre-harvest.

Melissa Pedelty

Agora Livestock managing director Rob Kelly. Georgia Campion

Beyond the saleyardsPremiumBeyond the Saleyards: Store lamb market finding its balance

After a period where the market has been moving quickly, this week is a good opportunity to take a more measured look at where the lamb and sheep markets are sitting, writes Rob Kelly.

Rob Kelly

Dave Mackay of Wheatbelt Draught Horses.

HorsepowerPremiumOld-fashioned horsepower on display at Dowerin

There was some old-fashioned horsepower on display at the Dowerin Machinery Field Days, with Wheatbelt Draught Horses attracting plenty of attention for its historical equipment on show.

Rebecca Nadge

Yealering farmer Sarah Corke said she would be harvesting "incredibly low" this year after receiving minimal rainfall this winter crop season.

Have you ever seen the rainPremiumCrop output expected to fall amid poor weather conditions

West Australia’s winter crop production is expected to fall this year after a bout of poor weather conditions, with one Wheatbelt grower expecting to harvest “incredibly low” this year

Georgia Campion

PJ Morris Exports managing director Peter Morris said his Chinese clients were keen to restock ahead of new-season orders.

firm marketPremiumPass-in rates expected to fall due to firming wool market

WA wool experts expect resistance to sell will change in the coming weeks, with many anticipating a firm market over the next six to 12 months despite the rough start to the year.

Melissa Pedelty

Custom Quip Engineering’s chief executive officer Chris Jenzen and general manager Anthony Van Litsenborgh at the Dowerin Machinery Field Days.

Dig deep for charityPremiumAg businesses urge everyone to dig deep for charity event

Agricultural businesses have thrown their support behind a charity auction and are urging people to dig deep for a worthy cause.

Rebecca Nadge

Displaying their Supreme Champion fleece awarded at the 2025 Perth Royal Show are Jeremy King and his wife Melinda, with their children Gemma, 17, Erin, 13, and Tom, 18.

Perth Royal ShowPremiumPerth Royal Show: 100 fleeces go for top awards

About 100 fleeces have been entered in this year’s Perth Royal Show fleece competition, with entries slightly up on last year

Bob Garnant

Watheroo’s Abigael Pond, Geraldton’s Alexander McKenzie, Perth’s Lachlan Versace and Frankland River’s Angus Egerton-Warburton.

Young farmer challengePremiumYoung farmers head to Perth Royal Show after Dowerin success

Four young farmers are gearing up to compete at the Perth Royal Show in September after besting their peers in a regional skills competition in Dowerin.

Melissa Pedelty

Nutrien Ag Solutions livestock business development manager Colby Ede with 2025 Livestock Export Young Achiever Jack Webb.

Achiever awrdPremiumNominationa open for young achiever award

Nominations are open for the 2026 Nutrien Ag Solutions Livestock Export Young Achiever of the Year award.

Bob Garnant

Fremantle Seaweed co-founders Mick Holland and Chris De Cuyper at North Coogee dog beach.

Emission reductionPremiumWA seaweed farmer now licensed

A WA seaweed farmer is one step closer to commercialising its feed supplement containing asparagopsis seaweed, with the WA feedlot sector to be the first customers.

Melissa Pedelty

Hung Out to Dry: The Institutional Gaps that have failed Australian farmers in the transition to sustainable agriculture panel at the Dowerin Machinery Field Days, including Brendon Savage, Jen West, Shaun Kalajzic, Dr Kirsten Ball, Hanabeth Luke and Nick Eyres.

too many sticksPremiumAg experts call for a supportive sustainability framework

WA agriculture industry experts are calling for better collaboration and funding to support sustainable agriculture.

Melissa Pedelty

Taking out the Ted Gaby Interstate Challenge teams title at the premier national sheepdog trial is the WA team of handlers and their dogs including Grant Cooke, of Grass Valley with Pendalup Gilbert, Simon Leaning, of Mount Helena with Marionvale Di, and Gordon Curtis, of Kellerberrin, with Binnaburra Marvin.

