The Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) has created an online web portal and DVD for farmers recovering from Cyclone Yasi, and also to offer some tips that could help them prepare for future disastrous climatic events. Read More »

An admission by the New Zealand horticulture industry’s Chief Executive has confirmed once again that the New Zealand processed vegetable industry is importing vegetables from China, repackaging them in New Zealand and sending them to Australia under the labelling claim, ‘Made in New Zealand from local and imported ingredients’. Read More »

Windsor Farm in Cowra, New South Wales, has reportedly been placed into Voluntary Administration yesterday, a move which will cause the last wholly Australian owned cannery to shut its doors.

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Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) announced in December that COAG Ministers sought a review on the proposed standard for low THC hemp as food, with Ministers agreeing to seek advice from the Standing Council on Police and Emergency Services. Read More »

Comparative production of in vitro mini-tuber potatoes grown in sawdust and specially blended media. The experiment aimed to analyse the cost effectiveness and viability of using a specifically designed blended growing media in comparison to commonly available sawdust.

Report by Ben Safronovitz Read More »

For the first time in a decade, Dutch greenhouse acreage has declined by 2.4% to 4870 hectares, compared to about 4990 hectares in 2010 and 2011. According to figures from Statistics Netherland, greenhouse acreage had been steadily growing for over a decade. The number of glasshouse companies has also dropped, from 1205 in 2011, to 1131 last year. In 2000, there were 2511 active horticultural companies in the Netherlands. The data reveals a decline in tomato acreage, slightly down from 2012; however, there has been an increase in the production of vine and cherry tomatoes. Also down is pepper acreage, which has dropped by 50 hectares. While the production of green peppers is constant, and there has been a slight increase in yellow peppers, there is a decline in the production of red peppers. On the positive side of the ledger, there has been a slight increase in strawberry acreage to 290 hectares, which has been attributed to an increase in glass cultivation. The area under glass is now about equal to plastic tunnels. The overall decline in the Dutch horticulture sector can be attributed to the competitiveness of the Spanish industry, an increase in natural gas prices, and government policy to prohibit growers from building new greenhouses that use any fossil fuels by 2015.
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The House of representatives  Agriculture Commiittee today published its report into the Agriculture and Veterinary Chemicals Legislation Amendment Bill 2012. Read More »