- While local sugar cane growers are seeing some of the best prices in history for their cane, rising costs have caught up to their bottom line and left many growers treading water after the 2022 crushing season wrapped up. Local growers are already gearing up for the 2023 season, set to start in early June and will continue again right up until December. Read a regional article on the impact of rising input costs on farm in The Express HERE.
- QFF is pleased to welcome QFF Industry Workforce Advisor Kym Wessling to the team! Kym is available to provide tailored workforce planning assistance to small and medium employers enabling you to address workforce challenges, diversify your workforce and support workforce and productivity growth. Kym will assist employers to identify workforce strategies including recruiting and attracting people from a larger and more diverse pool of labour supply sources. She will also connect employers with available grants and initiatives including the Workforce Connect Fund for new and innovative HR solutions. Connect today via email. Industry Workforce Advisors have been established under the ‘Good people. Good jobs: Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022–2032.’
- Heads up! ANZ will be conducting a road trip in March likely covering Townsville, Charters Towers, Emerald, Toowoomba and Roma to present the report titled ‘Greener Pastures 2: Critical pathways to capture global agricultural opportunities report’. This is part of a broader series of industry reports developed by ANZ which aim to support conversations about opportunities for Australian agriculture, to ensure ongoing growth and prosperity for the sector for decades to come. QFF members and their growers are very welcome to attend. We will keep you posted as ANZ finalise their trip.
- You can now listen to the stories of Aussie farmers from around the country in the National Farmers’ Federation’s ‘Australian Farmers: Telling Our Story’ podcast. Each week hear host Angie Asimus tackle the most common misconceptions about life on the land and have many laughs along the way with some of the most memorable characters you could ever meet. List on Apple Podcasts HERE.
- In this month’s Telstra Technology Tips, get to know the different technologies being used to roll out the NBN. If you’re thinking of signing up to a NBN plan or want to understand the factors that influence the speeds you receive, it’s helpful to understand your technology type. It’s also helpful to understand that you don’t get to choose the NBN connection type you have. The way your home or business connects to the NBN is dictated by the technology that NBN Co has connected to your premises based on your area. See Telstra’s guide HERE.
- Australians love their chicken and nearly 690 million meat chickens are raised every year for consumers. One thing that these consumers deeply care about is animal welfare. In this video, Humans of Agriculture showcases the ‘RSPCA Approved’ program which provides assurance that appropriate welfare standards are achieved by our farmers. Take a look inside the meat chicken industry to learn how Australia’s favourite meat is brought to the table.
- A reminder that anyone can submit feedback into the implementation of the National Reconstruction Fund (NRF). The Australian Government is establishing the $15 billion NRF to diversify and transform Australia’s industry and economy. By establishing the NRF the government hopes to create secure, well-paid jobs; secure Australia’s future prosperity; and drive sustainable economic growth. Further information and details about giving feedback can be found HERE.
- Jump on DAFF’s webinar on 8 February (2pm – 3pm AEDT) to learn more about their Long-term Trials of Drought Resilient Farming Practices Grants program. The Program is aimed at supporting a limited number of trials that test the effectiveness of drought resilient farming practices over several years. Grants are available for up to $8 million per application and funded up to 2027-28.
- The CSIRO is inviting industry, peak bodies, government, consumers, and individuals to participate and provide comment on their “Australian Food Systems Roadmap” Discussion Paper. The Roadmap is intended to help guide the sustainable transformation that is necessary across Australia’s food systems, and takes a systems lens looking at the entire food value chain and its many interacting systems HERE.
- As valued contributors to improving safety in Queensland’s rural workplaces, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland invites farmers to complete a quad bike survey. The results of this survey will be vital in understanding the behaviours and beliefs of quad bike users. First-hand information allows us to clearly focus on the most important issues to be tackled. The survey will take 15 minutes to complete and will close 27 February.
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