Sheepdog trial resultsPremiumTeam WA wins premier interstate sheepdog trial

WA has taken out the Ted Gaby Interstate Challenge teams’ event at Australia’s premier national working sheepdog trial.

Bob Garnant

Commbank's agribusiness national general manager Roddy Brown at the Dowerin Machinery Field Days.

On-farm investmentPremiumGrowers increasingly focused on margins and geopolitics

WA producers have become increasingly focused on margins in the wake of ongoing geopolitical uncertainty but there remains significant on-farm investment, says Commbank’s head of agribusiness. 

Rebecca Nadge

Thousands of visitors attended the 2026 Dowerin Machinery Field Days.

second-hand market spikePremiumSecond-hand machinery market wears the brunt of rising costs

Significant price increases and the rising cost of inputs is driving buyers to look to WA’s second-hand machinery market. 

Melissa Pedelty & Georgia Campion

The AWPF committee predicted a 4.4 per cent increase year-on-year in total shorn wool production in WA which committee chair Stephen Hill was driven by an increase in grower sentiment and good seasonal conditions.

ramming the trendPremiumWA leads the charge in rebuilding the wool industry

A leading forecasting body is anticipating WA to buck the national trend and have the highest wool production growth rate in the country for the 2026-27 financial year.

Melissa Pedelty

Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Jessica Lingard.

Weather with youPremiumMeteorologist on the complexities of weather forecasting

A WA meteorologist has addressed frustrations with the Bureau of Meteorology over inaccurate forecasts, saying that predicting the weather and rainfall is a complex science.

Georgia Campion

Whitfert WA sales manager Phil Brooks and CSBP sales strategy and reliability manager Ben Sudlow.

Market UpdatePremiumFarmers warned of above average fert costs for next crop

Fertiliser suppliers have urged farmers to put their orders in early for next year’s winter crop as global supply disruptions continue to affect the market, with prices to remain elevated above average.

Georgia Campion

Rhys Muir, Ash Geue and Alex Weinress of AGX Drone Distributors with the DJI Agras T100.

Drones in demandPremiumMouse plague, diesel uncertainty boosts ag drone sales

A company that supplies agricultural drones in WA has reported significant increases in sales, with producers responding to uncertainty around fuel and a need to bait during the mouse plague.  

Rebecca Nadge

The Growing value: Low Emissions Cropping Systems panel, including Lynne Macdonald from the CSIRO, Dr Samantha Harvie from UWA, Simon Wallwork, Bob Nixon and facilitator Oli Le Lievre from Humans of Agriculture.

CarbonPremiumProductivity outcomes tipped to drive carbon project

WA farmers presenting at a net zero forum say adoption of carbon reduction activities on farms would increase if productivity gains were proved.

Melissa Pedelty

Tony Collins, AWN, with Mia Schilling, Narrogin, Aiden Walker, Harvey, and Riley Hughes-Odgers, Cunderin, in the young judges competition at the Dowerin Machinery Field Days

YOUNG JUDGESPremiumYoung wool and sheep judges show their skills at Dowerin

There was plenty of talent on display in the ram shed at the Dowerin Machinery Field Days, with students from across WA putting their skills to the test in the young judges competition. 

Rebecca Nadge

At the 2025 Kohat White Suffolk ram sale was Nutrien stud stock agent Roy Addis, buyer Jye Duggan, of Ongerup, and Kohat stud co-principal Rivers Hyde, of Ongerup.

Ram selling seasonPremiumQuality genetics on offer in new season’s ram selections

WA’s ram selling season is expected to match quality genetics with renewed producer confidence towards the prospects of continued increased sheep and wool values. 

Bob Garnant

Farmers for Climate Action chief executive Verity Morgan-Schmidt said WA farmers are calling for stricter safeguard mechanism rules to force big polluters to reduce emissions at the source.

At what costPremiumFarmers want big polluters to fix their own house first

Australian farmers are calling for stricter safeguard mechanism rules so big polluters are forced to reduce emissions at the source.

Melissa Pedelty