WAFarmers has today launched a crowdfunding campaign to send Jona Weinhofen, the face of PETA’s latest anti-shearing campaign, to shearing school for a hands-on education about Australia’s wool industry. Weinhofen is the most recent celebrity to pose for PETA in a misleading advert which depicts shearing as a barbaric practice which is damaging to animals. The lamb pictured in the campaign is now widely acknowledged as being made of foam.  WAFarmers President Dale Park said the fake lamb

Cattle producers in the Great Southern should be alert for signs of a disease causing anaemia in cattle. Bovine anaemia due to the Theileria orientalis group (BATOG) is transmitted to cattle by bush ticks infected with a blood-borne parasite. Department of Agriculture and Food field veterinary officer Jenny Cotter said the bush tick was thought to be the main carrier, but other native ticks might also spread the disease. “The signs of BATOG vary and

ALEC has launched an animal welfare survey which is seeking community and stakeholder views on the livestock export industry’s animal welfare performance. Murdoch university is conducting the survey as part of an R&D project to develop indicators of animal welfare along the livestock export supply chain.To complete the survey, click here. For more information about the survey, click here. 

The fourth annual Honey Month is fast approaching and will be celebrated across the country, promoting Australian honeybees and their products to the wider public. Honey Month committee member Leilani Leyland, who is also the vice president of the WAFarmers Beekeepers Section, said a small scale festival proved to be extremely successful by attracting far more visitors than originally anticipated.  “The general public was excited to learn about beekeeping and honey,” Mrs Leyland said. “The

The Department of Agriculture and Food has advised WAFarmers that nominations close shortly for the Grains, Seeds and Hay Industry Funding Scheme management committee and the Sheep and Goats Industry Funding Scheme management committee. The committees oversee biosecurity Industry Funding Schemes, using authorised funding arrangements for producers to raise funds to tackle priority pests and diseases. On advice from the industry, the committees determine what pests and disease threats require action and how best to

Nominations are now open for the 2015 Australian Farmer of the Year Awards. The awards are organised by Kondinin Group and ABC Rural.  The awards are in their sixth year recognise the contributions of individuals and families to farming pursuits in Australia. Nominations are open to farmers and farming families and may be submitted by third parties on behalf of others. Three finalists in each category are selected by dedicated judging panels and will be

The Department of Finance has introduced the Reinvigorating Regulatory Reform program which is administered through the Economic Reform business unit. Central to the program is the reduction of red tape which, in turn, reduces unnecessary delays and avoidable costs, duplication of regulatory or compliance requirements across different Government agencies and excessive compliance burden, especially for low risk applications and approvals. The Government has asked members of the public to submit their feedback and recommendations, identifying

Recent reports in the media have stated that the Federal Government is reportedly considering drastic changes to the way the safety of red meat exports are accredited by government-employed meat inspectors. Under cost saving measures the government is considering replacing 215 government employed export meat inspectors with privately paid inspectors. Some meat processors, including JBS, have expressed concerns that this shift could jeopardise the 8 billion dollar beef trade and the 1.6 billion dollar lamb

Norwest Energy, in conjunction with partners AWE and Bharat Petroleum, are planning to clear up to 185 hectares of high quality native vegetation (‘Kwongan Heathland’) in and around the Beekeeper’s Nature Reserve. They want to do 3D seismic testing to work out where to locate a horizontal fracking well to join one that is already in existence, turning the area around the nature resereve into a commercial gas fracking field. The State Government and Federal