WAFarmers President Tony York welcomed staff, local farmers, Minister for Agriculture Mark Lewis and Policy Adviser to the Minister Trevor Whittington at his farm in Tammin yesterday. The visit, which incorporated a tour of the farm, a demonstration on Anameka salt bush and a ride on the header, intended to give the visitors an indication of how the harvest was progressing in the area, and to give staff who may not have been on a

Dairy farmers across WA and Australia are urged to get their fire and emergency preparations finalised, as the fire season begins. With memories of the difficulties faced by some of WA’s dairy farmers during the Harvey-Waroona fire in January still raw, WAFarmers and Dairy Australia encourage dairy farmers to take necessary precautions and familiarise themselves, their workers and their families with their emergency plans. Dairy Australia Issues Manager Julie Iommi said fire emergencies had already

Last week, WAFarmers’ Bees Executive Officer Maddison McNeil and Media and Communications Officer Melanie Dunn visited Bees Neez Apiaries in Beechina, to learn more about the processes behind honey extraction. Using his honey extraction machinery, WAFarmers Beekeepers Council Senior Vice President David Leyland and his staff demonstrated how the comb is uncapped on the frame and put in the extractor, and how centrifugal forces work in getting the honey out of the comb. Mr Leyland

Farmers across the country are breathing a sigh of relief, with the Greens supporting the Federal Government’s 15 per cent tax rate for backpackers in Parliament today. Leader of the Greens Richard Di Natale announced that his nine senators would support the rate, and said their decision would introduce certainty for farmers and the environment. With their support and that of other crossbenchers, the Bills are expected to pass the Senate tonight. “This solution is

WAFarmers and the wider agricultural sector continue to be left in limbo by Parliament on the backpacker tax issue, following the defeat of the Coalition’s plan for a 15 per cent tax rate in the Senate this morning. Labor’s amendment to the Bills to drop the tax rate to 10.5 per cent were supported by the Greens and crossbenchers including Derryn Hinch, David Leyonhjelm and Jacqui Lambie, sending the Bills back to the House of

The WA dairy industry has a very bright future, if enthusiasm shown by a group of young WA dairy farmers is anything to go by. With sponsorship from the WAFarmers Dairy Industry Fund, the group departed Perth on Sunday afternoon for a 10-day trip to New Zealand as part of Dairy Australia’s Young Dairy Network. The group, supported by the WAFarmers Dairy Industry Fund, DeLaval, PGG Wrightson Seeds, Elders and Harvey Fresh, will visit farms,

WAFarmers and the wider agricultural sector have welcomed the announcement by Treasurer Scott Morrison that the Coalition has agreed to a compromise of 15 per cent on the backpacker tax. The decision comes off the back of extensive campaigning from industry and the tourism and hospitality sectors, particularly in recent weeks when the issue was in a stalemate. WAFarmers Chief Executive Officer Stephen Brown said the organisation was pleased for industry that a fair compromise

The agricultural industry, together with hospitality and tourism, remain on tenterhooks following the rejection of the Coalition’s backpacker tax proposal by the Senate earlier today and their endorsement of a lower 10.5 per cent tax rate. With only one sitting week remaining for the year in which a fair and reasonable tax rate could be negotiated, WAFarmers Chief Executive Officer Stephen Brown urged all parties to come together and make a decision that would keep

The first annual Agriculture Ambassador Scholarship for students at the state’s five agricultural colleges have all been awarded, and WAFarmers congratulates each student. The annual scholarships, which opened to Year 11 students at colleges in June, recognise agricultural college students with a strong interest in the industry, and support their growth and development within their chosen agricultural field. For the WA Colleges of Agriculture in Harvey and Denmark, their scholarships are tied specifically to the

As part of their reconsideration of the approvals, registrations and product labels associated with the insecticide dimethoate, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) are now calling for comments on the recently-released dimethoate proposed regulatory decisions report. WAFarmers Grains Section welcomed the APVMA’s decision to maintain registration on cereals and legumes, but was concerned about proposed early season only restrictions on oilseeds and pastures. “Dimethoate is a good product for mid to late season