1. The Agtech and Logistics Hub, based in Toowoomba but home to a national agri-food business ecosystem, describes the digital revolution in agriculture as well underway, saying the sector is transitioning to automated and data-driven environments from paddock to plate.
2. With Australia in line for a third La Nina season in a row, Queenslanders are encouraged to Get Ready ahead of storm season including downloading the BOM Weather app to set alert notifications for warnings and ensuring your personal and enterprise preparedness plans are in place.
3.From January to August 2022, Australian farmers and agriculture businesses lost over $1.2 million to scammers targeting the agriculture industry with most reports relating to fake online sales for tractors, heavy machinery and personal information.
4. The Queensland Government launched the Small Business Wellness initiative last week in partnership with the Queensland Mental Health Commission, the Queensland Small Business Commissioner and CCIQ. The initiatve includes a new package of mental health support providing tailored, one-on-one services to small business operators to help them grow and thrive during challenging times of change.
5. The Water Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 was introduced to Queensland Parliament 12th October 2022. The Bill includes non-urban water measurement legislative amendments to the Water Act 2000, as well as operational and administrative improvements to water legislation administered by DRDMW.
6. On 13 October 2022, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry released the National Lumpy Skin Disease Action Plan. The plan has 8 objectives and 27 activities aimed at improving Australia’s preparedness for a potential incursion of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD).
7. International Rural Womens Day was the perfect opportunity to reflect on the significant contribution women have made and continue to make in shaping rural communities across the State. In Queensland, more than half of all women working in agriculture are employed as farmers or farm managers, and they contribute one third of all on-farm income. Women also play a major role in contributing to day-to-day living and farm sustainability through their off-farm earnings, which is estimated to contribute 84% of all off-farm income.
8. Queensland agriculture delivers for the economy, with the value of production topping $23 billion for the second year in a row. Queensland Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner said that the outlook for Queensland’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector was strong, with ongoing bumper crop harvests and high commodity prices in 2022-23 whilst industry concerns regarding the ongoing workforce shortage continue to grow.
9. The Queensland Farmers Federation is inviting farmers, local councils, and businesses across regional Queensland to participate in an online webinar to learn about the emergence of microgrids, VPPs, and community batteries and their impact on regional energy networks.
10. QFF invites you to breakfast to celebrate National Agriculture Day 2022 on 18 November. We present keynote speaker Dr Terry McCosker OAM, Founding Director of RCS Australia along with a panel session of agricultural leaders including Senator the Hon Murray Watt, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and Minister for Emergency Management. Listen to the innovation, resilience and sustainability journey of Queensland agriculture and learn about the opportunities ahead.
