South East SA Rural Report
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Latest Report
Calls for federal food minister
The Australian Food and Grocery Council is pushing for a federal food minister.
The council is Australia's peak food industry lobby group.
Its spokeswoman Kate Carnell says the country desperately needs a food and grocery policy.
"[Such a policy would] ensure we have a robust manufacturing industry into the future.
"At the moment food production and manufacturing is under significant pressure from rising costs, the high Australian dollar and cheap imports.
"The strategy also needs to include a minister who is responsible for the food and grocery manufacturing industry.
"At the moment there are a number of ministers who are a bit responsible for food.
"There is no minister responsible for the whole value chain surrounding food, and there needs to be."
The lobby group also wants the nation's farmers to produce food that's cleaner, greener and more affordable.
Irrigation sustainability
Achieving sustainable irrigation in Australia is going to be an ongoing challenge with objectives continuing to change as decisions relating to environmental needs and a changing climate improves, according to UniSA associate professor Henning Bjornlund.
"The irrigation industry is by far the largest water user, so if more water needs to be left in rivers, most of that water needs to come out of irrigation.
"Sustainable irrigation is therefore critical to the future wellbeing of our State."
Reflections on juice
It will mark the end of an era today when a two day auction will see the last of the equipment at the National Foods juice factory put under the hammer.
The plant has been an integral part of the Riverland region since it began almost 70 years ago.
South Australian Features
Young riders in International Mounted Games
Five of our top young riders head to Britain in August to compete at the International Mounted Games. Australia won last year at Calgary, Canada. Can they make it two in a row?
Is foreign investment a problem?
How much new foreign investment is actually occurring in Australia, and should agriculture and food industries be concerned?
Australian manages ICARDA farm
Australian Colin Norwood moved to Syria two years ago to manage the ICARDA farm. He and his wife Anita will head back to Esperance, WA in December.
Paroo Darling National Park bursting with life
At first glance, the Paroo Darling National Park is a dry and dusty landscape, filled with winding dirt tracks and low-lying trees and scrub.
Visiting local farmers in rural Syria
Kendall Jackson visits local farmers and machinery manufacturers north-east of Aleppo, just south of the Turkish border.
The historic Aleppo city
There are many historic sites to visit in Aleppo, Syria.
Milparinka Gymkhana clocks up 60 years
The Milparinka Gymkhana celebrates 60 years this year: a stronghold in the community despite the boom-and-bust country it calls home.
ABC Rural in Syria
Kendall Jackson travelled to Syria with the assistance of the not-for-profit Crawford Fund, which promotes and supports international agricultural research and development and also the Council for Australian-Arab Relations.
South Australian livestock market reporters
The Country Hour wouldn't be what it is today without our dedicated team of livestock market reporters.
Check out our handsome handful of market reporters, Max, Chris, Tony and Peter.
Drought-proofing the property
Graziers in the far-west of New South Wales breathed a collective sigh of relief this year, but many have already started looking to the future.
