AGP Executive Report

Fuel Security for Farmers: Australia extends exceptional measures to release more petrol and diesel from domestic reserves, including an extra 40 million litres for bottlenecked Queensland supplies, aiming to keep fuel moving to regional service stations and agriculture. Farmers Push Back on Policy: Queensland farmers warn Canberra’s budget cuts and policy uncertainty are compounding shortages and price volatility across the supply chain, from fuel and fertiliser to plastics. Beef Price Pressure: Experts link high beef prices to drought-driven cattle herd shrinkage and steady demand, suggesting sticker shock could persist for years. Drought and Heat Outlook: El Niño risks are flagged as a threat to farming and hydropower across Asia and Australia, with dryness likely to worsen energy and food pressures. On-Farm Disease Watch: A wheat grower reports unusually high barley yellow dwarf virus symptoms and is considering switching back to resistant varieties. Global Trade Link: An international delegation tour in Victoria highlights growing interest in Australian food exports and partnerships, including visits to SPC and Kalafatis Fresh Produce.

Diesel Supply Relief for Farmers: The Albanese government has secured an extra 40 million litres of diesel for bottlenecked Queensland supplies, with distribution to regional and independent service stations from June, alongside a three-month extension to relaxed petrol and diesel stock rules. El Niño Threat to Agriculture: Scientists warn a Super El Niño could deepen Asia’s energy strain and worsen drought, with knock-on impacts for farmers and water-dependent industries, including Australia. Winter Outlook for Growers: The Bureau of Meteorology’s long-range winter forecast points to milder days and warmer nights for much of southern Australia, but below-average rainfall for large areas—raising dry-season planning pressure. Wheat Disease Watch: A farmer’s account of record barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) symptoms highlights how late-season infections and limited control options are pushing growers to consider resistant varieties again. Soil Health Research: Australian and South African teams are studying soil nematodes as a biodiversity “health check” to track how ecosystems respond to climate change. Feral Rabbit Gene Drive: University of Melbourne researchers are developing a gene-drive approach to reduce feral rabbit breeding, aiming for a more targeted biological control.

COP31 Diplomacy: Türkiye and Australia have outlined shared climate priorities for COP31 in Paris, including clean energy, low-carbon industry, sustainable agriculture and food security. Cambodia Coffee Boost: Australia-backed work is helping Cambodian coffee companies and smallholders lift yields, quality and consistency, aiming to grow resilient, inclusive jobs. PFAS Legal Action: Australia has filed a billion-dollar PFAS lawsuit against 3M over “forever chemicals” from firefighting foam at defence bases, alleging withheld risk information. Bee Industry Alarm: NSW Nationals are urging faster action against the escalating varroa mite threat, warning it could become a food security crisis ahead of almond pollination. On-Farm Inputs Under Pressure: Growers are scrambling for nitrogen alternatives as fertiliser disruption bites, with new products pitched to improve nitrogen-use efficiency. Horticulture Water Tech: SOCO is showcasing soil hydrogel solutions at Hort Connections 2026 to help horticulture and turf cut irrigation and manage drought stress. Regional School Impacts: WA’s mouse plague is damaging regional schools, with hygiene measures and a taskforce response as infestations disrupt learning and facilities. Prime Farmland Politics: Pauline Hanson demands a total ban on foreign ownership of Australian farmland, backing a push to protect prime agricultural land.

Beef Exports Boosted by China: Australia’s beef sector posted record first-quarter production (730,077 tonnes), with Chinese demand lifting export share to 21% and supporting throughput into 2026. Landfill-to-Energy Upgrade: Sunshine Coast opened a $3m landfill gas facility at Bli Bli, generating about 9,000 MWh a year and cutting emissions by up to 55,000 tonnes. Wine Industry Squeeze Hits Production: Endeavour Group will shut the VinPac bottling plant at McLaren Vale by year-end and sell off some vineyards, while keeping key brands and sourcing more grapes. Food Relief Milestone: SPC Global marked years of support for Shepparton Foodshare, donating high-quality canned produce and warehouse help since 2012. Water Reuse Idea for Growers: Research suggests air-conditioner condensate can be a usable alternative water source for gardening and cleaning, potentially easing pressure in hot climates. Biosecurity/Trade Watch: Farmers and processors face ongoing uncertainty from shifting global markets and policy signals, with supply chains still vulnerable.

