Grain Producers Australia has today announced the appointment of Kristy McSweeney to its Board. This appointment is part of an ongoing renewal process for Australia’s peak grains industry advocacy organisation that has recently appointed Northern Region Director and Moree grain grower Matthew Madden as Chair. Mr Madden said Ms McSweeney would be an asset to the Board as it embarks on a new era of representing grain growers across Australia in a time of changing agricultural

Grain Producers Australia Chief Executive Officer Duncan Bremner caught up over coffee this week with Ian Waring, who led the Australian Wheatgrowers' Federation (AWF) during one of the most testing periods in the industry's history. The AWF, registered federally in 1930, was the national voice of Australian wheat growers for half a century. Its hardest test came in 1969, when a record harvest met collapsing export markets. Silos overflowed and the Australian Wheat Board cou

It has been a busy month for GPA, with plenty of opportunities to hear directly from growers, meet with government and keep work moving on some of the practical issues affecting grain businesses. CEO Duncan Bremner and I met with Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins to discuss the priorities of Australian grain producers. Meetings like this give us the opportunity to put the realities of running a grain business directly in front of government and explain how decisions

Australia’s heavy reliance on imported fertiliser is back in focus as suppliers move early to secure phosphate for next season. The Weekly Times reported that retailers are looking beyond traditional sources after China suspended phosphate exports, while growers remain exposed to high prices and global supply disruptions. Grain Producers Australia Research, Development and Extension Spokesperson Andrew Weidemann said this year had shown how quickly international events could

Countryman has highlighted growing concern across WA agriculture about changes to visa processing priorities as harvest and other peak seasonal work approaches. The article points to the grains sector’s heavy reliance on working holiday-makers, with growers warning that fewer available workers could add further pressure to farm businesses already dealing with high input costs and seasonal risk. Grain Producers Australia Chair Matthew Madden said many growers depend on working

Australian cricketing great Brad Hogg will be at the Dowerin Machinery Field Days this week, taking Grain Producers Australia’s (GPA) Farmer Mates Mental Health Initiative to growers across the Western Australian Wheatbelt. Mr Hogg, the initiative’s National Ambassador, will be joined on 26 August by GPA Western Region Director and WA grain producer Barry Large, catching up with growers, families and others from across the supply chain and encouraging people to check in with

This National Biosecurity Week, Grain Producers Australia (GPA) is reminding Australians that protecting the nation’s $26 billion grains industry starts with simple decisions, including staying out of picturesque canola crops flowering across the country. National Biosecurity Week, held from 24 to 30 August, highlights the role everyone plays in preventing, preparing for and responding to biosecurity threats. GPA Chair and Moree grain producer Matthew Madden said biosecurity

Sheep Central has highlighted the growing risk of Australian plague locust activity across South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria as spring approaches. The article outlines the potential for hatching from mid-September, the importance of early surveillance and reporting, and the need for coordinated monitoring across farming regions. Grain Producers Australia Chair Matthew Madden said the developing risk needed a coordinated response. “Locusts do not respect farm or st

Grain growers across South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria are being urged to keep watch for Australian plague locusts as conditions point to an increased risk this spring. Grain Central reported on GPA's warning, with hatching expected to begin in parts of south-eastern Australia from mid-September and the potential for damaging numbers to coincide with critical stages of winter crop development. GPA Chair and New South Wales grain producer Matthew Madden said the de

Grain Producers Australia is urging growers across South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria to remain alert as the risk of locust plague activity increases heading into spring. Locust populations increased substantially across inland eastern Australia during autumn following heavy rainfall, good soil moisture and favourable breeding conditions. The Australian Plague Locust Commission has identified a moderate to high likelihood of a widespread infestation developing in s

With harvest less than a month away in parts of Queensland, concerns are growing that delays in processing working holiday visas could leave grain growers and contractors short of skilled workers. Farm Online reported on the industry's reliance on international workers to operate machinery and support harvest logistics, with some contracting businesses sourcing up to half their workforce from working holiday visa holders. Grain Producers Australia Chair and New South Wales gr