The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal or FRRR is encouraging community organisations in agriculture-dependent parts of Australia to apply for the latest round of Small Network Grants for initiatives that build community preparedness and resilience to future drought. $20,000 and $50,000 grants to strengthen networks and capabilities.

The Small Network Grants program is supported by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund through the Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative.

Grants are available through two Streams of funding for simple, one-off, or seed-type initiatives designed to strengthen local networks and capabilities of remote, rural or regional communities.

Nina O’Brien, FRRR’s Disaster Resilience and Recovery Lead, said preparing for the inevitable dry times ahead is critical for Australia.

“Our Small Network Grants program empowers local organisations to strengthen the social fabric of their town or locality by identifying and acting on their region’s drought preparedness priorities, at a grassroots level, in ways that best suit their communities.

“We look forward to seeing projects that will help community groups be better connected, informed, and resourced in the next drought,” Ms O’Brien said.

The Small Network Grants program can fund projects that fit into one of these five categories: Networks, Community Events, Training, Community Infrastructure, Development and Learning. Applications are open now, closing 26 March https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdeVdcjSwro

An inquiry into Price Gouging and Unfair Pricing Practices reinforces that the Federal Labor Government was too slow to act on supermarkets.

Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud said Professor Allan Fels’ recommendations, indicating supermarkets are taking advantage of shoppers, come after The Nationals called for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to be directed to investigate the clear evidence of meat and fresh produce price disparity between the farmgate and the checkout prices since November 2023.

The Nationals also offered the government support to introduce big stick legislation as early as December 2022.

The inquiry recommends Labor uses its powers to require the ACCC to conduct more price and market investigations, require the ACCC to undertake market studies and that the ACCC should have the power of its own to initiate price and market studies. Mr Littleproud said it was obvious for some time that an ACCC inquiry has been needed.

“The latest report into supermarket price gouging confirms what we already know government policy, or Labor, is not paying sufficient attention to high prices and it needs to,” Mr Littleproud said.

“Labor could have started the ACCC investigation before Christmas but didn’t understand the scale nor severity of their cost-of-living crisis.

“While Labor spent last year distracted on a $450 million failed Voice Referendum, price disparity between the farmgate and the supermarket checkout was allowed to escalate out of control.

“The Nationals wanted this investigation urgently before Christmas but Labor was simply too slow to take action and in fact said that the Grocery Code of Conduct Review was their solution, which took 100 days to appoint someone since its announcement. It’s unfortunate it took Labor so long to realise that these powers exist, after previously promising Australians that two other inquiries they announced would yield results.”

Forbes Shire Council is joining forces with Lachlan and Parkes to develop a drought resilience plan for the future. The plan acknowledges that drought events are part of the future of any area reliant on the agricultural sector.

With funding from the Australian and NSW Government under the Future Drought Fund, the project will allow Council to use the learnings from previous droughts and implement an evidence based strategy to assist the community to adapt to or mitigate future drought impacts.

“Working together with neighbouring shires makes a lot of sense for this far-reaching issue” explained Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM.

“The impacts of flood are close to mind now, but we need to be ready for inevitable drought conditions that may just be around the corner. We will again work very closely with our community to make sure that this plan is practical and relevant and grows our already strong resilience.”

The Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program is managed by the Department of Regional NSW and was started as a pilot with three groups of local governments.

Rounds one and two are supporting 59 local Councils and regional areas to prepare 22 regional drought plans. The NSW Model for regional drought resilience planning program involves neighbouring councils working together to develop regional drought resilience plans. These plans will be provided to the CSIRO for independent review and completed plans from across the country will be published on the Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website.

“Planning such as this is critical for Council to be able to access funding support for the implementation of these plans”, added Mayor Miller.

“We look forward to working with Parkes and Lachlan on a regional plan that will really make a difference”.

Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said Labor had cut funding to crucial soil programs in the lead up to World Soil Day. 