Locust Watch: Agriculture Victoria is urging landholders across north-west Victoria (with activity also noted in NSW and SA) to report locust sightings early, so eggs laid in May–June can be monitored and hoppers treated before they fly. Invasive Species & Welfare: Researchers are rolling out a new way to measure the suffering caused by invasive species, spotlighting how impacts from invasive ants and flies may have been overlooked—an approach that could shape future management decisions. Cabomba Biocontrol Trial: A weevil that targets cabomba has been released in a trial at Lake Benalla, aiming to suppress the fast-spreading aquatic weed after earlier outbreaks and ongoing recolonisation challenges. Soil Disease Suppression: Curtin University research found some agricultural soils naturally suppress Sclerotinia stem rot, linked to beneficial microbes that block infection and survival of the fungus. Dairy Expo (Vietnam): Vietnam Dairy 2026 opened in Hanoi, with Australia among international exhibitors and a focus on farming-to-packaging tech for safer, lower-emissions dairy. Tick Alert (Livestock Risk): The Asian longhorned tick—already established in Australia and New Zealand—has been flagged as a growing livestock threat, with females able to reproduce without mating.

Right to Repair for Farm Gear: The federal government is looking to expand “right to repair” rules to agricultural vehicles and machinery, aiming to loosen manufacturer control of repair information so farmers and small businesses can get faster, cheaper fixes and cut costly downtime. Drought Relief in WA: Emergency hay deliveries have resumed for drought-hit northern WA cattle stations after a months-long fuel crisis pause, with road trains now moving fodder to the Gascoyne and Murchison. Herbicide Timing Trials: WA cereal trials are flagging the best early post-emergent (EPE) timing and combinations to improve annual ryegrass control and reduce crop phytotoxicity risk. Fertiliser Pressure Response: With input costs and supply constraints biting, Liquid Systems has launched a simplified in-furrow liquid nutrient placement system to help growers boost returns per hectare. Weather Watch: Eastern Australia is bracing for more wet weather and thunderstorms, with heavy rain already disrupting parts of Qld, NSW and Tasmania. Rice Investment: SunRice plans to lift its Vietnam processing capacity to 120,000 tonnes a year and continue climate-resilient premium rice work with smallholders in the Mekong Delta. Community Pathways: A Young graduate, supported by the Country Education Foundation, has completed a Bachelor of Agriculture and landed a permanent GrainCorp role, highlighting how local funding can keep talent in regional ag.

Fertiliser squeeze and farm decisions: Nufarm says many farmers are skipping or cutting fertiliser for a year to manage higher fuel and fertiliser costs, while still spending on seeds and crop protection to protect yields. Canola value-adding push: WA Premier Roger Cook calls it “nuts” that the state grows about 2.2m tonnes of canola but crushes only a small fraction, urging more local refining to lift value and support biofuels. Trade and dairy pressure: Senate estimates debate Australia–EU cheese terms, with concerns about phasing out protected cheese names and expanding access for subsidised imports. El Niño watch for agriculture: BOM’s first clear timing suggests intense El Niño could arrive as early as June 2026, with India already bracing for monsoon disruption. Renewables with rural links: A major wind turbine delivery lands in WA’s wheatbelt for the King Rocks project, with construction targeting 2027 commissioning. Weather risk for growers: BOM forecasts widespread showers and thunderstorms in eastern Australia, including severe storms and flooding risk in parts of QLD/NSW. Policy backdrop: The 2026–27 Budget’s fuel excise cut is framed as a cost-of-living boost for regional households.

