Queensland Farmer Today - August 2023

A place of poetic pride

Cloncurry mayor Greg Campbell says Australia’s cultural signature - and particularly that in the outback - is inked by the muses of poets.

“Some don’t recognise the names Dorothea Mackellar, Banjo Paterson, Henry Lawson, Oodgeroo Noonuccal and even famed modern poet Rupert McCall and their spine-tingling odes to Australia’s ‘sweeping plains, rugged mountain ranges, droughts and flooding rains’.

He says it’s fitting therefore that one of the nation’s richest poetry competitions is staged in one of the nation’s most beautiful outback towns - Cloncurry.

Cr Campbell paid tribute to the role of women in forging life in the outback.

“For those who know the outback and its challenges, these heroic co-workers reflect the history of many of the families of the region through the grandmothers, mothers, aunts and members who have often - from behind the scenes - woven the family and community threads together.”

STORY PAGE 2

Our ‘mental war’

A report on the mental health of Australian farmers has revealed almost half have had thoughts of self-harm or suicide, while close to a third have attempted self-harm or suicide.

The National Farmer Wellbeing Report surveyed 1300 farmers from across the country

in February, 2023.

Commissioned by Norco, in partnership with the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF), the report found that in recent years, nearly half of Australian farmers have felt depressed, with almost two thirds experiencing anxiety.

According to the report, the top three factors impacting farmer mental health were weather or natural disasters, financial stress, as well as inflation and cost pressures. “These findings should be a wake-up call to everyone who supports farmers – from governments

to service providers, right through to our end customers,“ said NFF president Fiona Simson.

“We need to reflect on ways to improve this situation as a matter of urgency - and show farmers that they’re not alone.“

COVERAGE PAGES 14-15

Cloncurry Shire Council mayor Greg

INSIDE

WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE ......pages 20-21

Queensland Farmer Today has long championed the crucial cause of rural mental health.

Sadly, however, according to a recent Norco-commissioned National Farmers’ Federation wellbeing report, farmers are still struggling.

Goondiwindi cotton grower Chantal Corish of The Rural Psychologist cites two possible reasons why …

Firstly, men are often socialised from a young age to avoid discussing their feelings or asking for help.

Also, farmers - indeed residents throughout rural Australia - she says feel threatened, misunderstood and alienated from the rest of the country.

In short, Australians’ failure to support their farmers is causing their mental health to collapse under the heavy artillery fire of protest groups, political bandwagons and plain old-fashioned ignorance.

Paradise: ..........................................75%

Somerset: .....................................78.9%

Wivenhoe:......................................70.9%

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Outback hero tale triumphs

Winner of The Cloncurry Poetry Prize - one of Australia’s richest - is Penny Lane from NSW with Remembering Mary, a beautifully painted picture of an outback hero worthy of much praise.

Ms Lane wins the $10,000 prize.

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Odes to strong, pioneering women have featured in results of one of the country’s richest word fests.

Cloncurry Shire Council mayor Greg Campbell announced the results on the banks of Chinaman Creek Dam at Cloncurry, with poet enthusiasts and locals gathering to celebrate.

This year’s theme was Outback Heroes.

Of the top five poems, three honour and acknowledge the role women of the land have played in the dramas of outback life.

Joining Ms Lane in the top five were:

· Runner-Up: Tom McIlveen with his poem Heroes of Yesterday

· Third: David Campbell with his poem Unsung Heroes

· Highly Commended: Bronwyn Blake with her poem The Women of the Outback

· Commended: Barry Desailly with his poem Outback Legend of the Sky Cloncurry mayor Greg Campbell said Australia’s cultural signature - and particularly that in the outback - was inked by the muses of poets.

“Some don’t recognise the names Dorothea Mackellar, Banjo Paterson, Henry Lawson, Oodgeroo Noonuccal and even famed modern poet Rupert McCall and their spinetingling odes to Australia’s ‘sweeping plains, rugged mountain ranges, droughts and flooding rains’.

“It’s fitting therefore, that one of the nation’s richest poetry competitions is staged in one of the nation’s most beautiful outback towns – Cloncurry.”

He paid tribute to the role of women in forging life in the outback.

“For those who know the outback and its challenges, these heroic co-workers reflect the history of many of the families of the region through the grandmothers, mothers, aunts and members who have often - from behind the scenes - woven the family and community threads together.”

Winning poet Penny Lane said she was stirred to respond to the theme ‘Outback Heroes’ when she read of the competition in her local newspaper, the Port Stephens Examiner.

“I am particularly interested in exploring the experiences of women in Australia’s history and recording them in poetry.

“The first image of an outback hero that

came to my mind was of my husband’s greatgreat grandmother Mary Bassett Lane, who migrated to Queensland in 1866, “ she said.

“Three of my great loves are family, poetry and being in the outback and I was able to combine the three in creating my poem Remembering Mary.

“Thank you to Cloncurry and to those involved in running and sponsoring the competition. We poets applaud you.

“I have a connection to Cloncurry. I married into the Lane family, as did a young woman from nearby Marrabah in 1939.

“That woman’s daughter is my cousin-inlaw and the Lane family historian Dale, who introduced me to Mary Bassett Lane.

“Remembering Mary is dedicated to Dale.”

The Top 10 poems from this year’s competition can be found on the Cloncurry Shire Council website.

Chantal reflects on a meeting she had during the drought in 2019 with farmers and agricultural workers in a little town (population 300, give or take) neighbouring Goondiwindi.

When she arrived for the 6am appointment, the men were asked to gather around.

They listened politely. They did a little activity without questioning or contributing any negative comments.

When she finished, one brave farmer raised his hand.

He spoke of his feelings of desperation and loneliness in a dark world of depression. Of standing in a paddock, by himself, sobbing. Of not being able to tell anyone, not being able to speak to anyone. Of having to ‘get it all out’ before going home to his wife and kids.

How heartbreaking!

Please, please seek help if you are suffering.

· Lifeline: 13 11 14.

· Farmers and ‘Mental War’ by Chantal Corish - page 14.

- Fiona Gowers

Goondiwindi cotton grower Chantal Corish of The Rural Psychologist.

Cloncurry prize winner 2023 Penny Lane.

Cloncurry mayor Greg Campbell.

Lift in positive sentiment

By Fiona Gowers

Positivity about seasonal conditions and commodity prices has boosted confidence among Queensland primary producers in the second quarter of 2023.

Rabobank’s Rural Confidence Survey found that while farmer confidence remained negative, overall sentiment has improved from 30 per cent last quarter to 13pc.

Also, fewer farmers expect the agricultural economic conditions to drop in the next 12 months, while those expecting business conditions to improve has increased from 10pc to 15pc.

Queensland producers expecting the agricultural economy to decline in the next 12 months are most concerned about the prospect of falling commodity prices.

Dry seasonal conditions, government intervention/ policies and higher interest rates are also worrying producers.

Rabobank regional manager for southern Queensland Brad James said Queensland producers expected a “correction” in cattle prices this year.

“The easing of cattle prices in 2023 will have contributed to suppressing confidence, but cattle prices are still reasonable – countered to some extent by growing input costs,” he said.

Queensland beef producers who expect business conditions to drop in the year ahead has fallen from 40pc last quarter to 33pc in this survey.

More than half (56pc) expect business conditions to remain unchanged.

Softening commodity prices are beef producers’ chief concern, with dry seasonal conditions next.

Mr James said the survey showed confidence improving among the state’s graingrowers, with 89pc now believing economic conditions will stay steady or improve in the year ahead.

“And rain in recent weeks has delivered a full soil moisture profile in many grain growing areas, setting growers up for the winter crop and for some the forthcoming summer crop,” he said.

For Queensland croppers, dry seasonal conditions, easing commodity prices and rising input costs were big concerns.

“Graingrowers generally enjoyed a good early summer, but the rain did abate for some southern Queensland graingrowing areas earlier this year,” Mr James said.

“However, there have been reports of some outstanding sorghum yields.

“Dryland cotton harvested around St George reflects some outstanding results – up to 14 to15 bales per hectare - while in some parts of the Darling Downs up to 10 or 11 bales/ha.

“The Central Highlands have seen some outstanding yields also, in the range of 17 to 18 bales/ha.”

This survey, completed in May, saw a significant ‘pivot’ in confidence among the state’s cotton growers – with the majority surveyed reporting an expectation that agricultural economic conditions will improve or stay the

same in the next 12 months.

This compared with 87pc of Queensland cotton producers believing the agricultural economy would decline in the coming year when last surveyed.

“The recent rain across much of southern Queensland has topped up water storages, setting many cotton growers up,” Mr James said.

He said there was still “undoubtedly“ a desire among producers to invest money back into their existing farming businesses.

“Typically, during these strong economic cycles, we see producers investing in their own farming enterprises through improvements to infrastructure and efficiency advancements,” he said.

Rabobank’s Rural Confidence Survey is a comprehensive monitor of outlook and sentiment in Australian rural industries. It questions about 1000 primary producers across diverse commodities and geographical areas throughout Australia quarterly.

The next results are scheduled for release in September 2023.

Fact File

· Queensland producer confidence saw a significant lift in the second quarter of 2023.

· Seasonal conditions and commodity prices are driving the optimistic outlook.

· More QLD farmers are looking to increase their investment.

Rabobank regional manager for southern Queensland Brad James.

A purple worm shows the rural confidence index for Queensland.

Clever Cotton aims high

By Fiona Gowers

A $125 million investment capturing $1 billion in return is the aim of Clever Cotton, an ambitious investment plan that hopes to deliver innovation with impact.

Emerald cotton grower Ross Burnett of Barkool says the Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC) initiative reflects the current focus and agility of Australia’s cotton industry.

Mr Burnett, a CRDC director, says Clever Cotton will allow the industry to establish a sustainable low-carbon production system, as well as capture data and insights that enhance its market access and value.

Furthermore, he hopes it will provide a roadmap to world-leading RD&E that enables the cotton industry to respond faster to the rising challenges affecting how much cotton is produced.

“Over the past five years, the industry’s focus on sustainability has grown and Clever Cotton aligns strongly with that to ensure Australian cotton is competitive on the world stage,” Mr Burnett said.

“Also, stakeholders throughout the supply chain are asking for more thorough evidence of how we produce cotton, which ensures we must remain open and transparent.”

Mr Burnett says cotton growers are implementing new technologies to produce cotton with less inputs such as insecticides and herbicides, less water and even less land to achieve a productive increase.

“I think it’s positive, yes.

“It’s a challenge but it’s exciting to know that we’re not still doing the same things we did more than 10 years ago.

“We want to be progressive and implement new ideas and technologies because we’re al-

ways learning and striving to do better.”

CRDC executive director Dr Ian Taylor says the challenges facing cotton growers are more complex than ever.

He cites biosecurity, a changing climate, demographic shifts, digital disruption, evolving consumer expectations, automation, geopolitical unrest, urbanisation and competing demands for resources.

“To overcome these 21st-century challenges, we need 21st-century solutions – and that’s what Clever Cotton will deliver,” Dr Taylor said.

“The cotton industry has a history of ambitious and transformational solutions – over CRDC’s 30-year history, RD&E has helped our growers achieve a 97pc reduction in insecticide, 52pc reduction in water and 34pc reduction in land needed to grow a single bale of cotton.

“Our goal now is to deliver the next major step forward for our industry.”

Building on this enviable track record of innovation and adoption, Clever Cotton heralds a new program-based investment approach.

It is one that encourages researchers to look beyond traditional boundaries and, instead, consider industry’s challenges in the context of the system as a whole.

“To meet the industry-defining challenges that lay ahead of us, we need RD&E that delivers transformational change,” Dr Taylor said.

“Rather than smaller projects that, together and over time, add up to deliver meaningful solutions, we’re going to deliver bigger investments with bigger outcomes and bigger impact.

“Clever Cotton champions that approach.”

Emerald cotton grower Ross Burnett of Barkool, a Cotton Research and Development Corporation director is pictured with Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt.

Picture: ASHLEIGH DWAN

Securing sustainability

Clever Cotton reaffirms the industry’s commitment to leading the world in sustainable cotton production.

Its three pillars of investment – PADDOCK, PEOPLE, PLANET – mirror the key focus areas in the Australian cotton industry’s sustainability framework, which recognises sustainability is integral to growing cotton in a variable climate; to maintaining trust in the industry and to secure access in export markets that are starting to regulate the environmental and social impacts of textile production all the way back to the farm.

To focus RD&E efforts, each pillar contains three themes, creating nine distinct, yet interconnected investment areas that deliver the greatest impact and best outcomes for growers, the industry and the wider community: Paddock

· Data-driven decisions

· Adaptive systems

· Connected market intelligence

People

· Design and innovation

· Leadership and capacity

· Adoption and impact

Planet

· Natural capital

· Carbon

· Circular economy

“Clever Cotton aims to drive the next round of transformative innovations that will secure a sustainable product, with a sustainable future, for generations to come,” said Cotton Research and Development Corporation executive director Dr Ian Taylor.

Cotton Research and Development Corporation executive director Dr Ian Taylor.

Sesame shows promise

By Liv Casben, AAP

Sesame seed planting trials are taking place at several sites across Australia as industry figures look to boost production of the popular crop.

Agricultural research and development body AgriFutures has identified a big appetite for sesame in Australia, which is being met by imports.

At Aaron Kiely’s farm at Emerald, his trial sesame crop is almost ready for harvest.

The cotton farmer also grows wheat and pulses and sees sesame as a game changer for the region.

“It’s an emerging crop, there’s definitely huge opportunity there,” Mr Kiely said.

