November 2023
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Hosting Beef Mates
Speedy branch elevation
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A rare chance The Roma Feedlot and Spelling Yards offer buyers a rare chance to acquire a strategic part of the Queensland livestock supply chain. Situated 40 kilometres south-west of Roma, Ben Cameron holds the 2445.62-hectare aggregation across three freehold certificates of title. One of the first NFAS-accredited feedlots to hit the open market in recent years, it is expected to generate strong competition from existing operators and producers seeking further diversity and a drought mitigation strategy. JLL director - agribusiness Geoff Warriner is selling the Mount Abundance property. STORY PAGE 4
Fields of gold A sunflower festival in the Scenic Rim that attracts more than 12,000 people to its golden fields has a goal to raise $100,000 for vital cancer research and care at Mater. Kalbar Sunflower Festival organiser and farmer Jenny Jenner said April’s event, which will which feature more than a million sunflowers in full bloom, will recognise her husband Russell Jenner, who died in July after an 18-month battle with oesophageal cancer. STORY PAGE 12
TSBE chief out
Jimboomba siblings Edith Aitken, 7 (middle) with twins Charlotte and William, 5.
Picture: LAURA CALLAGHAN PHOTOGRAPHY
Greg Bowden has resigned as chief executive officer of the Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE) five months into the role. TSBE chairman John McVeigh announced the news via a statement in September. “Our CEO Greg Bowden has resigned as CEO of TSBE and has left the organisation,“ he said. “The TSBE Board and I want to take the opportunity to thank Greg for his time at TSBE and advise you of the steps we are taking to ensure a smooth transition to new leadership.” STORY PAGE 7
Production dips By Fiona Gowers As drier conditions “hit home“ Queensland will this financial year experience the country’s biggest fall in total grain and oilseed production. Rabobank’s 2023/24 Australian winter crop
reduced plantings this season. “It does, however, remain above the fiveyear average.“ Nationally, winter crops are expected to produce 25pc less than in 2022/23. In all, Rabobank predicts a 48.72 million tonne national crop this year, which is down
24pc on last season’s record-breaking 63.85 million tonnes. The “more modest“ forecast follows three consecutive years of strong harvests and is just below the five-year average STORY PAGE 3
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forecast predicts production in the Sunshine State to top 2.15 million tonnes, 36 per cent less than last year. Wheat is expected to see the largest fall down 41 per cent year-on-year - says report co-author, RaboResearch associate analyst Edward McGeoch, compounded, he said, by