Fertiliser squeeze hits food prices: ANZ warns the Iran-linked oil shock will lift fertiliser and diesel costs, forcing Australian farmers to pass costs on—raising the risk of smaller crops and higher food inflation. Water market spotlight: Global capital is circling Australia’s $50b water trading system, but scarcity and record permanent plantings could make the next drought brutal for growers. Policy pressure on ag costs: A separate debate is heating up over diesel fuel tax credits—Labor MPs and critics argue profitable miners are still cashing in while the country pushes decarbonisation. Local resilience moves: Far North Queensland’s Mossman transition plan is funding soybean and rice trials as the region looks beyond sugar cane. Trade and farm risk tools: In Vietnam, parametric insurance payouts are reaching coffee farmers after extreme rainfall—showing how satellite-triggered cover is spreading. Rural community stories: A scholarship is being created in Victoria in memory of a young agriculture student killed in a farming accident.

Fertiliser lifeline amid Iran risk: Australia has secured an extra 80,250 tonnes of urea as a tentative Iran–US peace deal hangs in the balance, with more shipments expected to land in coming weeks via the Fuel and Fertiliser Security Facility. EU price pressure response: In Brussels, EU ministers are set to discuss “availability and affordability” as the Commission suspends customs tariffs on key nitrogen fertilisers for a year, cutting import duties on inputs like urea and ammonia. Heat and risk to farming: Europe is baking under a May “heat dome”, with record temperatures already pushing harvests forward and raising health and outdoor-work concerns. Biosecurity and climate impacts: A new WHO-led study warns snakebite risk is rising as venomous species shift ranges with warming. Industry momentum: Fortescue has started building a 690MW solar farm and a 74MW/650MWh battery in the Pilbara, while Aguia clears the final hurdle to commercialise phosphate fertiliser sales in Brazil.

Climate & Industry Pressure: Climate minister Chris Bowen says he’s made it “crystal clear” BHP and other big polluters must cut onsite emissions, after leaked documents claim BHP delayed renewables and pushed key decarbonisation work out to later decades. Energy Costs: Power prices are set to drop from July in most states, with wind and batteries boosting generation despite global energy shocks. Dairy Compliance: The ACCC has fined Coles and Brownes for Dairy Code breaches, including exclusive supply terms and unclear minimum pricing. Renewables Investment: A Clean Energy Council report says renewables are generating nearly half of Australia’s electricity, but investment in new projects has fallen sharply—especially for onshore wind—citing approval delays and regulation drag. Farm Business & Water: Silver Mines expands Bowdens land and water entitlements, boosting project water security as feasibility work progresses. Food & Markets: Bac Ninh lychee exports are gaining traction with strong early-season demand and stable prices.

Renewables Reality Check: Investment in Australia’s renewable rollout has fallen 50% in a year, with new project finance dropping to a 10-year low of $4.4b in 2025, putting the clean-energy push at a “critical juncture” and raising fresh fears of higher power bills. Reef Under Pressure: Despite bans elsewhere, Australia allows live Great Barrier Reef coral exports—critics say up to 190 tonnes a year are being chopped for private aquariums, even as the reef struggles with heat stress and bleaching. Marine Science Watch: Deep-sea surveys off Australia have turned up signs of giant squid and hundreds of other species using DNA sampling from extreme depths. Fertiliser Shock Response: The EU has suspended duties on urea and ammonia for a year to blunt Iran-war supply disruption, while excluding Russia and Belarus. Wind Build Momentum: RWE has secured a Capacity Investment Scheme contract for its 1.1GW Theodore wind project in Queensland, with construction expected to start later this year. Ag Tech & Bio-innovation: India’s StrainX Bioworks raises $13m to scale synthetic biology for global food and ingredients. Weather Alert: A major rain system is building across eastern Australia, with flash-flood risk and totals potentially exceeding 100mm in parts of NSW and Queensland.

Wheat biosecurity alert: New research flags wheat curl mites as a silent driver of the Wheat Streak Mosaic Disease complex, with viruses spreading across wheat and other cereals and potentially wiping out yields in major outbreaks. Faster approvals for nature impacts: The Albanese Government and Queensland are consulting on pilot bioregional guidance plans to speed environmental assessments and steer projects away from harder-to-approve areas. Dairy margins in focus: Rabobank expects a strong 2026/27 opening milk price of $9.50–$10.00/kgMS, but warns higher costs from geopolitics could squeeze margins. Investment momentum: Global AgInvesting is heading to Brisbane, signalling renewed institutional interest in Australian food, water and natural assets. Renewables with a safety net: Queensland’s wind and solar projects win Capacity Investment Scheme backing, aiming for more generation, storage and regional jobs. Farm finance and land pressure: Coverage also spotlights rising farm land values and succession strain, plus ongoing debate over battery storage on agricultural land.