“We’re looking at being able to rotate it and what the possibilities are with yields for dry land, and irrigated.”

Planting will soon be finalised at Tully in North Queensland, and is already complete at Kununurra in Western Australia and Katherine in the NT.

A fifth site is also being planned, for either NSW or southern Queensland.

Sesame is heat and drought-tolerant, making it suitable for some of Australia’s extreme conditions, but the industry has previously failed to take off.

Olivia Reynolds from AgriFutures said the trials followed a rise in consumer demand and research that identified less labour-intensive varieties of the crop.

“The game changer for sesame is that we have some new genetics available,” Dr Reynolds said.

“We’ve identified sesame as a high growth potential emerging industry.”

Sesame is cultivated for its edible seeds, which are used as an ingredient in meals, and for the oil, which is used in cooking.

In 2016, 7000 tonnes of sesame was imported into Australia, with that figure forecast to hit 10,000 tonnes by 2025.

“Sesame oil is commonly used in Asian cuisine and I’d say most Australian consumers would probably have a bottle of sesame oil in their pantry,” Dr Reynolds said.

“We’re seeing sesame grow globally as a result of changing tastes.”

The trials aim to work out what weeds and diseases affect the crop.

CQU researcher Tieneke Trotter, who is leading the project, said sesame was well suited to the Australian tropics.

“Sesame is showing really great promise in hot and humid conditions and can also withstand periods of drought,” Dr Trotter said.

“We’re saying sesame has got good potential for the north and we’re developing bestpractices and recommendations for farmers.”

That includes working out what irrigation is needed.

The crop has been identified to rotate with cotton, another emerging crop in the country’s top end, but environmentalists are concerned

expanded cotton production will pave the way for destructive land clearing.

Dr Reynolds doesn’t expect growing sesame will lead to biodiversity loss.

“We see sesame able to be planted under existing agricultural land,” she said.

“It’s a crop that perhaps is not as thirsty as some others.”

AgriFutures has invested $2 million in sesame research over the next five years.

Taking Queensland’s beef to the United States

The Palaszczuk Government, in partnership with industry leaders, is embarking on an exciting initiative to enhance the international export of exceptional Queensland produce.

The Food and Fibre to Market: Industry Partnerships Program (FF2M) has allocated a significant investment of $600,000 to eight industry organisations and grower collectives. These funds will support projects valued at $1.7 million, paving the way for Queensland’s diverse range of fruit, nuts, beef and seafood to reach consumers in key international markets, including Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, India and the United States.

Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE) is proud to have been successful in securing a grant through this program.

In collaboration with Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), TSBE will seek to bolster

SouthMadeinAustralia

Queensland’s market share of grain-fed beef in the United States.

This partnership holds immense potential for the growth of regional beef producers and the expansion of Queensland’s footprint in US markets.

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner expressed his confidence in Queensland’s position as an export powerhouse, stating:

“Queensland is an export powerhouse,“ he said.

“In 2021-22, Queensland’s agricultural exports were valued at $10.7 billion.“

With the FF2M program and strategic partnerships like the one between TSBE and Meat and Livestock Australia, the state is poised for even greater success in the

international arena.

Queensland as a whole, is a significant producer of beef domestically and recognised globally as a world-leading exporter of high-quality beef.

The industry represents a large percentage of the total value of Queensland’s primary industry commodities, contributing $1 billion dollars annually and supporting around 10,000 jobs across Queensland.

The Darling Downs plays a pivotal role in the production of grain-fed beef, accounting for 60pc of Australia’s supply.

Our region boasts a rich agricultural landscape, supported by a thriving community of dedicated producers.

“With this investment from the Queensland Government and strategic partnership with MLA, regional Queensland is

well-positioned to leverage its exceptional produce and expand its global market reach,“ said TSBE CEO Greg Bowden.

“TSBE looks forward to spearheading this exciting endeavour and delivering outstanding regional products to discerning consumers worldwide”.

Considering the significance of the industry in Queensland and the value it creates for the economy, the jobs it supports and the fact we export to more than 50 countries, our beef industry has a limited market presence of grain fed beef in the United States.

This represents a significant opportunity to grow Queensland’s market share of grain fed beef into the US market and presents a substantial prospect to increase Queensland’s overall exports and create further international trade related jobs.

The trial sesame crop at Aaron Kiely’s farm at Emerald in Queensland is almost ready for harvest.

Build your own kit home

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The unique design of Paal’s steel framed homes provides customers with a framing system that can be assembled by the average handy person, where each component has made-to-measure accuracy. The components have been designed in sections and manufactured from high tensile steel, tested for superior steel frame strength by the CSIRO. This makes them not only extremely strong, but also easy to handle.

The frame assembly is a simple process of ‘building by numbers’ with pre-assembled frame panels that simply bolt together. You can do as little or as much as you like, employing trades to do the electrical and plumbing, you are in charge.

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PAAL Kit Homes...build your own home

With the high cost of renovating, more and more homeowners are saving big money by becoming kit They chose a 4 bedroom Hawkesbury and were impressed by the spaciousness and “wide open” ambience. “With a Paal Kit Home, everything is planned for you – our home is one of the bigger designs but quite a few are smaller – they have something to suit all tastes and individual needs.”

You

Kiama-Cedar Creek

Stanthorpe-Caboolture copy

Camden-Maidenwell

Farmers urged to think

By Liv Casben, AAP

When a farm worker almost rolled his vehicle while moving cattle on Felicity Richards’ farm a few months ago, she knew just how much worse it could have been.

As the head of Farm Safe Australia the beef farmer is all too aware of the dangers farm workers face.

“Yep, that was a close one,” Ms Richards told AAP.

The young worker escaped uninjured but the frightening experience left all on the farm rattled.

“The choice that he reflected on was ‘I should have just got out and walked’, but he just made the wrong call.”

New data from Farm Safe Australia shows 55 farmers died on the nation’s farms last year as a result of an accident or other incident.

Some 64 per cent of those deaths were linked to farm vehicles or mobile farm machinery.

The deaths are highlighted in the group’s Safer Farms report, released on Sunday to mark National Farm Safety Week.

The figures signal a return to more injuries and fatalities after 46 deaths were recorded in 2021.

It also gives agriculture the unenviable title

of the most dangerous Australian industry to work in.

Trying to turn that around, Farm Safety Australia has launched a new campaign ‘stay on the safe side.’

With tractor accidents still the leading cause of death among the nation’s farmers the campaign focuses on tractor safety.

“We don’t want to preach to farmers... but we just want them to stop and remember that they have the power to make safe decisions,” she said.

Ms Richards said the report recognised that there had been safety improvements on farms, which have saved lives.

In the early 1980’s, Australia was averaging 24 tractor rollover deaths a year and by 2004 that number was down to six.

The introduction in 1981 of Australian safety standards to protect the driver when tractors roll has been credited for the reduction in deaths.

Ms Richards is still “deeply distressed” that farm deaths are being recorded, and that the majority of fatalities are still men over 45.

“Complacency can be very dangerous in farming because we know there can be a huge amount of experience at play, but we can still make poor decisions,” she said.

Regional and remote Australians get online boost

Regional and remote Australians will benefit from an upgraded online platform that connects people to medical services through a simple search engine.

The Healthdirect Service Finder helps those outside metro areas access and navigate the complex health care system.

It will allow up to 800,000 people a month find and book care providers, with information on more than 300,000 health services.

The refreshed digital tool is now available in 16 languages and incorporates the retired ‘Vaccine Clinic Finder’, which was used more than 52 million times in 18 months.

Funded by State and federal governments, the free healthcare advisory service has also broadened its geographical coverage, making it easier for those living outside major cities to find health care options.

It gives 50 providers for any health care service - from dentists to orthopaedic surgeons - in order of proximity to a suburb or postcode.

Healthdirect digital portfolio director Vanessa Halter said the upgraded platform aimed to improve the health literacy of all Australians by giving equal access to reliable information.

“No matter where you live, the Service Finder simplifies the process of locating providers through a user-friendly search engine that lists the options by geographical location,” she said.

“This is particularly helpful for those living in regional, rural and remote Australia who may not be familiar with the services outside their local area.

“Healthdirect worked with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) to ensure the functionality and capabilities of the platform was equally as effective for those living outside metro areas.

“The result is an expanded tool that meets the diverse needs of users, including those with visual impairments and other accessibility needs, creating a one-stop shop that connects people to the right care at the right time.”

The Service Finder provides an unbiased directory with no favourable positioning based on commercial partnerships and does not require people to ‘sign up’ or ‘create an account’.

Other improvements include online bookings, fuzzy search (incorrect spelling) and synonym search (type ‘eye doctor’ instead of ‘ophthalmologist’) to remove barriers to finding the right service.

It offers ‘guided searches’ that step people through a questionnaire to find the best match for their needs, integration with Google Maps to easily see travel times and filters allowing people to specify details such as bulk-billing or opening hours.

Healthdirect also provides an anonymous online Symptom Checker to give people information about how serious - or otherwisetheir condition may be and how quickly they may need medical attention.

The technology guides users through a set of easy questions to help them understand

symptoms and provides advice on what to do – be it manage the condition at home, visit a GP or call an ambulance.

It also gives information for the treating physician – should one be required.

“Empowering Australians through digital tools with 24/7 booking and triage capabilities helps alleviate the pressure on the health care system and negate unnecessary travel, which is particularly pertinent for those living remotely,” said Ms Halter.

“Healthdirect’s online platforms put reliable health information in the hands of Australians, giving trusted advice no matter the geography, privacy, multicultural, language or health literacy barriers they may face.”

Healthdirect Australia chief customer officer Ian Vaile said the team consulted with the medtech industry to co-design the integrated software solutions, ensuring it was fit for purpose and enabling seamless online booking across different service types.

“The online booking function empowers consumers to bridge the next connection between advice and information to take action towards better health, while reducing administrative pressure on clinics fielding calls about appointments,” he said.

“The work builds on the foundational progress made during the pandemic to create seamless digital journeys and the transition will ensure long-term sustainability and enable benefits more broadly across the health system.”

Healthdirect digital portfolio director Vanessa Halter.

Picture: DAN BELED, AAP

That’s amore, says Clint

A wine student is perfecting his “Buongiorno” and preparing his palate ahead of an Italian trip of a lifetime.

Clinton Sippel, who studies the Diploma of Wine through the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ), will put his knowledge to the ultimate test when he embarks on a threemonth position as assistant winemaker at a Sicilian winery.

While in Italy, Mr Sippel will put his studies into practise and participate in all elements of harvest – from picking, receiving and crushing the grapes, to starting the yeast inoculation, which actually begins the winemaking process. Mr Sippel caught the “wine bug” early and said the trip was every vino lover’s dream.

“Italy has the best wine in the world, in my opinion,” he said.

“The winery I’ll be visiting is a bit of an old school winery. They do wild fermentations and use a lot of amphoras, which are the old clay pots.

“It’ll be a fair bit of physical work, but hopefully a lot of fun.”

Mr Sippel credited the University of Southern Queensland for giving him the knowledge, practical experience and confidence to reach out to wineries all over the world for experience.

“I spoke to many, many, many different wineries all over the world and was lucky enough to catch a break and landed one of three spots at this Sicilian winery,” Mr Sippel said.

“When I did the interview, I really knew what I was talking about in wine production. I don’t know of many other courses where you’re not even a year into the course and you’re able to fluently communicate with a winemaker.

“The winemaker I’ll be working with has 11 years’ experience so learning from her will be invaluable.”

While studying at the University, Mr Sippel has gained practical experience caring for the

vines at the Queensland College of Wine Tourism (QCWT) in Stanthorpe.

University of Southern Queensland program director for Wine Science Ursula Kennedy said the QCWT facility was a unique space designed to give students real-world learning experiences.

“Students will learn through books and tutorials, but it’s not until they actually get their hands in there and see a grapevine - or see wine fermenting - that the science really starts to make sense and you see those lightbulbs turn on,” she said.

Ms Kennedy said the University was proud to be contributing to a thriving wine industry right across Queensland and Australia.

“A lot of these students will have jobs before they even finish the course,” she said.

“A lot of them are working in their own enterprises or starting up their own businesses. I’ve had some students start their own wineries and do really, really well.”

Ms Kennedy said it was a “proud Mum moment” to see students such as Mr Sippel go on to have such incredible opportunities and experiences.

And while the idea of staying in Italy forever was tempting for Mr Sippel, he said he had a good reason to come home.

“Lucky I have such a great teacher that I want to come back and finish the course,” he said.

Mr Sippel left Australia in early July and will commence at the Sicilian winery in August.

The Diploma of Wine at the University of Southern Queensland covers viticulture and wine production, as well as tasting and sommelier training.

Clinton Sippel, who studies the Diploma of Wine, will embark on a three-month position as assistant winemaker at a Sicilian winery.

New location for bull sale

By Jessica Mcgrath

A ‘tremendous’ line-up of bulls await bidders at this year’s Coolabunia Limousin Bull Sale.

Sale Coordinator Brent Evans is excited to see the group’s second annual sale come to life.

“It’s a tremendous line-up of bulls we’re very proud of,” he said.

The sale, run by auctioneers Grant Daniel and Long and also Elite Livestock Auctions, will be held on Saturday, 19 August from 10am at a new location, the Nanango Showgrounds.

“It’s a great little complex the show society has got there -it’s the best way to showcase the bulls we have,” Mr Evans said.

“We’re super excited to have everyone come along to Nanango this year.”

This year’s Coolabunia sale will feature 37 polled bulls.

