Chemicals - Australian Farm Institute

Will perverse policy send sugarcane up in smoke?

Published 27 Aug 2020

“Let the cane fields burn, let the flames rise. Let the politicians and the bankers in the city look up in wonder at the glow in the sky…” – Graeme Connors Although the iconic burning of cane fields is a rarity in most regions today, we may be facing a…

Conservation agriculture in 2030: Are farmers up for the challenge?

Published 18 Jun 2020

By Teresa Fox and Richard Heath Conservation agriculture will be fundamentally different in 2030 compared to the present day. Farmers must continue to innovate, potentially at higher rates than previously seen, to overcome emerging risks and threats. Are they up for this challenge and will they be operating in a…

Agriculture Chemicals Climate Grain Policy R&D

Are you confident of your social licence?

Published 4 Oct 2018

A social licence is easier to define once lost than when it is in place. The live export industry is very familiar with the disruptive consequences of losing the social licence to operate, and understanding social licence been critical for doing business in the forestry sector for decades. Social licence is…

Agriculture Animal Welfare Chemicals Climate Natural Resource Management

Glyphosate hysteria ramps up

Published 20 Aug 2018

Last October I wrote about the European Commission vote on extending the registration of glyphosate. While the extension was granted, it has done nothing to diminish the campaigning of vocal community that oppose the use of glyphosate. This community has had their position strengthened by a landmark case in California…

Agriculture Chemicals Policy

Summer 2018 – Farm Policy Journal: John Ralph Essay Competition 2018: Should society determine the right to farm?

Published 1 Feb 2018

Trust, or more accurately a general lack of trust, in government, business, media and NGOs continues to be a significant issue in 2018. Agriculture is not immune from this lack of trust and is exposed to significant change as a result. A non-trusting general population is enabling a political environment…

Animal Welfare Chemicals Climate Conservation Environment Marketing Social Licence Sustainability

#glyphosateisvital but do consumers agree?

Published 23 Oct 2017

In the next few days the European Commission is scheduled to vote on whether to extend the registration of glyphosate, the active ingredient of the worlds most widely used weedkiller, Roundup. If an extension is not approved, it will essentially lead to the banning of glyphosate in Europe. Despite the…

Agriculture Chemicals Policy

Thank big farms and chemicals for cheap food

Published 8 Mar 2016

The renewed interest in farming and how food is produced – stimulated by endless gourmet traveler and cooking shows on TV – is a positive development for the agriculture sector in Australia, bringing with it tourists, new customers, regional growth, investment, and even increased undergraduate enrollments in agriculture courses. But…

Agriculture Business Chemicals Food

Agriculture has the technology, but will consumers swallow it?

Published 15 Sep 2015

The growth opportunities for Australian agriculture lie in expanding resource use via the development of northern Australia, and increasing output from existing resource use through productivity growth. While these two options are perhaps equally important, agricultural productivity growth is essential in order to maintain international competitiveness irrespective of what happens…

Agriculture Animal Welfare Business Chemicals Policy R&D

Farmers, scientists and governments need to beware of anti-scientists

Published 12 Apr 2015

Two issues that have attracted media attention over the past month are the Easter holidays road toll, and the influence of anti coal seam gas sentiments on the outcome of the NSW state election. The contrasting attitudes of the media and the wider community to both these issues is curious,…

Agriculture Chemicals Competition Food Markets Policy R&D

Wistful and fanciful dreaming versus factual analysis

Published 26 Feb 2015

Two media articles dealing largely with the future of the agriculture sector were published today, – one in the Sydney Morning Herald and the other in the Australian Financial Review. They presented a remarkable contradiction in styles – one promoting a return to a more bucolic and less industrialised style…

Agriculture Business Chemicals Food Natural Resource Management

Divestment decision criteria are the contentious issue.

Published 14 Oct 2014

The recent decision by the Australian National University to copy decisions made by a small number of overseas universities and sell its investments in companies that are judged to be not meeting environmental, social and governance criteria has created a flood of both support and criticism in response to the…

Agriculture Animal Welfare Business Chemicals Policy

What you will not see reported about the Great Barrier Reef

Published 17 Jun 2014

Want to make some easy money? Make a bet with someone that if a government report was released which contained bad news about the Great Barrier Reef then it would feature as the lead article in national newspapers and ABC current affairs programs, but if a report provided good news…

Agriculture Chemicals Climate Natural Resource Management Policy R&D Water

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