Macfarlane optimistic on sealing climate deal

THE Coalition's lead climate change negotiator is optimistic about reaching an agreement with the Government on the emissions trading scheme - an outcome which would force the issue back to the Coalition party room and prove the stiffest test of Malcolm Turnbull's leadership.

Local food gobbled up by Sydney's urban sprawl

FARMS in the Sydney basin produce less than 5 per cent of the food energy used by the city's residents, a leading agricultural academic has calculated.

Reducing carbon could be a dirty job, but this farmer will do it

SINCE abandoning chemical fertiliser for a natural formula, Darryn Smith has felt his soil soften, seen worms return and watched the veterinary bill for his 180 cattle fall dramatically.

Sowing Seeds Of Change

THEY are self-described "blow-ins" to the area but people like Ken Johnson and other members of the Gloucester Project have ambitious and creative solutions to the apparent conflict between farming and energy production.

Staff Could Be Shown Stable Door Over Outbreak

SEVEN staff members of the federal Agriculture Department are being investigated for possible disciplinary action over their roles in the outbreak of equine influenza that brought the racing industry to a standstill last year.

$2bn Fertiliser Plant For Latrobe Valley

A $2 BILLION plant that will produce agriculture fertiliser from Victorian brown coal will be built in the Latrobe Valley.

No Mandate On Pain Reliever

THE Minister for Agriculture, Tony Burke, has ruled out making the use of pain relief compulsory for mulesing to appease European retailers boycotting Australian wool.

Mp's Resignation Puts Pressure On Others

THE former agriculture minister Peter McGauran plans to leave Parliament next month, increasing the pressure on the former ministers Alexander Downer, Peter Costello and Mark Vaile to state their intentions.

Nufarm Looks To Have Weathered The Big Drought

Climate will always have an impact on an agriculture supplier but, with its global spread and our recent rains, this one is well placed, writes Penny Pryor.

Farmers Expecting Great La Nina Year

AFTER years of drought that have destroyed crops and devastated farmers, 2008 could be "a year to remember" for Australian agriculture, a report says.

High Hopes For Farmers This Year

AFTER years of drought that have destroyed crops and devastated farmers, "2008 could be a year to remember for Australian agriculture", a report says.

Farmers Hope For Great Year

AFTER years of drought that have destroyed crops and devastated farmers, "2008 could be a year to remember for Australian agriculture," a report says.

Farmers Lash Coalition For Lack Of Vision

AUSTRALIAN farmers, traditionally staunch allies of the Coalition, have criticised its agriculture policy, claiming it lacks vision on the critical areas of drought, climate change and water.

The Land That Provides A Living Also Brings Death

AGRICULTURE is one of the most hazardous industries on the planet. Workers run at least twice the risk of dying on the job as those in other sectors, and exposure to pesticides plays a large part in their short lives.

Demand Prompts Call For Agricultural Expertise

UNIVERSITY heads have called on the political parties to support agriculture's future as new research shows demand for agricultural experts will grow by 36 per cent over the next six years.

Finding Out About The Farm

Students in suburbia are gaining a greater understanding of agriculture, thanks to some hands-on school courses, writes KATELIN McINERNEY. For most kids living in suburbia, milk comes from a carton - and there's a vague idea a cow might have been involved somewhere.

Warning: Expand Agriculture Or Choose Between Fuel And Food

UNLESS agriculture expands in the tropical north, promoting a biofuel industry makes little economic or environmental sense, a farming think-tank says.

Agriculture Outlook Rosy - Just Add Rain

AUSTRALIA'S $100 billion agriculture sector is set for a post-drought rebound, with commodity prices as high as they have been for 20 years, according to economists.

Warning On Waning Agricultural Research

FALLING government support for agricultural research is threatening the long-term future of Australian agriculture, according to a report.

Ato To Give Agribusiness Investors Advice On Living In Taxing Times

TAX Office and Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry officials will meet agribusiness investors at a conference in Melbourne next month to advise them on how growth in horticultural investments can be sustained.