“The limousin bull has an ability to produce an outstanding carcass, with enough meat and fat with quite a tenderness…” he said.

“It’s important for the breed’s amount of yield and meat they can carry.”

Following the success of their inaugural event last year, they have invited back the same group of vendors.

“We’re really proud of the bulls we had last year,” Mr Evans said.

“Our range of producers are all like-minded with the end goal of producing an article the producer wants.”

The GDL team had chatted with the buyers and producers about what they wanted and needed in their bulls.

“The bulls are bred and prepared for longevity… for the best outcome for the producer,” he said.

“We know the bulls will do the job and continuously do the job that the limousin breed is known for.”

Mr Evans anticipates the bull sale will continue to grow each year.

“We’re super stoked, it’ll be an annual sale every year and we’ll gradually get more bulls,” he said.

“We make sure the bulls we produce are in-

dustry relevant… there’s a bull there that suits each buyer.”

This year the Coolabunia Limousin Bull Sale is offering free freight delivery to all major selling centres in Queensland and in Northern NSW’s Casino and Glen Innes areas.

“We do our best to get the bulls home right to the doorstep… as soon as we can,” Mr Evans said.

The auction will be simulcast and phone bidding can be organised through the GDL Stud Stock team.

Mr Evans encourages everyone to come along for a good time, a barbecue and experience ‘good cattle’.

“We welcome everyone to come out, to see cattle we’re very proud of and want to showcase to the industry.”

Lot 7 - Jen-Daview Spencer S35, Jen-Daview Livestock, Kingaroy. Pictures: CONTRIBUTED

2023 Coolabunia Limousin BullsLot 1 - Fernvale Scooby Doo, Fernvale Limousins, Fernvale

Lot 4 - MK Cattle Stihl, MK Cattle, Murgon

Lisa Hewitt joins Elders

By Fiona Gowers

Lisa Hewitt has been appointed Elders State general manager Queensland and Northern Territory.

An agribusiness and finance executive, Ms Hewitt was raised on cattle properties in Queensland, which ignited a lifelong association with regional Australia.

She has worked in the livestock production industry on her family farming operation and, most recently, led the ANZ commercial and agribusiness team in North Queensland.

A highly-regarded business leader in northern Australia, Ms Hewitt is also a current board director of the Northern Australia Infrastruc-

ture Facility (NAIF).

She is passionate about regional development, as well as building high performance cultures that best serve the interests of clients and the communities they live in.

“My upbringing on cattle properties in Queensland has fostered an extensive association with the industry,“ Ms Hewitt said.

“I am looking forward to being able to combine this with the experience I’ve been lucky to gain across so many industries throughout my career, to such a diverse and dynamic business, like Elders.

“My most recent experience leading ANZ’s

commercial and agribusiness team in north Queensland has been thoroughly enjoyable and allowed me to work with some of the most interesting and capable people and customers in the country.

“I see the Elders role as an excellent opportunity to continue doing this.

“It’s also testament to Elders and (its) commitment to regional Australia to appoint a regionally-based leader to this role.”

Elders executive general manager Network Tom Russo said Ms Hewitt’s broad experience within the sector and strong leadership credentials would enormously benefit the Elders teams and clients of Queensland and the NT.

“Ms Hewitt will no doubt bring fresh per-

spectives and a strong determination to develop our business and people further in Queensland and the NT,” said Mr Russo.

“Her proud advocacy work for rural community development has particular resonance with the Elders business and is aligned with our deep commitment to the communities in which we operate.

“I expect that this, combined with Ms Hewitt’s financial and commercial acumen and considerable knowledge of agricultural systems, will be a valuable addition to our national leadership team.”

Ms Hewitt will start with Elders early this month.

Lisa Hewitt has a lifelong association with regional Australia, having grown up on cattle properties in Queensland.

Agribusiness and finance executive Lisa Hewitt has been appointed to the role of State general manager Queensland and Northern Territory (NT).

Graziers ready for drought

After overcoming years of severe dry conditions, central Queensland beef producers Kate and Garrett Kirk are taking a proactive approach to mitigate the impacts of future droughts.

As they install poly pipe at their property in Dingo, west of Rockhampton, the Kirks reflect on the toughest time they’ve experienced in their 20 years of farming.

“The 2019 drought, it was, well the worst drought we’d ever seen,” Garett said.

Kate recalled she and Garrett were forced to drastically reduce breeder numbers due to the lack of feed.

“We ended up production-feeding some of our good quality young heifers in a feedlot and we were feeding out a lot of loose licks,” Kate said.

“So financially, physically and mentally, there were some very challenging years and it certainly made us take a good hard look at our business and we had to re-evaluate some things and see how we could be more resilient in the dry weather going forward.”

As the Kirks recovered from the drought, they knew it would not be long before the next dry would come, so they contacted the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA) to find out what financial assistance was available to help build the drought resilience of their farm business.

In addition to poly pipe, the Kirks are now installing tanks, troughs and additional water points with the help of a Drought Ready and Recovery Finance Loan and a Drought Preparedness Grant from QRIDA.

Kate said the new infrastructure would enable her and Garrett to introduce a herd of goats into their operation to create a more diverse business model for when the next drought comes.

“Primarily we are beef producers, but we see this as a good opportunity to utilise some underused country and it’s a good second in-

come stream for us,” she said.

“It’s going to have a two-fold effect for us because not only are we going to be selling goat meat, but we’re also going to utilise them to keep some regrowth under control.”

QRIDA regional area manager for Capricornia John Metelli said goats were particularly suited to the land at Dingo.

“Their eating habits work well in the timber forest country and they can run side-by-side with cattle grazing the areas as they do not compete for food,” he said.

The Kirks were glad to get help from John, their local regional area manager throughout the application process for the drought loan and grant.

“We’ve had a long-standing relationship with our QRIDA regional area manager now and we feel that he really understands our business, so that makes it a lot easier,” Kate said.

John said it was important for primary producers to prepare for droughts as they are an inevitable part of Queensland’s weather cycle.

“The Kirks are a great example of primary

producers who have taken the initiative to undertake a drought resilient infrastructure project with QRIDA financial assistance to help prevent the impacts of the next drought, which can be especially harsh in this dry rural area in Central Queensland,” he said.

QRIDA has grants of up to $50,000 and loans of up to $250,000 that can help primary producers prepare, manage, recover and mitigate the impacts of drought.

For more information please visit www. qrida.qld.gov.au/drought-support.

Central Queensland beef producers Kate and Garrett Kirk have overcome years of severe dry conditions on their property in Dingo, west of Rockhampton.

Farmers and ‘mental war’

By Chantal Corish

The recent Norco-commissioned National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) report on National Farmer Wellbeing 2023 made me think about my own journey as a psychologist in rural Australia over the past 17 years.

And, particularly, my interactions with farmers.

My husband is a farmer, so too is my father and my father-in-law and all four of my brothers-in-law. My brother works as an agricultural pilot. Both of my grandfathers were farmers; most of my friends are either farmers or married to farmers or someone who works in agriculture.

Pretty much all of my community are either farmers or support farmers in some way in their jobs and businesses.

So, I reckon I know a thing or two about what makes a farmer of the male variety tick!

I don’t know if some of those in my circle have experienced mental health issues … actually, the truth is - I do know.

But I can’t say because they would never forgive me. Because being a man in rural Australia - as you may know - and saying you have a mental health issue is not cool. It’s not tough. It’s not masculine. You just don’t do it, if you can avoid it …

The photo is of a group of men, farmers and those who work in agriculture, who gathered together in a little town (population 300, give or take) neighbouring my own.

During the drought I was asked to join them at 6am for a weekly breakfast connection time to discuss mental health.

To be honest, I was sick-to-the-stomach with worry about doing it.

I felt very anxious and panicky before the morning.

I got up at 5am to drive to the little town in the freezing cold to chat with a group of farmers I didn’t know, about something as personal as their mental health - a topic I had grown-up knowing rural males simply don’t talk about.

I thought I would get a frosty reception to say the least. I thought they would be embarrassed to be seen standing there, in a public park, talking to a “head doctor” or a “shrink” a ... psychologist!

A woman, speaking to men, about their mental health. In public. In front of their mates.

Totally uncool. Totally not okay.

Why did I say ‘yes’? Because I knew it was a ‘good cause’ and I had to try.

So, I arrived. And the guys were asked to gather around.

They reservedly obliged, more out of oldfashioned gentlemanly politeness than any sort of desire to hear what I had to say …

I felt like the only rabbit at a meeting of foxes. My nose twitched. My body shook.

The men stood about 20 metres from me in a very wide arc, not wanting to get psychologist germs.

Not wanting to look too interested in what I was saying.

They listened politely. They did the little activity I asked them to do without questioning or contributing any negative comments.

I could feel their apprehension. Their fear of being caught out. Of being seen as the THE ONE … the one among them who had ‘IT’… ‘IT’ being a mental health issue.

And, then I finished. I held my breath. Wondering if they would throw rotten tomatoes or, worse still, the heavy pumpkins that grew nearby and request that I get back in my car and not come back next week.

But they didn’t. They were beautiful.

One very brave soul spoke first. He spoke of his feelings of desperation and loneliness in a dark world of depression. Of standing in a paddock, by himself, sobbing. Of not being able to tell anyone, not being able to speak to anyone. Of having to ‘get it all out’ before going home to his wife and kids.

They came up to me and spoke to me with such softness and openness … it changed my whole outlook on rural men. These were real live people with hearts and red blood pumping through their veins.

They said ‘thank you’. They told me their stories. They started to talk about what was going on in their hearts and minds.

I have to be honest. Until that point, I had

avoided taking men on as patients in my psychology practice.

I felt that I didn’t have the depth of understanding to work with them and I thought they were well ... scary.

To me, men were a closed and harsh bunch who don’t talk about their feelings without being gruff, dismissive or rude. I even doubted that they really had feelings …?

Okay, it wasn’t that bad. But it was close!

But this group of guys changed my perspective and made me look deeper into the lives of the rural male as a species.

And, over the years, I have come up with a few theories of my own about their mental health and why, as the Norco/NFF report found, farmers aren’t faring well mentally.

I think two things are going wrong in particular – and they are things we can fix if we try.

The first is what I have already mentioned –the fact that men are very often socialised from a young age to not discuss their feelings or ask for help.

They are very often trapped in ‘the man box’ a term that describes all of the behaviours and thinking patterns that men have to adhere to in order for society to view them as ‘real men’.

These behaviours include being self-reliant and not asking for help in case they are seen as weak; shouldering the full responsibility of being the main breadwinner for the family; using aggression or violence to solve problems, as a few examples.

If adhered to - and rural men are ‘real men’ - these stereotypes are of course, recipes for poor mental health.

The second reason for poor farmer mental health is, I think that farmers, as well as people who live in rural Australia, are feeling threatened, misunderstood and alienated from the rest of the country.

Whenever we turn on the news, listen to our leaders, the media and small interest groups, fingers are pointed at us as the exacerbators of all sorts of social problems and issues, from

climate change to animal welfare and First Nation’s people’s woes.

Farming requires a person to engage in hard physical work while maintaining disciplined vigilance over personal safety and the safety of staff, in an environment that is incredibly unpredictable and, despite best efforts, can deliver soul-crushing results.

Farmers work for long hours, often through weekends, because not only is there the physical aspect of production; but there is also the mountain of administration that is normally associated with running any complex, high risk, business.

Yes, they choose to do it. But, the point I am making is that farmers and agricultural support industry workers are often physically and mentally exhausted.

Too exhausted to defend themselves against the unfair accusations that are increasingly being levelled at them.

Despite the massive and important contribution they are making to the national economy; despite the fact that without them, there would be no opportunity for fresh, high-quality food on our tables; and despite the fact that most Australian farmers are the most patriotic, loyal bunch of bastards who would fight-tothe-death defending their country that you could ever meet - public and political support for them is diminishing.

In short, Australians are not supporting their farmers and farmers’ mental health is collapsing under the heavy artillery fire of protest groups, political bandwagons and plain old-fashioned ignorance.

It seems that each new policy that is put up in our parliaments of late takes a chunk out of the lives and livelihoods of farmers, a minority group with very little voice.

When you have to spend any spare minute you have fighting your own country men and women, your media, your elected leaders, to HEAR you, to SEE you and to tell the truth about you and your life and your work and your ethics, then yes – it is bloody depressing.

From cotton, to pork and live export beef and sheep, we in agriculture have become easy fodder for quick TV ratings; and an easy target for a political buck pass.

Overseas, nations have huge respect for, and loyalty to, their farmers.

While on an agricultural trip to Germany and France a few years ago, I asked the locals why they so revered their farmers. The response was, because they have in their collective memory, the dreadful experience of almost starving to death during the two World Wars. Seared into the population’s memory is the fact that the only thing that stood between them and a slow horrible death from starvation, were their farmers.

Australians, if you care about your farmers; if you see that they have an important role to play in sustaining your country and your free and healthy way of life, then you need to become savvier about what you are being told.

You need to ask yourself – could there be another side to this story? Where do I get my meat, vegetables, clothing from? Why would farmers not take care of the very natural resources that give them their income, their home, their identity and way of life?

Should I support my fellow farmers more?

Do I want high quality produce or am I happy to put up with inferior imports that add to greenhouse gas emissions, microplastics in the ocean and human rights issues?

Put simply, for the good of their mental health, Australian farmers cannot keep operating in an environment of unchecked hostility and ignorance.

By killing off the Australian farmer, your friend, your mate, the person who would literally keep you alive through a world war if need be - you will be contributing to the problems of the world that you have voted against!

