Feedback sought on rural roadsides
Murrindindi Shire Council is inviting feedback from the community on its updated Rural Roadside Conservation Management (RRCM) Plan and Guidelines.
The RRCM plan guides how roadside vegetation is managed across the shire and helps council, the community and other agencies understand the conservation value of roadsides and how to carry out works or activities on them appropriately.
These activities include utility works, roadside grazing, firewood collection, slashing, mowing and weed management.
Council is seeking community feedback on the plan and guidelines to understand what’s important to residents in maintaining and protecting native vegetation on rural roadsides, what activities residents usually carry out on roadsides, and if the guidelines are easy to understand.
Feedback closes on Sunday, July 28 at https://theloop.murrindindi.vic.gov.au/ruralroadsides or contact council on 5772 0333.
Seeds of Renewal grants open
Applications are open for the 2024 ANZ Seeds of Renewal program, with grants up to $15,000 available for not-for-profit organisations and community groups in remote, rural and regional Australia.
Since 2003, ANZ has partnered with the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) to fund more than 850 community groups through the program, with a total investment of more than $6 million.
Now in its 22nd year, the ANZ Seeds of Renewal program is again offering a funding pool of $250,000 to community groups for projects aligned to four areas:
- Environmental sustainability: Initiatives that restore and conserve the natural environment or contribute to lower carbon emissions, water stewardship and waste minimisation.
- Financial wellbeing: Initiatives that improve economic participation, particularly for under-represented and disadvantaged people in the community.
- Housing access: Initiatives that support those experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness, or that provide housing support for people living with disability.
- Assisting local communities to thrive: Projects that either enable vibrant communities, where everyone can participate and build a better life, or create sustainable communities that help deliver demonstrable medium to long-term economic sustainability.
Applications for the 2024 Seeds of Renewal program close on August 1 at: https://frrr.org.au/funding/place/anz-seeds-of-renewal/
National road survey launched
Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell is calling on residents across the electorate to nominate a road or intersection in most need of upgrades by completing a national road survey launched by the Coalition.
Mr Birrell said roads were not receiving the maintenance and upgrades they need, and the impacts of Federal Government funding cuts were being felt by road users.
“Every week, many drivers across our region spend hours behind the wheel dodging damaged potholes, reducing speeds on rough surfaces — only to see temporary repairs take place.”
He said roads are critical infrastructure in Nicholls as an agricultural and transport hub.
“Our agricultural and transport industries drive economic growth for Australia and support thousands of jobs.”
The survey will be open until 5pm on August 30 at: https://www.research.net/r/2HRHBV9
Avocado production smashing records
Australia’s avocado industry is grappling with another year of increased production and low prices, according to a report by agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank.
However, the world’s growing appetite for the popular green fruit is offering growers some relief, with increasing export demand for Australia’s produce, the report says.
Rabobank says production forecasts for the 2023-24 avocado crop are up by 20 per cent year-on-year to 139,000 metric tonnes, hitting a a record-high level.
This growth is driven by more than 1500 hectares of avocado planting expected to reach maturity this year, bringing additional supply to the market. This growth is set to continue with more than 4000 hectares of orchards maturing in the next five years.
But while demand for avocados among Australian consumers continues to grow, the local market remains oversupplied, with prices languishing at low levels.
Rabobank says the export market, which accounts for 13 per cent of Australia’s total avocado production, has brought some relief to the oversupplied local market. Total Australian avocado exports increased by 55 per cent year-on-year in 2023.
New data on crop loss and waste
Australian food producers are finding innovative new ways to limit losses and create alternative uses for waste, says a new report titled: Crop loss/waste on Australian horticulture farms, 2022-23.
ABARES executive director Jared Greenville said even though crop loss continues to be a challenge for producers, record horticultural production value is forecast in 2024-25.
“While the difficulties of horticultural production remain, the latest data is a fascinating snapshot of how our producers are using technology, innovative thinking and hard work to find new ways of improving productivity," Dr Greenville said.
“For example, in 2022-23, 10 per cent of horticultural crop loss/waste per farm was recovered for alternative uses such as compost and animal feed, up from two per cent in 2021-22. Leading that pack were apples, bananas and citrus, where around one-fifth of crop loss/waste per farm was recovered for alternative uses."
Other key findings from the report reveal that weather events were the primary cause of total crop loss/waste on most farms (63 per cent), with the majority of these losses occurring pre-harvest and largely outside of farmers’ control.
See the full report here: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/surveys/horticulture-crop-loss-22-23