He said World Soil Day was a chance to reflect on the importance of soils and agriculture providing fresh food and fibre, but Labor continued to ignore the industry. 

“The former Coalition Government set up the National Soil Strategy in 2021 and committed $196.9 million,” Mr Littleproud said. 

“Labor redirected $11.7 million from the National Soils Strategy to ‘other priorities’. They continue to make cuts instead of investing in soils. In fact, Labor’s National Soil Action Plan includes $36 million from the Natural Heritage Trust, which already focuses on soils. 

“Labor also cut the innovative $54 million Soil Monitoring Incentives Program (SMIP).” 

The SMIP provided landholders with up to $275 per soil sampling site – capped at $10,000 per business – in exchange for sharing the information with a national soil database. 

“Labor is cutting corners and costs when it comes to soils. 

“There is no detail on who or what will replace the National Soils Advocate, even though the Government has had nearly 18 months to plan for this crucial position.” 

The NSW Government has failed to provide clarity around drought support for farmers, after a Budget Estimates hearing revealed the Minister in charge does not know the extent of the dry conditions plaguing the State. 

Nationals Committee Member Sam Farraway asked Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty “how much of NSW is currently considered to be in some form of drought?” when she faced questioning today. 

The Minister responded with “the last statistic I have is three per cent but if that’s changed, I’m happy to get more details”. 

The Department of Primary Industries’ Combined Drought Indicator shows a very different reality, with 44.7 per cent of NSW categorised as drought affected, in drought or in intense drought. 

NSW Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders said the Minister will be recalled for a supplementary hearing after a motion was put forward by the Opposition. 

“Today we saw a disgraceful response from a Minister who has once again shown just how out of touch she is with Regional NSW,” Mr Saunders said 

Australia’s most promising young beef cattle, dairy cattle and alpaca judges have been revealed by Agricultural Shows Australia through the prestigious national competition. 

The competition brings together the best young judges and paraders aged from 15 to 25 in each state to compete at the national finals. This year, the event was hosted by Tasmanian Ag Shows and held at the Launceston Royal Show. 

Dr. Rob Wilson is chairman of ASA, the peak body overseeing 572 agricultural shows in Australia which attract six million visitors annually and contribute nearly $1 billion to the national economy. Rob says the competition is designed to recognise the best new talent in livestock judging nationwide. 

“It is an extremely prestigious event and positions at the nationals are keenly contested,” Dr. Wilson explains. 

Sam Parish, a 22-year-old local stock and station agent from KMWL in Forbes, secured the top spot at the National Beef Cattle Young Judges Championship. 

“My parents were involved in stud and show cattle so I was always running around bull sales as a kid. I competed at the National All Breeds Junior Heifer Show when I was five-years-old and got the reserve pee wee champion,” he reminisced. “I have been involved in shows my whole life and it’s the ability to give your judgment and give credibility to your judgment that I love. It’s a massive learning curve, and you take in a lot from the opinions of peers and fellow competitors,” Sam stated. 

He reflected on his participation in two national finals: “I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to compete in two national finals, Beef Paraders and Beef Young Judges across Perth Royal Show in 2019 and Launceston Royal Show in 2023. These two wins have enabled me to create a network amongst the industry which I love.” 

Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Agriculture Minister David Littleproud is calling on Labor to release the findings of an Independent Panel Report into the ban of live sheep exports. 

Mr Littleproud said Labor must be transparent about the report, which Agriculture Minister Murray Watt is due to receive. It comes after a live sheep export phase out panel travelled around WA but failed to properly consult with the industry. 

“Minister Watt should have the courage of his convictions and immediately release the scientific and economic modelling behind his decision,” Mr Littleproud said. 

“Minister Watt didn’t have the courage to travel with the panel and look farmers in the eye himself to say he was stopping the trade – so the least he can do is release the report.” 

“The trade has actually increased by 41 per cent since 2021/2022. 

“But Minister Watt made decisions based on what animal activists wanted”.