It’s all connected and yet so many of you do not - will not - bother to see the connection.

It is very frustrating.

And that is a pretty obvious second reason why I think your Australian farmer might be depressed.

* Chantal Corish, The Rural Psychologist and Goondiwindi cotton grower.

· For more information please visit @theruralpsychologist on Instagram.

Chantal Corish, The Rural Psychologist and Goondiwindi cotton grower.

During the drought in June 2019, Chantal Corish was asked to discuss mental health with the Yelarbon men’s drought resilience group, which comprises farmers and agricultural workers.

Mental wellbeing is focus

By Fiona Gowers

A mental wellbeing service tailored to the needs of country-based people will be held on Friday 28 July in the North Burnett town of Biggenden.

The practical ‘Are you bogged mate?’ workshop provides rural and remote communities with an opportunity to discuss mental health awareness in the bush.

Rabobank’s Rabo Client Council, which comprises the bank’s farming clients who volunteer time to enhance the sustainability of rural communities, spearhead the initiative.

Mary O’Brien established the interactive and free workshops in 2018, an idea designed to connect country men and women with lifesaving support services.

Rabo Client Council member Sue Marshall said mental wellbeing awareness is an “important conversation our communities need to be having”.

“In addition to running ‘Are you bogged mate?’, Mary O’Brien is a Queensland spray drift risk management specialist who Ms Marshall says has spent her career working closely within rural communities.

“Mary is a passionate advocate for agriculture,” she said.

“She was raised on the land and really understands the diverse challenges that those in the rural sector may face.

“After spending her whole life working in rural and remote Australia, Mary knows country people.

“She’s worked with them, for them and beside them and, most importantly, she knows how to talk to them.”

Ms Marshall said this down-to-earth perspective was what made ‘Are you bogged mate?’ resonate with rural and remote communities.

Rabobank regional manager for southern Queensland Brad James said Mary O’Brien’s mission to support rural mental wellbeing closely aligned with one of the five key themes

of the Rabo Client Council – the overall health of rural communities.

“The Rabo Community Fund has also committed to helping fund a personal assistant for ‘Are you bogged mate?’ over three years – freeing up Mary’s time so she can get on with sup-

porting rural Australian’s mental wellbeing,” Mr James said.

“We’re proud to be supporting Mary and her grassroots approach to mental health in the bush.

“Her workshops are down to earth and the

tools and language she uses are relatable.” Workshop dates and locations are:

· Friday 28 July 2023 from 5.30pm to 9.00pm at 13 Walsh Street, Biggenden.

Food and drinks are provided. Walk-ins welcome.

Rabo Client Council member Sue Marshall says mental wellbeing awareness is an “important conversation our communities need to be having”.

A dream turns to reality

The expansion goals of a Queensland citrus growing family have progressed from dream to reality thanks to a new computerised packing machine.

Farming is in the blood for Oscar Bugno and his family who have farmed for more than 50 years on their land 10 kilometres west of Dimbulah in the ‘food bowl’ region of Far North Queensland.

Like many farms in the area, the Bugnos’ was originally a tobacco plantation and, as the industry declined, Oscar had the foresight to explore alternative options.

“We decided to try something different,“ he said.

“Everybody else was doing mangoes, so I decided to do citrus. It’s been a long learning curve, but we eventually got on track.“

Now, 30 years later, Oscar, together with wife Giannina and son Dwaine, run a thriving citrus operation with more than 6000 lemon, 2500 grapefruit and 850 lime trees.

They are marketed under two brand names, Bug’s Citrus and JDL.

“When Dwaine returned to the farm after completing an electrical apprenticeship, we started producing more fruit and it became clear that we needed to expand the business,” Oscar said.

Oscar and Dwaine began exploring ways they could expand and, having accessed a loan from QRIDA previously, Oscar contacted his local regional area manager Sam Spina to see if QRIDA could help again.

“One of our shortfalls was our packing machine which, at that time, was more than 20 years old,“ Oscar said.

“So, we met with Sam about using a Sustainability Loan to put in a new machine.“

Sam met with the Bugnos on-farm to talk through the application process, explain the business plan and other documents they needed to submit as part of their loan application.

Installation of the new packing machine has greatly improved the business’s efficiencies, with Dwaine explaining the machine has

a computerised grading system that removes the need for that process to be done manually.

“With electronic weights and an extra eight bins for the fruit, we’ve made the process more efficient and allowed more fruit to be processed, graded and packed quicker than before – saving both time and money,” he said.

“In moving our two graders that we had to packing means we can keep production going through the machine, reducing losses and time.

“The machine has really helped because we’ve been able to move more produce through to meet our market demands.“

Oscar said he would encourage other primary producers looking to expand their operations to see if QRIDA could help them.

“I’d suggest other people look at QRIDA and the terms and conditions that they offer, which I think are extremely good,” he said.

“The loan has been very beneficial for us.

It’s helped us do a lot of things that we wouldn’t have been able to do prior.

“We can now keep up the pace and compete with the other large growers that are now operating in the area.”

QRIDA offers Sustainability Loans up to $1.3 million for primary producers looking to invest in the latest infrastructure or technology to create a viable future for their farming business.

Oscar and son Dwaine Bugno run a thriving citrus operation with more than 6000 lemon, 2500 grapefruit and 850 lime trees.

The Bugno’s new computerised packing machine that was funded by a Sustainability Loan from QRIDA.

The Bugno family with QRIDA regional area manager Sam Spina.Dwaine Bugno with QRIDA regional area manager Sam Spina.

Quality draft catalogued

An outstanding draft of 89 Droughtmaster bulls are catalogued for the 10th Annual Bunya Bull Sale held at the Coolabunia Selling Complex, Kingaroy, starting at 11am on Saturday 2 September.

Chairman of the Bunya Sales Committee Graham Brown has said 26 vendors would offer bulls at this year’s event.

“Our vendors have assembled a quality draft of young bulls for the competition of prospective buyers.”

This sale has always provided the best value for money bulls in the Burnett. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a Stud Sire or a good Commercial Bull, plan to attend the sale and you won’t go home disappointed.

This year the sale vendors will present all registered bulls with DNA Sire Verification, Horn/Poll Testing and will also be tested free for Pompes. Bulls will be weighed, mouthed, scanned and at a minimum carry a 60 per cent semen motility test. This years draft will also see the highest number of bulls offered with Breedplan performance data in the sale’s history.

Online Bidding will be operating for those that can’t attend the sale through the Elite Livestock platform. Details of how to access and register with Elite can be found within the 2023 Bunya catalogue.

Pre-sale inspections are invited with all bulls being available for viewing from 3pm on Friday 1st September.

The Catalogue is available for viewing online by visiting the sale website bunyasales. com.au or like the Facebook page to keep up to date with the latest photos and videos of the draft.

The sale vendors offer a number of incentives including bulk buyer rebates to purchasers of five or more bulls. Free delivery on all lots purchased is available to the following centres – Eidsvold Saleyards, Biggenden Saleyards, Beaudesert Saleyards, Gympie Saleyards, Dalby Saleyards and Toogoolawah Saleyards.

A four per cent outside agent rebate is also offered to any agent introducing buyers prior to the sale. Details of these offers can be found in the catalogue.

All bulls will be pre-scratched before the sale to enable them to travel to tick free areas immediately following the sale.

For a catalogue contact GDL’s Mark Duthie on 0448 016 950, ALL’s Midge Thompson on 0427 710 018 or Sale Chairman Graham Brown on 0427 779 707

Lot 6 - Bryvonlea Xaden

Lot 25 - Sylvan Springs Texas 1267

Lot 71 - Nindethana Nelson

Lot 39 - Vale View Frenzy 2

Family owned operated

Expansion a long process

The Dingle Family’s initiative to expand has been one of the greatest successes for their Red Brangus Stud, Redline Brangus. It was an opening too good to ignore, and the decision to expand has seen their business double in size in the past six years.

The family saw a supply shortfall in the market when corporate and bulk buyers from North and Western Queensland, the Northern Territory and The Kimberly region in Western Australia were returning and taking large paddock consignments. The Dingle’s knew breeder numbers had to increase to keep up with being able to supply bulls to pre-committed Bull Sales, and valued existing local and long standing clients.

“It’s a long process, it doesn’t happen overnight, especially while keeping the quality and country within your best interests. We were confident as we were told time and time again from the buyers that Red Brangus had all the great traits of the very popular Black Brangus, just with one extra bonus, their shiny red coat which is vital for fly and heat resistance.“ said Kris.

The family business collaboration of Peter, Kristine, Kristopher and Donna all jointly work on supplying accurate and transparent data and information, along with a guarantee of reliable, quality and easy doing cattle. Cattle are bred resilient, not just for stud purposes but also commercial and market focused.

When selling bulls from the paddock Kris said “it’s nothing ritzy, just bulls, a cuppa, a yarn and some numbers on a spreadsheet, sure, there are EBVs and DNA data, but it’s the bull that really sells the bull.“

In Kris’ experience he thinks buyers enjoy this style of low stress bull buying. It allows

plenty of time, with no pressure to decipher the data and bulls phenotypes and to make the best and most beneficial decision, especially financially.

The powerhouse family endeavor to continue to produce a broad range of quality Red Brangus cattle, selecting the cream of the crop

bulls to sell at select Bull Sales and retain a bulk of the bulls to be marketed from the paddock. All bulls sold have had semen and morphology testing, poll DNA results, are registered with the breed society and have up to date EBVs.

“We’ve expanded recently, and our herd size is growing, so we have added the addi-

tion of Red Angus bulls in a few paddocks. The Ultrared progeny are growing out well on our pasture and will be saleable next year.“

You can find out more about The Dingle’s from their website www.redlinebrangus.com. au or call anytime on (07) 4167 5140 or 0419 620 150.

Yoga aims for better reach

By Fiona Gowers

Free yoga classes offered through southern and central west Queensland in June aimed to enhance the accessibility of wellness for those who “need it most”.

The Rural Yoga Roadshow instructed faceto-face yoga, meditation and mindfulness sessions in St George, Surat, Roma, Injune, Emerald, Blackwater and Biloela.

“It was very special,” said Beth Burgess of The Yoga Partnership, which hosted the 11day tour.

“I’m very new to yoga - I only trained in 2020 - and, I guess in doing that, realised the inequities in yoga, who had access to classes and who didn’t.

“I just felt it wasn’t reaching those who needed it most.

“Marginalised populations, for example, would never be seen in a yoga studio because it’s just so inaccessible for them resource-wise.

“Then COVID-19 happened and I started teaching a rural friend online. And, like any good country girl, she started inviting friends along.

“We talked to her about when you go to town in these small communities, you never do something for yourself. You’re going for tractor parts and groceries.

“We just realised there’s a huge, huge part of the Australian population that lives rurally. And, they don’t prioritise their own wellness.

“Health care just doesn’t happen. It’s like a luxury for them.”

As such, Mrs Burgess, alongside fellow instructor Amy Booth, formed The Yoga Partnership in 2020 and began teaching remote rural residents online.

They now instruct their home-based students three times a week, regularly attracting up to 30 participants per class, with more courses being added each term.

“The program has just continued to grow and grow and grow,” Ms Burgess said. “We will continue to seek funding for ongoing classes from the end of 2023 because we have so many dedicated participants.

“The numbers are amazing.”

The Rural Yoga Roadshow from June 5 to 14, meanwhile, held classes in community halls, hospitals and schools to all ages; from preschoolers to pensioners.

Ms Burgess said one class in the library at Thallon - a town with a population of 257 people that neighbours St George - attracted 10 participants who had all driven in from farflung properties.

She said a “great attitude” was the secret to successful yoga practice.

“Nothing fancy is required but we are often met with resistance to yoga.

“People will say, ‘I’ve never done yoga before and I can’t touch my toes’.

“But, I think a lot of people surprised themselves during our roadshow and sort of floated out of the room saying, ‘Oh, that was great. I liked that’.

Continued page 21

Beth Burgess instructs a yoga class at the Thallon library.Biloela sunset outdoor yoga and mindfulness class.

The Yoga Partnership directors Beth Burgess and Amy Booth. An outdoor yoga class in Emerald.A ‘come and try’ yoga class in the Emerald Botanic Gardens.

Yoga proves a life saver

By Fiona Gowers

“Life saving” is how Jodie Piggin of Surat describes her weekly online classes with The Yoga Partnership.

What started three years ago as “some fun” has become a critical part of her physical and mental health and has facilitated invaluable social connections.

Born and bred on the Gold Coast, Ms Piggin moved to the Maranoa town (population 402) with her policeman husband seven years ago.

She said she missed so much of her former lifestyle but especially her yoga classes.

The Yoga Partnership now fills that void.

“I couldn’t talk any more highly of them,” Ms Piggin said. “They have been a life saver for me.

“The instructors are so wonderful - they give 100 per cent for everything they do - and it’s like a little family, you just know they care. They’re amazing, they really are.”

Ms Piggin said The Yoga Partnership of-

fered a choice of online yoga, meditation and mindfulness sessions throughout the week to suit varying levels of fitness.

“Some classes are a bit more rugged - it’s more of a workout - whereas others focus on relaxation.

“It’s social. It’s mental, it’s life skills. Yeah, they’ve covered all the bases, which is especially important when you live way out here.”

Ms Piggin said the classes attracted all ages and standards, with the instructors always happy to answer questions and find solutions if the yoga became too tricky.

“There is nothing they wouldn’t do for anyone,” she said. “They actually care. With a lot of other activities you just don’t get that feeling. They put in 100 per cent so you do too.”