Agri-Trade & Food Security: Asia-Pacific trade ministers meeting via APEC have pledged to keep “resilient” supply chains open for essentials like energy products and to strengthen agri-food systems, with Australia included in the push. El Niño Watch: Forecasters are pointing to a potentially very strong El Niño as oceans warm, raising the odds of hotter, drier or wetter swings that can hit crops and farm planning. Fresh Produce Spotlight: Indian mango exports are getting a global boost, with Kesar and Alphonso shipments from Gujarat arriving at London Heathrow after APEDA-certified orchard sourcing and high-tech pack-house processing. On-Farm Life & Farming Culture: NSW cattle farmer and actress Rachel Ward says she’s trading film sets for paddocks, aiming for more “paddock-to-plate” organic meat. Biosecurity Oddity: A live frog was found inside a sealed lettuce bag in Esperance, then released safely—another reminder that farm-to-shop supply chains still need vigilance.

Prosecco Name Fight: Australia’s pioneer prosecco growers say they’ve kept the “prosecco” name after a long-running clash with Italy’s geographical indication rules, with the win tied to conditions in the new Australia–EU free trade deal. SA Rain Relief: Riverland farmers got a reset after drought, with heavy autumn rain (66mm at Renmark) sparking an “exceptional” birdlife boom. WA Mouse Plague Reality Check: A CSIRO-defined plague can mean 800+ mice per hectare, with worst-hit areas reported up to 8,000—grain sheds and homes feeling the squeeze. Water Stress Threat: Conservationists warn a WA plan to nearly double groundwater extraction from the Fitzroy River catchment could push endangered sawfish further toward collapse. Global Trade Push: Mexico and the EU have signed a modernised trade deal that explicitly includes farm produce, aiming to reduce reliance on the US. Farming Skills & Tech: La Trobe University is deepening India–Australia biotech startup links via its BioInnovation Corridor, centred on Bengaluru.

Cost-of-living squeeze on farm and family budgets: New national research says 4.3 million Australians have delayed or skipped routine vehicle maintenance, with 43% blaming financial pressure—an everyday sign of how households are choosing what can wait. Agri-tech and trade links: La Trobe University is deepening India-Australia biotech ties via its India-Australia BioInnovation Corridor, with Bengaluru positioned as the hub for startup and research connections. Fertiliser pressure relief: The EU moved to suspend duties on fertilisers to blunt impacts from the Hormuz crisis, aiming to ease costs for farmers. Climate and water risk: Australia and Cambodia launched a partnership for climate resilience focused on water governance and community preparedness as floods and droughts keep hitting rural livelihoods. Regional ag cooperation: Malaysia and New Zealand pledged closer agricultural collaboration, including fertilisers, dairy and grains, to manage global supply uncertainty. Rural safety and welfare: A WA farming family is mourning a crash death after a ute rolled on a dirt road, while a Solomon Islands high commissioner visited PALM workers in Bundaberg and Gympie to reinforce contract and welfare checks.

Fertiliser Shock Relief: The EU has temporarily lifted customs duties on nitrogen fertilisers like urea and ammonia for one year, aiming to blunt price spikes hitting farmers after near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The move covers a quota tied to 2024 “most favoured nation” volumes plus extra from Russia/Belarus, and kicks in once published in the Official Journal. Rural Mental Health: A NSW southern tablelands farmer’s “good thanks” story is driving renewed attention on getting more mental health support into country towns. Trade Signals for Food: China has agreed to buy more U.S. agricultural products through 2028, including renewed beef facility registrations and poultry imports where avian influenza rules allow. Policy Pressure on Farmers: Ireland’s former agriculture minister says cutting food output to meet climate targets is “flawed thinking”, arguing for sustainable intensification instead. Animal Welfare Fallout: New Zealand wool watchdog action continues after abuse footage sparked calls for mandatory shed monitoring and charges against shearers.