And the experience of participating in a face-to-face class?

“It was absolutely amazing. Everything,“ Ms Piggin said.

“If we could have them here every day of the week, I would definitely do every class.”

Yoga a healthy option for those who need it most

From page 20

“The interest was there. It’s definitely something we would do again.“

Ms Burgess said she hoped participants in The Yoga Roadshow would now continue to practise with them online.

“Yes, absolutely the State Government wanted to ensure that this was a sustainable program.

“A long-term course is also important to Amy and I. That people are able to come and go as they would to a studio in the city.

“Of course, they don’t have to attend a yoga class every week, just as long as the option is there when they need it most.”

Health and Wellbeing Qld (HWQld) chief executive Dr Robyn Littlewood said the initiative was “delighted“ to support The Yoga Partnership’s Rural Yoga Roadshow to encourage more people in rural communities to begin their journey towards better health through low-intensity yoga.

“The roadshow aligns with the HWQld objective of empowering Queenslanders to live a healthier life and address health inequities by providing more regional Queenslanders with the opportunity to access to physical activity and build social connectedness through yoga.”

· For more information please visit: theyogapartnership.com.au.

Original participants in The Yoga Partnership’s online classes Jodie Piggin and Dawn Connolly (middle) with Amy Booth (left) and Beth Burgess (right).

The Yoga Partnership directors Amy Booth and Beth Burgess with U3A Roma.

Chair yoga with U3A in Roma.Beth Burgess and Amy Booth meet their loyal participants in Roma.

Uniting minds to innovate

By Fiona Gowers

The Agrifood Innovation Forum (AIF) in Toowoomba last month attracted respected industry representatives, producers and government officials.

Attendees at the Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE)-hosted event heard keynote speakers discuss emerging technologies and trends emerging throughout the supply chain.

They were:

· Dr Chris Sarra, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries director-general

· Brett Spicer, BDO Australia Sustainability partner

· Pier Smulders, Alibaba Inc. New Zealand/ Australia general manager.

Pier Smulders headlined the stellar speakers.

He shared the transformative journey of Alibaba and explained its mission-driven approach to sustainability through its robust Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy the “Seven Petal Flower.“

Specifically focusing on Toowoomba and the surrounding regions, Smulders’ address underpinned the significant role Alibaba can play in boosting regional economies and empowering local farmers through sustainablesourcing initiatives.

“Alibaba’s global direct sourcing model brings immense benefits to both producers and consumers, significantly improving supply chain efficiency,“ Mr Smulders said.

“I’m thrilled to delve into how Australian producers can leverage this to their benefit.“

Panel sessions, which comprised leaders within the agrifood supply chain, delved deep into how Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG), sustainability, investment and innovation plug into the paddock to plate supply chain.

The conversations were raw and confronting as conversations sought to clarify confusion around ESG and sustainability.

After the conference, Callum Hickey of Urban Utilities delivered insider knowledge about fresh unpublished research Urban Utilities had conducted and its role in transitioning the local area towards the circular economy.

A panel discussion highlighting the emerging industry of MicroAlgae Production and why it is an attractive investment opportunity for our region followed the keynote addresses.

TSBE general Manager Justin Heaven said AIF was a “fantastic“ opportunity to hear from peak industry body leaders, sharing best practice and collectively addressing the ESG challenges.

“Our peak industry bodies act as important advocates in guiding agriculture on sustainable pathways and help shape policies that promote the adoption of sustainable practices, leading to a more environmentally-friendly and economically-viable agricultural sector,” he said.

To conclude the event, a group embarked on a site tour, with a virtual tour of Lockyer Valley Fruit and Vegetable Processing facility.

They then visited producers of world-class walnuts, pecans, macadamias and almonds, Stahmann Webster and a value-adding component of the free-range egg producer Sunny Queen Eggs.

Heather James and Julia Spicer, Queensland Chief Entrepeneur and Colin Dorber, Lockyer Valley Growers at the Agrifood Innovation Forum in Toowoomba.

Pier Smulders, general manager, Alibaba Inc. NZAus at the Agrifood Innovation Forum in Toowoomba.

Molly Wagner, TSBE, Pru Bennett, National Foundation for Australia-China Relations and Julie-Anne Nichols at the Agrifood Innovation Forum in Toowoomba.

Maria Nolan, SeeChange Consulting and Melita Smith, CeresTag at the Agrifood Innovation Forum in Toowoomba.

Lance MacManus, TSBE and Charles Starkings, Nutrien at the Agrifood Innovation Forum in Toowoomba.

Abbey Willmington, Annie-Lou Murphy and Codie Rowling, TSBE at the Agrifood Innovation Forum in Toowoomba.

Sarah Delahunty, Queensland Trust for Nature and Molly Sage, Stockyard at the Agrifood Innovation Forum in Toowoomba.

Janet Barker, Cotton Australia and Ange Hutchinson, Aspire Ag Solutions at the Agrifood Innovation Forum in Toowoomba.

Chasing bin efficiency

Owning an Unverferth grain chaser bin makes it easier than ever before to unload your combine on the go and increase harvest efficiency by 30 percent.

The Unverferth UM1138 Dual-Auger Front

Folding Grain Cart Features a computer balanced auger for a smooth and quiet unload. While still maintaining maximum power to transfer grain at 10 tonne per minute, to get you back to the header quickly and keep your harvest moving forward.

Fully operated from the cab, with a hydraulic grain flow gate, scales & monitor standard. You will also have ability to keep an eye on flow and grain levels with cameras placed in the cart and on the down spout.

Unverferth Manufacturing Comany is based in Ohio USA and has been manufacturing farm machinery since 1948. It was founded by father and son team, L.G. and Richard Unverferth.

Unverferth are the largest manufacturer of grain chaser bins in the US. They operate out of 3 manufacturing facilities and are a family owned and operated company. Unverferth grain chaser bins are the bestselling and most highly regarded grain chaser bins in the US selling under four brands – Unverferth MFG, Parker, Killbros & Brent.

FEATURES

The UM1138 unloads at a rate of 10T per minute which means you will be unloaded in less than 3 min. This is achieved by Unverferth’s computer balanced auger system and custom designed gearbox system.

Unverferth’s tried and tested single axle design makes them highly manoeuvrable and

gentle on headlands, all UM grain carts have been developed to be well balanced and keeps tongue weights to a minimum. Industrial sized tyres – 900/70 R-32.

As we all know getting in the perfect spot when loading a truck of a field in at harvest is not easy, all Unverferth chaser bins are fitted

standard with a hydraulic controlled pivoting spout to give you more control when unloading.

Front-folding unloading auger providing height and reach as well as narrow transport.

Hydraulically operated flow gate for hori-

Unverferth UM1138 Dual Auger Front-Folding Grain Chaser Bin

MODEL UM1138

Capacity 38 m3

Capacity (Wheat) 30.4 T

Unload Speed 10 T/min.

Unload Time 3 min.

Unload Height 4.32 m

Working Width 4.06 m

Transport Height 3.48 m

Working Length 8.64 m

Weight 6,720 kg

Axle Single Tyres 900/70 R-32

STANDARD OPTIONS INCLUDED:

Weigh Scales with In-Cab Display

Hydraulic Pivoting Spout

Weatherguard Rollover Tarp

Oversize Sign & 2 x LED Beacons

3 Cameras & Monitor (mounted on Grain Tank, Unload Spout & Rear View)

zontal auger with easy-to-read position indicator. Hinged cleanout doors along horizontal floor auger for easy cleaning between crops or at season end.

Weatherguard rollover tarp with 610.3 g/m2 (18 oz.) fabric protects grain.

$175,450 INC. GST

UM Chaser Bins feature a Digistar (Topcon) Scale System, this is highly accurate and counts up and down so that you can easily manage your truck loads during harvest.

Sugarloaf Angus sale

By Breanna Lloyd

Sixth-generational New South Wales (NSW) property owners Jim and Sally Tickle are proud to announce their seventh annual on-property stud and commercial sale.

Ninety-nine lots of high-calibre Angus bulls and females will be split into 45 scale-breaking bulls, 45 commercial females and nine stud females.

The herd will be thrown under the hammer on Saturday 29 July, on the Sugarloaf property and online through AuctionsPlus.

“We breed good-boned and deep-ribbed bulls with good butts,” said Jim.

“Our bulls have plenty of grunt and cross extra well with Bos Indicus bred cattle.

“We strive to breed cattle that have good temperaments, are structurally correct and easy doing, low maintenance and have plenty of weight.

“If you sell cattle by the kilo, you need a Sugarloaf Angus bull.

“More kilos in your cattle can mean more dollars in your bank account.”

Three Australian records were broken for the top-priced Australian Angus commercial females sold at the Sugarloaf Angus sale last year.

Documented on the Australian Angus record prices page, Sugarloaf’s commercial record sums for the weaner heifer record stand at $5,000, their joined heifers record at $7500, and heifers with calves at foot for $11,000.

Sugarloaf Exclusive S11 (lot two), a 27-month-old 1068 kilogram Angus bull with a 148-centimeter eye muscle area, is said by Jim to be an “outstanding stud sire… one of the thickest Angus bulls seen anywhere for a long time.”

“All of our sale bulls were all recently weighed and scanned and the rising two-yearold bulls averaged 897 kilograms,” said Jim.

All top dollar bulls have been fully vaccinated with seven in one and Piliguard, blooded ready for tick areas, drenched, tested for fertility and pestivirus, are guaranteed and all have been performance recorded with Breedplan.

The herd was founded by genetics from old proven studs and has been catered across multiple sires from various locations throughout America, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. The Tickle History

Jim, along with his wife Sally, and their two children, 23-year-old Ben and 20-year-old Becky, are all heavily involved in the agricultural industry, with hobbies ranging from plaiting belts and whips to crafts to boxing, bow hunting, wood chopping, and of course their never-ending passion for the Sugarloaf Angus herd.

In 1857, Jim’s great, great grandfather and grandmother migrated from England to Australia with 12 of their 17 children.

Jim’s ancestors bred and sold Hereford cattle on the Sugarloaf property for 123 years.

In 1980, when Jim took over the place, he swapped the breed from Hereford to Angus and started the Sugarloaf Angus stud.

“I changed to Angus because they adapt more to the steep country well,” said Jim.

“Our herd is heavier made and are easydoing types with broad backs and enormous hindquarters that would cross well with Bos Indicus cattle.

“We cater for everyone from the hobby farmer who buys one bull every eight years, to the large-scale producers who buy 12 or more bulls annually.”

In 2016, Jim and his few hundred head of registered cows and bulls started his on-property sales ‘to give all buyers an equal opportunity to buy the bull of their choice.’

Jim expresses how drastically times have changed from nearly every property having bullock fatteners in the area to now having only three to four, with the rest currently being vealer and weaner producers.

“The old original families are disappearing, thankfully Ben and Becky are interested big time,” said Jim.

“I believe many Angus breeders are heading

Future Hereford breeders enjoy camp

By Fiona Gowers

Beef breeders of the future attended the Herefords Queensland Youth Association (HQYA) camp in Dalby 29 June to 2 July.

In all, 57 of the agricultural industry’s next generation from throughout Queensland and NSW participated in a packed program of learning new skills, competing and forming lifelong friendships.

HQYA president Aleacea Nixon said the 12th annual camp was “amazing”.

“We had a great bunch of kids, access to great facilities at the Dalby Showgrounds and just an all-round, great group of people,” she said.

Lachlan Bacon, Upper Freestone, was awarded Most Potential Hereford Breeder, with his prize a heifer Richard Ogilvie’s TeAngie Poll Herefords stud donated.

Lachlan and his younger brother Riley Bacon then won Champion Bred and Owned animal, with Lane Passmore, Clifton awarded Supreme Champion of the Show.

Tom York of Jackson claimed the Grand

Champion Herdsman prize, while Riley Bacon, Upper Freestone, was Reserve.

Honour Roll

Junior judging champions

· Pee Wees: First - Willow Gilliland, SecondCharlie Potts, Third - Jacob Schmaling.

· Juniors: First - Jorja Kirkland, SecondClare Cox, Third - Ellie Baker.

· Intermediates: First - Grace Newcombe, Second - Riley Bacon, Third - Sierra Martin.

· Seniors: First - Tom York, Second - Lachie Bacon, Third - Kelsie Wilkes.

· Grand champion - Willow Gilliland.

· Reserve champion - Tom York

· Junior paraders champions:

· Pee Wees: First - Lane Passmore, SecondWillow Gilliland, Third - Luke Schmaling.

· Juniors: First - Emily Ballon, Second - Layne Martin, Third - Myles Gilliland.

· Intermediates: First - Riley Bacon, Second

- Khloe Edwards, Third - Grace Newcombe.

· Seniors: First - Grace Collins, Second - Lachie Bacon, Third - Holly Speers.Grand champion: Grace Collins. Res: Riley Bacon.

down the wrong path chasing figures and too higher marbling bulls.

“A lot of Angus cattle are starting to look like Wagyu.”

Jim states his greatest accomplishment apart from selling his record commercial females ‘is expanding from the original place including renewing fences over the last 20 years and building stockyards nearly all on my own.’

To contact Jim, please email him at: tickles@activ8.net.au

For more information head to the Sugarloaf website: https://www.sugarloafangus.com. au/

Herefords Australia chief executive officer Michael Crowley and Herefords Queensland Youth Association president Aleacea Nixon with the Most Potential Breeder award heifer that Richard Ogilvie of Te-Angie Herefords donated.

Jim Tickle with his Angus stud bulls.

Sugarloaf Exclusive S11 lot two bull, weight 1032 kilograms. Pictures: SUPPLIED

Sugarloaf Angus herd.Sugarloaf Angus property.

Saddle up for record sale

By Breanna Lloyd

Sky rocketing clearance rates and new record bids cantered through the Ag-Grow Elite Horse Sale ring, leaving vendors and buyers saddled and galloping into a frenzy.

Offering a total of 78 horses spilt into 41 Geldings and 37 Mares, the herd gained an overall clearance rate of 94 percent, an average price of $11,513, and a gross of $804,500 on Saturday 24 June.

With a 95 percent clearance rate (35 sold out of 37), the Mares averaged $13,600 in total.

Rio Rosa (lot 72), an eight-year-old Mare from Horseview Grazing, broke the top bidding record, selling for $42,000, to purchasers FW Pastoral and Co

The female horse has participated in many mustering expeditions, also being selected in several camp drafting finales.

Following alongside her sires, the Mares’ mother was also an open camp drafter.

According to Horseview Grazing owners, the Mare is ‘a nice horse to ride whilst mustering.’

Claiming the second top-priced Mare sold was Sarah Lindley and her seven-year-old chestnut, Hard Money, selling for a whopping $36,000 to Mann Beef.

The Mare started her camp drafting journey, making numerous finales and placings, while also partaking in miles of mustering.

Toping the Gelding section for a selling price of $20,000 was six-year-old Hunter View Marshall (lot 93) from WK and TK Berry, purchased by Robert’s Grazing Co, Springsure.

The beast has been involved in numerous mustering and weaner tailing occasions and according to the Berry’s, the horse is ‘well educated and would suit all riders.’

The second top priced Gelding for the sale, was Maximus (lot 95) from vendor Reinald Flohr, sold for $17,000 to purchaser Horseview Grazing, Alpha.

The male horse section sold 38 out of 41 lots, leaving a 92 percent clearance rate, sold at an average of $9,592.

Top priced Mare, Rio Rosa (lot 72) with Horseview Grazing and Elders stud stock agents.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

Elders agents with top priced Gelding, Hunter View Marshall (lot 93) and WK and TK Berry.

Top priced Mare, Rio Rosa (lot 72), sold for $42,000 from Horseview Grazing to purchasers FW Pastoral Co.

Gelding, Maximus, sold for $17,000 from vendor Reinald Flohr, purchased by Horseview Grazing, Alpha.

Top priced Gelding, Hunter View Marshall (lot 93) sold for $20,000, offered by WK and TK Berry and purchased by Roberts Grazing Co, Springsure.

Mare, Kelissa Ornament (lot 78) sold for $20,000, from RW and JN Stevenson, and purchased by Lotus Park Grazing , Marlborough.

Mare, Platinum N Pearls sold for $28,000, offered by Mick and Lenore Cole, purchased by FW Pastoral Co.

Sherlock a breed changer

By Fiona Gowers

A Hereford bull multiple judges describe as a “breed changer“ will headline the Truro Whiteface spring sale on 28 August.

Sydney Royal supreme Hereford Truro Sherlock S188 (P) - listed as lot two in the catalogue - is the best bull to ever walk their paddocks, according to Scotty and Pip Hann.

At Glen Innes in January, the then 18-month-old was reserve champion junior Hereford bull and won the interbreed sweepstakes bull of the show.

The next month at Inverell, which hosted the Hereford feature, he won grand champion Hereford bull, supreme champion interbreed bull and supreme beast of show against 75 Hereford cattle exhibited.

Then, with Scott Hann on the halter, the bull stormed through Sydney Royal taking junior and grand champion Hereford bull and supreme Hereford exhibit, under judge Alastair Day.

And, finally, Truro Sherlock claimed a “stunning victory“ in Taroom in May against 242 head across all breeds.

The EKKA will be his swansong in the show ring.

“Sherlock is very powerful - both phenotypically and performance-wise - with data at the top of the industry,“ Mr Hann said.

The 1000-plus kilogram, 23-month-old bull is the son of Yalgoo Peacemaker P034 (PP), a “super sire“ Truro bought with the first sons sold in the stud’s autumn sale topping at $22,000.

Yalgoo Peacemaker has 22 sons in this sale.

“Yalgoo Peacemaker is a very unique bull who has bred the phenotype we like with carcass and carcass expression needed to be successful in a beef operation,” Mr Hann said.

“Combine this with his data set - both raw and breedplan - and you have one hell

of a bull.

“Good bulls breed consistently well. Great bulls breed constantly well above themselves and that is Yalgoo Peacemaker.”

In all, 40 lots - 24 polls and 16 horned bulls - are listed for the Truro Whiteface open-cry sale interfaced with AuctionsPlus.

“Our program is all about breeding perfor-

mance cattle without compromise,“ Mr Hann said.

“Cattle with calving ease, carcass and IMF and balanced data in every trait.

“Our program is industry-driven, whether feedlot or grass-fed, our genetics will give you premiums, especially under MSA grids.

“We select sires from all over the world - but most from Australia - and that’s because we

think the best genetics in the world, that work for us, are right here.

“Come and see us at the EKKA and check out what our program is about. We would love to catch up and we will also have sale catalogues available.”

The Truro Whiteface on-property sale in Bellata, NSW on 28 August opens at 10am for inspection, with the sale starting at 1pm.

Multiple judges describe Sydney Royal supreme Hereford Truro Sherlock S188 (P) as a breed changer.

A cut above

The Limousin breed is renowned for carcase and yield. Yarraman breeders Bradley and Jodie Frohloff are breeding Limousin cattle a little differently, and it is all with the consumer in mind.

After opening Frohlies Meats, Yarraman in 2004 a butcher shop the Frohloffs continue to operate they tried numerous breeds. The most profitable was Limousin. Hence, they chose to breed Limousin when starting their seedstock herd.

There are two key factors that keep customers coming back for Limousin beef at the butcher counter and the Frohloffs are focussing on in the paddock.

The first is the consistency of eating quality. Limousin beef has a very fine texture, so is naturally tender and maintains moisture with excellent flavour during cooking. The knife cuts through fine textured Limousin meat much easier than other breeds, this is influenced by the F94L gene which is exclusive to Limousin cattle.

The second is optimal amounts of fat evenly distributed. The Limousin cattle Frohloffs breed carry more fat and are much softer than the heavy-muscled Limousin of the past. They find these modern Limousin and Limousin cross carcases have the optimal amount of fat in all the right places with minimal wastage. Frohloffs place particular emphasis on intramuscular fat, and in recent years are seeing massive gains with their Limousin cattle of this important market-driven trait.

Along with invited vendors, BJF Limousin will offer 60 polled Limousin bulls, on-property 11am Friday 18 August at Yarraman.

Just like at the butcher counter, the Frohl-

offs are committed to customer service beyond expectations in their seedstock business.

Exclusive to BJF Limousin is the Platinum Triple P Guarantee which has three critical components: Performance Data Guarantee, Protection Guarantee, and Parent Verification and Key Trait Guarantee.

All bulls on offer are measured, recorded, and BreedPlan analysed for weight, carcase scan and scrotal size traits.

Fully vaccinated, temperament screened, semen tested, and come with a fertility warranty.

DNA verified information, including sire verification assists with selecting the right bull for the right application.

BJF provide delivery (conditions apply), and progeny buyback opportunities.

Full catalogue and further information can be found at bjflimousin.com.au/sales

Bradley Frohloff, Frohlies Meats, Yarraman QLD with Certified Limousin Beef T-Bones

High-Quality Certified Limousin Beef sired by BJF Limousin Bulls

Ag-grow’s pricey bull sale

By Breanna Lloyd

Vendors’ pockets were filled with cash from the Emerald Ag-Grow Elite Multi-Breed Bull Sale after a Traditional Simmental bull topped prices for first-time vendors from New South Wales (NSW).

From Mendooran NSW, Chris and Ashleigh Ickinger offered the registered 31-month-old Herlo Park Rover (lot 129) and 30-month-old Herlo Park Raptor (lot 186).

Herlo Park Rover, an existing Senior Champion Simmental at Melbourne Show and Reserve Senior Champion Simmental at Sydney Show, started a bidding massacre, eventually achieving the top selling bull title at $30,000, sold to buyer Erin Goodwin from Kingstone Grazing in Alpha.

Offering a total of 166 multi-breed bulls and selling 145, the wholesale achieved an 87 per cent clearance rate, disregarding the 24 head withdrawn.

The average sale figure was sold at $8531 with a gross of $1,237,000.

A 24-month-old polled bull, Four Ways MLR (lot nine), from Four Ways Charolais, David Whitechurch from Little Plain in NSW, sold the top price Charolais bull for $22,000 to an online buyer from Clermont.

Topping the Angus section with a selling price of $18,000 was an Angus bull from the Acacia Angus Stud sold to Jordan Grazing QLD.

Central Highlands mayor Kerry Hayes acknowledged Ag-Grow’s new comers.

“I thank the Ag-Grow organisers for their invitation to be along here today, and how regional Australia is being treated today, acknowledging the fact that there are a lot of faces that I do recognise, but I am certainly seeing that there are a lot of people outside our region, which is excellent,” said Cr Hayes.

“When it comes to agriculture, the people here really help highlight the fact we need to make them understand how important

these days are.

“I thank the exhibitors and everyone for coming along here today.”

Auctioneers were Elders stud stock agents, Anthony Ball, Michael Smith and Andrew Meara.

“On behalf of the Elder Stud Stock team, we thank everyone for coming today,” Mr Ball said.

“Over the years you can certainly see the quality that has consistently stayed there.”

Mr Meara thanked his colleagues.

“I’d like to congratulate Anthony Ball and Eliza Connor for putting a great sale together,” he said.

“We wish all our buyers well with their purchases.”

CQ Charolais.

Moongool Charolais.Close up of Moongool Charolais.

Ramsey Creek Brangus.

Emerald Ag-Grow Multi Breed Bull Sale.

Modern tech in farming

BREAKING GROUND WITH OWEN WILLIAMS

From the fleecing of sheep to LandCruiser larceny, farm theft is rife across the country and a real burden on growers and producers.

It’s a growing, yet age-old problem that has farmers flocking to new technologies that can outsmart criminals.

Ear tags with satellite GPS trackers, sensor cameras that can detect trespassers scaling a farm fence and drones that monitor fence lines are just some of the agtech being deployed to stop crims in their tracks.

It’s great to see these innovations in farm security given the detrimental impact theft is having on farming families.

During my recent visits to rural Queensland and NSW, I spoke to many growers who said they had become more concerned about farm theft in recent years. They talked about suffering substantial financial losses, disruption of operations and their families feeling vulnerable.

Earlier this year, I read about 700 sheep worth an estimated $140,000 being stolen from a farm in northern Victoria.

At the time, those news reports included the shocking statistic that 70 to 80 per cent of farmers had experienced some kind of onfarm crime.

More recently, there has been a spike in the theft of LandCruisers in southwest Queensland.

Even when insurance pays out, farmers are finding it hard to get a new vehicle or are paying more due to shortages, leaving them

in a hard spot.

Fortunately, substantial efforts are being made to combat this problem through increased security measures, law enforcement agencies and farmers, with agtech playing a major role.

At the Agtech and Logistics Hub, we see how agtech can provide connected surveil-

lance systems and tracking devices that send security alerts in real time to both farmers and police.

These technologies are equipped with advanced features such as motion sensors, night vision, and remote access capabilities, allowing farmers to keep a constant watch over their farmland.

KEEPING OUR LOVED ONES SAFE!

IN ONE YEAR

141 Coastal drowning deaths

23% OFFSHORE 16% ROCKS/CLIFFS 51% AT THE BEACH

We are proud to work with innovators in this space, including Land Watch, a company providing solar security cameras that supply 24/7 live footage and clear night vision of farms. Their camera systems deter would-be thieves, enable farmers to keep an eye on their cars, homes and stock remotely via their mobile phones and, in the worst-case scenario, provide footage for police investigations.

Other innovators have utilised GPS technology to produce tracking devices to safeguard agricultural equipment and livestock. These devices can be installed on tractors, vehicles, and on animals as ear tags or collars, enabling farmers to be alerted if these assets move outside of a designated area.

They also allow police to track the movement of these assets and quickly locate them.

We are also seeing sensor-based technologies being used on-farm to detect unusual activities or breaches in perimeter fences or fuel tanks, triggering immediate alerts to farmers.

Security is also now leveraging data analytics and machine learning algorithms to analyse patterns and identify potential risks, helping farmers make informed decisions about security measures. By integrating these technological advancements, the agriculture industry is striving to create a safer and more secure environment for farmers, safeguarding their livelihoods and communities.

If you are looking to protect your farm and family from the rising challenge of farm theft, reach out to the team at the Hub.

We work with many innovative startups and scaleups dedicated to farm security solutions, so we are across the latest solutions that will help you prevent the problem of theft cropping up on your property.

Owen Williams is Hub Manager at the Agtech and Logistics Hub, Australia’s home of digital agriculture.

49% AT LEAST 5KM FROM A LIFESAVING SERVICE

89% MALE

Sensor cameras that can detect trespassers scaling a farm fence are just some of the agtech being deployed to stop crims in their tracks.

Feed additive gets results

A few years ago, few people had heard of Asparagopsis.

But today, this red seaweed is becoming a well-known innovation that is showing significant promise for its ability to reduce methane emissions for the livestock sector.

When fed to cattle in a feedlot situation as part of a total mixed ration (less than one per cent of dry matter intake), Asparagopsis has been shown repeatedly to reduce methane emissions by 80 per cent or more.

On the back of significant research over a decade, Asparagopsis is now being made available from commercial partners via FutureFeed, which was formed in 2020 to commercialise the technology that was developed by CSIRO, together with MLA and James Cook University.

FutureFeed issues licenses to seaweed growers and processors around the world, enabling supply of Asparagopsis to the livestock market under an agreed quality control framework.

We are already seeing Asparagopsis being grown and sold commercially and there are also early-mover products testing the consumer market, including the Grill’d burger chain’s ‘game changer’ burger.

At the same time, because this technology is relatively new to our industry, there is ongoing work needed to understand the details of adopting the technology in our industry, including the costs, benefits and opportunities.

There is a large program of investment underway to identify new Asparagopsis based products as well as the opportunities, barriers, and pathways to adoption and commercialisation.

These projects are occurring via investments from MLA and our investment partners, separately through the Commonwealth Government’s Methane Emissions Reduction in Livestock (MERiL) program, and through commercial entities.

FROM THE MLA JASON STRONG

Each time a new research project concludes it places another piece into the puzzle, helping us understand the various products that might incorporate Asparagopsis and also helps us to understand further questions that need to be answered.

One of the most recent - and longest - research projects, involving AA Co and Waygu cattle is doing exactly that. The 275-day study was the first of its kind in Wagyu steers. It is supporting previous data that showed the technology reduces emissions, while having no impact on attributes of the beef evaluated by a trained sensory panel.

“In this case, there were lighter carcase weights compared to a control group of similar cattle not receiving the Asparagopsis product. This was in contrast with all previous work in feedlot cattle,” FutureFeed Chief Scientist, Dr Rob Kinley, said.

“The anomaly is considered a result of reduced feed intake. The contrast in this specific feeding system highlights the need for more pieces in the puzzle to be filled, with continued work with variable feeding regimes and breeds.”

The diet consisted of a lower grain content than previous studies with feedlot cattle. This contributed to a tempered methane reduction response.

That said, the study was the longest ever diet exposure with the seaweed and there was no effect on meat quality or loss of methane reduction effectiveness, which is great news.

This is a never-before-seen offering of persistent long-term methane reduction. In other words, the effect did not ‘wear off’.

Recently MLA co-funded a study involving Asparagopsis oil (known as P.PSH.1351) which demonstrated methane mitigation in the range of (54.5 to 95%+) with no effect on

animal or food safety over an 80-day feeding period.

Later this year, a seminal feedlot cattle study funded in the MERiL program will publish the results of a productivity trial for 150 steers on a higher grain diet, building more information in the space.

Based on emerging international research, there are already indications of where to focus future research to ensure we create productivity gains while also reducing methane reductions.

Remember, this technology is new. Like so many activities in our industry, we will tackle these questions with innovation and research to make sure that we are bringing together the positive environmental outcomes with positive productivity outcomes.

Each scientific trial is a step in the journey on the innovation pathway for these products, and it’s great to see organisations both within industry and the scientific community working hard to understand this space.

This research was critical to provide transparent data to Australian producers as the knowledge will help refine future approaches to feeding dried Asparagopsis and Asparagopsis oil-based products for industry and commercialisers.

There has also been some discussion in the media recently about the safety of Asparagopsis.

In multiple studies, researchers have not detected any residual bromoform, the methane inhibitor produced in the seaweed, in any part of the beef cattle or beef products including the meat, fat, kidneys, livers, offal and faecal matter.

There is significant potential for this technology for the industry and MLA looks forward to working with the industry and other partners to see its long-term success.

A species of seaweed named Asparagopsis Taxiformis is seen in a beaker at Moffat Beach in Caloundra. Picture: RUSSELL FREEMAN, AAP

Fostering wellbeing in bush

A challenge for those who wish to be well in the bush is to first ask can you be well?

Secondly, what does being well look like for most country residents?

Thirdly, how can we tackle this challenge?

Let’s start with a study by the Australian Institute of Health and Wellbeing 2016, which reports that the further you live from the ocean the shorter your lifespan. This is pretty shocking. For the purpose of this article, I’m going to unbuckle the illness system from what we see is the wellbeing opportunity for all country people.

What I mean by unbuckling is this. The health system as we know it is actually the illness system.

It focuses health services on the identification, investigation, treatment, monitoring and management of illness which takes up huge financial and infrastructure resources.

Inside the illness system we call the interactions episodic care, because most people as a rule present with a problem (injury, illness or symptom).

The presentation of coughs, colds and sore holes is after all what many think the health system is for - helping them to get well again.

Episodic care by virtue of the shear volume of consultations for illness related problems invariably remunerates and rewards those who provide illness not wellbeing care.

Talking to my medical colleagues, they argue they would like to have the time to talk about being well and to see patients to plan wellbeing but they aren’t always able to do this and patients may not expect it either.

If hypothetically, you are born with no illnesses , like the early chronic problems of childhood Asthma or ADHD for example, then I call you a “wellbeing native”.

You identify as being well. Should you progress through childhood and into adulthood with good health and a disposition to

FARMERS’ HEALTH

WITH DR TOBY FORD

eat well, exercise regularly, sleep properly and learn from others mental resilience, then as time goes on you might discover that the “health system” is not a place you want to frequent.

At a visible level it does not seem to reward such attention to you making your health an asset not a liability to your quality and quantity of life.

In addition to this let’s say you are sailing along and have no reason to enter the illness system and you have an illness event, then an outcome can be it shocks you into reevaluating your health and its importance and you scurry away and get back to being well.

See, two things motivate people to be well , one is fear and the other is interest.

Taking on habits of the well is pretty easy but you’ve got to have a reason for investing in being well.

In our research on working aged people, we have discovered that there are what are called positive social determinants.

Health literacy, financial stability, emotional independence, positive relationships, no exposure to suppressive or coercive circumstances (no domestic violence) are all examples which make a person more able to adopt the linkage between being well and performing well in work and life.

In the bush another thing we are learning to differentiate between is stoic dogged intergenerational behaviors and flexible resilient models of intergenerational behavior.

In the first paradigm, the way some rural families are guided by command from elders, ie grandparents ran sheep, sons and wives told they will run sheep and grandchildren have no choice but run sheep.

This at first glance seems logical, but as land increasingly requires repurposing its use to respond to market forces , financial changes, such stoicism can lead to family health problems which stifle sensible succession planning and inheritance .

This invariably disenfranchises their youth, leading to them leave or fail to return.

Meanwhile on a neighboring property flexible resilient families might as grandparents ask sons and daughters their advice on what is best for land use and as a result sons change to cattle, then the grandchildren come home and with the aide of farm college or an agribusiness degree recommend stocking pigs and cherry trees so that a new product of cherry flavored pork can be sold at a high returns to the emerging markets of sophisticated city slickers wanting organic foods.

In this stereotype the younger generations return and remain because their opinion is respected and acted upon to create flexible resilience in family members.

The emotional healing of self after adversity happens is what these family stereotypes practice as though its second nature.

This is a playground of family wellbeing enablement.

So what I’m saying is this.

There are specific reasons why you can be well in the bush and secondly there is a necessity to find others who think the same as you do.

They say birds of a feather flock together. It’s about elevating the worthiness of selfpreservation and wellbeing when living in the bush. Its meeting and associating with others who do the same.

So here are two novel projects our team are working on to create wellbeing in the bush for future generations.

A group of us are working hard to see if we can find out the characteristics of why some people are well and are good role models and examples for their communities.

We want to bring them together to belong in a new social group of well bushies that we are forming and you could be one of them.

Our goal is to build a network of 1000 well farmers in 50 regions in five years.

They will come together through a program we are implementing across Australian agribusiness And MLA is one of our early partners.

In the next few months, the Farmers Health Promotions Collaborative is partnering with MLA to conduct a preliminary study in finding out where well people in the red meat industry reside and what makes them role models for others. www.farmershealth.org.au/project100-farmers/

The second one is a related project in which a group I am part of are running the second Australian Outback Rowing Regatta in Barcaldine and Longreach.

In an exercise of “build it an they will come” we are bringing 200 well city people out to compete in a rowing regatta on the mighty Thomson in Longreach and the Water Park in Barcaldine , 16 -17 September. Bushies are already registering to patriciate and rub shoulder s with other healthy role models. www. outbackrowing.com

So I hope you will start to think about how you can start being well in the bush or how we can help you to remain well in the bush.

Dr Toby Ford is CEO and Founder of Ford Health www.fordhealth.com.au . The views of this article are those of the author.

Back to the stone age

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

TOM MARLAND

It’s amazing in this day and age when pretty much everything we rely on to survive is electric that the cheapest form of heating in Australia - is firewood. With all of our technological advancement - we still rely on the same heating source humans have used for 1000s of years.

I’ve always said that native hard wood is our greatest renewable resource that should be used in buildings and infrastructure where possible, but I never considered it to be a “renewable energy” resource - simply by the fact that you have to burn it - which releases carbon dioxide. The fact that it naturally grows back is lost on most inner-city greenies who think that trees are all planted.

But recently I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the Federal Labor Government - the source of all wisdom and knowledgethrough their Australian Energy Update lists “wood” as one of the nation’s key renewable energy sources, delivering more renewable energy than the nation’s hydro-electricity plants and almost as much as wind farms!

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water’s 2022 update states firewood delivered 83.2 petajoules of renewable energy in 2020-21 compared to 54.7PJ of hydro-electricity and 88.3PJ of wind power.

It’s reassuring to know that when all the coal fired power stations are switched off that on a cloudy day or when the wind isn’t blowing - we can throw a bit of wood in the burner and

not freeze to death but with a clean conscious.

But don’t get too complacent.

For example, in Victoria, when Dan Andrews isn’t locking people in their houses for two and a half years or cancelling Commonwealth Games - he has also been busily closing down the States native hardwood forestry industry. With the stroke of his mighty pen -

he has basically closed down all Victorian forest reserves to forestry activities and placed hundreds of people out of work and pushed a number of regional towns to the point of extinction.

That wood will now be saved to be consumed by catastrophic mega bushfires like we have seen previously on Black Thursday (1851), Black Monday (1865), Red Tuesday

(1898), Black Sunday (1926), Black Friday (1939), Ash Wednesday (1983), Black Saturday (2009) and the most recent Black Summer (2019-2020).

The move has been designed to directly appease inner city green preferences - those voters who live in concrete airconditioned boxes but prefer someone else to carry their environmental burden.

But the move has also created a significant conundrum given 35 per cent of regional Victorians or 260,000 rural and regional households rely on wood to heat their homes.

Thanks to Dan Andrews closing down sustainable native forest harvesting by 1 January 2024 - there will be a 42,000 cubic meters of firewood shortage as supplies from VicForests and community forestry operations are terminated.

Already, there has been a surge in interstate firewood demand, with the price of NSW red gum stocks soaring to $60 a cubic meter. Queensland operators are loading up truckfulls of once low value timber and sending it into Victoria to fill the shortages.

And it’s no wonder when Victorian wholesale power prices have almost tripled in the last decade and have increased by 30 per cent in the last three years.

In Queensland, we are lucky to have a climate that most of us don’t have to worry about freezing to death. But in places like Victoria, for many people it is very real prospect if they can’t heat their homes without sending themselves bankrupt.

It’s just another example of Labor/Green aligned lunacy that ends up adversely impacting other peoples’ lives and also delivery zero benefit to the environment.

And the problem will only get worse while we have people who don’t live in the environment making the decisions that directly affect those that do and the actual environment in which they exist.

Time trials down to the wire

By Breanna Lloyd

Dust and dirt flew at the Emerald Ag-Grow arena from 22 to 23 June, as competitors of the Forshaw Performance Horses Stockman’s Workout Challenge battled down to the last point for the champion title.

Presented with four age groups of Juniors, Juveniles, Maidens and Opens, participants chose between three event categories consisting of a Second Hand Cutting exercise, a Dry Pattern course and a Time Trial.

Opens competitor Lindy Kehl on her horses Swindler and Destiny Chex, achieved first place in the Second-Hand Cutting, second place in the Dry Work Pattern, third place in the Time Trials and claimed first and third place in the overall highest points for the Opens section, scoring a total of 246 points.

Following Lindy was Jordyn Bentley on Cheydoc Dukes Perfection scoring a total of 244.5 points.

Jodie Morgan claimed first, second and third place of the overall top scorers in the Ringers Maiden section, scoring 334 points on her horses SP Just Cruzin, Ninety or Nuthin and Soul Sister.

The Juvenile section’s first and second places were knocked out by Abby Dingle on her horses Hollycatolena (232 points) and Tap Dancin at Midnight (223.5 points), followed by a member of Forshaw Performance Horses business (FPH), Katelyn Taylor and her horse Mascot (170.5 points).

The overall high-point achievers in the Junior section include Amelia Bogle on Golden Girl for first place (214.5 points), Hamish Morgan in second place on Ninety or Nuthin (206 points) and Clare Morgan in third place on SP Just Cruzin (192.5 points).

Cody-Jo and Carlyn from CJ Performance Horses and Mick and Lenore Cole judged the competition.

President of FPH Stockmans Workout Challenge and founder of FPH Belinda Forshaw, expressed her gratitude towards her team.

“The absolute dream team,” she said.

“A massive thank you to these amazing people for your help over the past 12 months.

“You have all been a part of this journey and made the weekend a huge success, we truly appreciate you so much.”

Jordyn Bentley on Cheydoc Dukes Perfection.

Lindy Kehl, winner of the Second Hand Cutting with sponsors Nutrien Emerald.

Katelyn Taylor on Mascot. Matilda Bogle on Desiree.

Abby Dingle on Tap Dancin at Midnight.

Pictures: VAN DER STOEP PHOTOGRAPHY

Presentation of the Junior Pattern Class.Sarah and Jodie Morgan on Milo.The FPH Committee.

Regional market round-up

Report Date: 19/07/2023

Saleyard: Dalby

The number of cattle penned at Dalby reduced by 858 head down to 4,132. All the regular export buyers were in attendance and operating plus the southern buyers of the previous week returned and were active in the market. The usual feed and trade plus restocker buyers were also present. Apart from light weight yearling heifers struggling to maintain a firm trend most other classes improved in price. Yearling steers to restockers and feed averaged 5c to 8c/kg better. Yearling heifers to feed were noticeably dearer and lifted in price by 8c to over 20c/kg in places. Cows sold to a dearer market to average 4c to 8c/kg better. Light weight yearling steers returning to the paddock made to 405c with a large sample at 351c and poor quality lines averaged 273c/kg. Yearling steers to feed for the domestic market averaged from 348c to 351c with sales to 372c/ kg. Heavy weight yearling steers to feed averaged 336c with one outstanding pen reaching 374c/kg. Light weight yearling heifers returning to the paddock averaged 238c and sold to 282c/kg. Yearling heifers to feed averaged from 283c to 315c with sales to 336c/kg. Heavy weight yearling heifers to feed were also in demand and averaged 290c and made to 318c/ kg. Heavy grown steers and bullocks to export processors made to 294c to average 287c/kg. A good sample of full mouth bullocks made to 256c and averaged 252c/kg. Medium weight 2 score cows averaged 177c/kg. Heavy weight 3 score cows averaged 205c and made to 211c/ kg. Good heavy weight cows made to a top of 225c with an average of 217c/kg. Heavy weight bulls made to 277c/kg.

Market Reporter, Trevor Hess Report Date: 13/07/2023

Saleyard: Emerald

Emerald vendors penned an increased yarding of 1664 head following a week without a sale due to rain in the local area. Cattle came to hand from local districts and as far north as Richmond. There was a draft of plain quality steers , cows and heifers from Collinsville also on offer. Competition came from the usual processor panel which were operating on increased limits which improved returns. Local and travelling restockers provided good competition for their stock with quality determining returns. Light weight yearling steers averaged 333c/kg for “C” but pens and 262c/ kg for lesser “D” butt pens. Well bred, light weight yearling heifers sold to averaged from 228c to 245c/kg to restockers and backgrounders. Those to the veal trade averaged 200c/kg. Medium weight pens sold to feeders to average 247c to 286c/kg. Grown steers sold to feed to average 252c to 292c/kg. Processors paid 264c to 279c/kg for young bullocks finished on grain. Grown heifers went to the trade to average from 203c to 232c/kg relative to finish. Heavy, four score cows sold to 225c/kg to return a 223c/kg average for Euro cross cows.. Heavy bulls averaged 225c/kg with a 240c/kg top.

Reporter: Richard Thomson

Report Date: 31/07/2023

Saleyard: Longreach

Numbers declined from a fortnight ago with prices mixed across the majority of categories. The usual buyers were operating on most lines with quality the main factor behind price fluctuations. The better quality yearling steers sold from 130¢ to 148¢, while the secondary lines sold from 100¢ to 128¢/kg. The light yearling heifers offered topped at 142¢ to average 136¢/kg. The 400kg to 500kg grown steers were 5c/kg cheaper ranging from 126¢ to 150¢, while the 500kg to 600kg lines sold from 135¢ to 157¢ to be firm to 5c/kg cheaper. Light grown heifers averaged 123¢/kg. Plain conditioned cows

were generally dearer, with medium weight D1 lines selling from 70¢ to 90¢, while 2 score lines made from 95¢ to 120¢/kg. The better quality heavy cows sold 2¢/kg cheaper averaging 121¢/kg.

Report Date: 17/07/2023

Saleyard: Toowoomba

The number of cattle penned at Toowoomba increased by 75 to 249 head. All the regular buyers were in attendance and operating. There was a wide variation in quality and this was also reflected in prices. Yearling steers to feed for the domestic market were well supplied and sold to a dearer trend. Yearling heifers experienced only quality related price

changes. The small sample of cows penned sold to fair demand for the quality available. Light weight yearling steers returning to the paddock made to 386c to average 357c with poor quality lines at 259c/kg. Yearling steers under 330kg to feed made to 376c to average 340c/kg. Yearling steers under 400kg to feed averaged 339c with sales to 370c/kg. Heavy weight yearling steers to feed made to 348c to average 330c/kg. A small sample of yearling heifers to feed sold in the mid 200c/kg range. Best of the heavy weight cows sold to 218c/kg. Heavy weight bulls made to 230c/kg.

Market reporter David Friend

Stuart and Angela Cockerill from Darr Creek via Jandowae at the Roma sales.

Sizzling fun awaits at fest

There’s no curing a love of bacon, which is just as well because Kingaroy’s BaconFest is back this August.

The South Burnett food festival is set to be ‘porktacular’ with an action-packed program from 18 to 20 August.

The festival, which celebrates Kingaroy as the pork producing capital of Australia, will be headlined by Spanish chef extraordinaire Miguel Maestre.

Chef Maestre will be joined by celebrity chef and TV personality Alastair McLeod who will lead this year’s ‘Ready, Steady … Bacon’ series.

The festival’s new event will pit producers and local identities up against each other in the kitchen as they take on a culinary challenge.

“It’ll be magic to watch it unfold, I might even get some ideas myself,” Chef McLeod says.

“We’ll be showcasing local pork and bacon… I just hope reputations come out unscathed.”

The festival kicks off with a Wine and Swine event Friday evening, before Saturday’s Rasher’s Rush Fun Run and a host of activities including the Little Piggies and Artisan Markets and a SunPork Smoke-off BBQ Competition.

“We are so excited to be ‘Bringing Home the Bacon’ again this year and that’s why we’ve chosen this as the festival’s 2023 theme,” Chief Baconeer, Anitta Stallwood says.

“We are anticipating this year’s BaconFest to be our biggest and best yet.

“We’ve listened to the feedback from past attendees and are pleased to say we have more bacon in every form imaginable in Kingaroy for the whole family to wrap their mouths around.”

There’ll be a big bacon breakfast and bacon-eating competition, plus a multitude of food trucks serving more pork produce than

Do

you can poke a stick at.

“Kingaroy is the pork epicentre of Australia and as such we are inviting all Queenslanders and anyone with a penchant for pork to mark August 18-20 on their calendars, this is an event not to be missed,” Ms Stallwood says.

As an agricultural region, Chef McLeod says the South Burnett has done a great job creating their food identity.

For

Annette Weatherstone | P: 0428 844 937

“Baconfest has established itself as one of the premier festivals... food is what defines a place, a community and a society and the South Burnett is a powerhouse area of food production and the festival crystalizes it so well,“ Chef McLeod says.

Swickers Bacon Factory has been operating in the region for more than 50 years and is the largest employer in the region, with SunPork

E: annette.weatherstone@queenslandfarmertoday.com.au

Samantha Wantling | P: 0439 420 289

E: samantha.wantling@warwickstanthorpetoday.com.au

Michael Callaghan | P: 0401 233 803

E: michael.callaghan@burnetttoday.com.au

Cindy Unwin | P: 0408 281 861

E: : cindy.unwin@cqtoday.com.au

Jemma Wilson | P: 07 4182 0458

E: jemma.wilson@burnetttoday.com.au

Donna Collier

E: donna.collier@todaynewsgroup.com.au

Daniel Pelcl | P: 0408 956 830

E: daniel.pelcl@burnetttoday.com.au

Classified

Advertising

Sharon Jones | P: 07 4182 0451

E: sharon.jones@burnetttoday.com.au

coming on board as a major festival sponsor.

“The entire Kingaroy community and of course our incredible cohort of volunteers are once again squealing with excitement at the prospect of another mouth-watering local event.”

· Tickets to BaconFest are now available online at: kingaroybaconfest.com.au

15,000 copies published. Inserted into the following newspapers:

• South Burnett Today

• Central & North Burnett Today

• Warwick Today

• Stanthorpe Today

• Leader Today

• Jimboomba Today

• Beaudesert Times

• Emerald Today

• CQ Today

• Goondiwindi Argus

Also available from the follow outlets:

• Hartleys Newsexpress Toowoomba

• Roma Sale Yards

• Warwick Sale Yards

• Highfields News & Post

• Pittsworth Newsagency

• News Extra Central City

Next edition out on the 31 August 2023

TAFE Hospitality teacher Jenni and BaconMan tests out the spice rubs made by the TAFE Students. 295219 Pictures: JESSICA MCGRATH

BaconFest volunteer Liam sets out the plates for the Bacon eating competition. 295219

Celebrity Chef Miguel Maestre shares his top cooking tips with the BaconFest crowd. 295219

Nebo’s spurring

By Breanna Lloyd

Spurs were digging and reins were tightened at the Nebo Bushman Carnival (NBC) as competitors buckled down for the event win.

Spurring frantically, participants rode at the non-profit camp draft at the Nebo Saleyards ring from 29 June to 2 July, to get their share of the various trophies, awards and prizes offered.

A total of nine drafting competitions were shared amongst five age groups of Minis, Juniors, Juveniles, Maidens and Opens, with numerous donations made providing guests and participants with catering from local school families, cattle, prizes, etc.

Opens results

The first contest, the Roy Carmody Memorial Restricted Opens Draft (RCMROD), was off to a galloping start on 29 June with winner Stewart Wallace on Demore Cat receiving the trophy buckle, donated by the Hanrahan family, with 180 points.

Scoring five less than Stewart was camp drafter Wally Rea on Pandora with 175 points, Pete Comiskey on Nashvale Roy Ell Destiny, for third place with 173 points and fifth place on Ervines Just Jim with 162 points.

The most successful competitor award was Steve Comiskey, following his impeccable drafting performances.

The winner of the RCMROD Cut-Out section went to Jason Wanstall on Double Your Money with 24 points.

Knocking out the Mrs Suzie Whitehead Memorial Ladies Draft (MSWML) was winner Vicki Howard on Partygirl with 178 points.

Not far behind was Claudia Spencer on Tuff Lil Spoon in second (173 points) and Luci Cunningham on Imprint in third place (168 points).

The winner for the MSWML Cut-Out was Donna Watts on Lady Can Spin with 23 points.

Jason Wanstall on his horses Eagle and Marshmellow Cat was the winner for both the Sharon Mitchell Memorial Novice Draft A and B with a total of 356 points.

Jason was later presented with The Publicans Cup, Blackburn Trophy, which has existed since the mere opening on NBC.

Louise Comiskey snatched up first place in the Willoughby Livestock Transport Open Draft after her ride on Good Tim Chic got a score of 358 points.

President of NBC David Muir, was awarded the Prydes Easifeed Horseman and Sportsman Perpetual trophy by the Nebo Camp Draft Committee for his hard work ethic and commitment to NBC.

The highest-scoring Maiden drafter in the Opens went to Laura Curren, winning a trophy whip donated by John Salmond.

Maiden results

The Bry McFadzen Memorial Maiden for Maiden draft went to Steven Borg on Polly with 165 points, followed by Cournty Lockhart on Ima Mia Cat with 160 points and Corey Bella on his horse Miss who just scrapped out on second place with 159 points.

Second-time winner Steven Borg cantered

his way to victory, winning the Scotty Wilson Equine Services Highest Averaging Maiden Rider.

The Maiden to Maiden memorial Cut-Out section was awarded to Justin Paton on his horse Paton’s McGregor.

Sam Galea and his horse Timmy Tucker took home first place in the Nebo Rural Services Maiden Draft (NRSMD) scoring 172 points.

Jesse Todd on Abby and Warren Watts on Jewels R Heavy both put on a jaw-dropping battle with each other, both scoring 170 points, tying for second and third place.

The Cut-Out winner for the NRSMD was Billy Joe Rea on Harpo with 23 points.

Juvenile results

In the Juvenile section for the Mrs Sybill Highes Memorial, claiming the first place was rider Abby Dingle on Hollycatolena with 87 points. Tumbling in at second place was Hugh Watts on Back in Black who was two points under, scoring 85, and Callan Winter brushing it close in third place on Connie with 84 points.

Juniors results

The David Michelmore Memorial Lower Junior Draft (DMMLJD) horsemanship trophy buckle went to Keely Searle on Mustang, second place to Andi Clarke riding Astro Boy and a tie for third place with Brooke Harahan on Sweet Lit-

tle Kitty and Madeline Loader on Georgiana. The Cut-Out winner for the DMMLJD section went to Madeline Loader riding Georgia. Winning both the Isaac Regional Council Upper Junior Horsemanship trophy and the Cut Out was Lacey Armitage on Top Gun Sunday with a total of 88 points.

Mini results

The winner of the Mr and Mrs Grahman Stuart Memorial Mini Draft and the Cut-Out was Delta Burrell on her horse Mustang Lanina with 64 points.

Close behind Delta in second place was Romy Low on Lady and Beau Scott on Snowy in third.

Nebo Rural Services Maiden Draft competitors. Pictures: CAC PHOTOGRAPHY

Trophy donator Scotty Wilson presenting Steven Borg with the Trophy Saddle.

President David Muir with his Prydes Easifeed Horseman and Sportsman Perpetual Trophy.