Tony’s Tractors

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke. Assistant Treasurer, Senator Nick Sherry, and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Tony Burke, today announced the appointment of Dr Cliff Samson as Associate Commissioner to the Productivity Commission review of Rural Research and Development Corporations. Senator Sherry and Mr Burke said Dr Samson will provide independent and transparent research and advice to the Commission on the Rural Research and Development Corporations.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke and NSW Acting Minister for Climate Change and the Environment John Robertson said the report demonstrated the commitment of both governments to working together to sustainably manage NSW forests. 'Regional Forestry Agreements are central to the ongoing sustainable management of our major forests and forestry industries, they are the absolute cornerstone of our national forest policy,' Mr Burke said.

The Australian Government has accepted independent advice on whether to extend Exceptional Circumstances (EC) assistance in five areas of NSW, the ACT, Victoria and Tasmania. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said the independent National Rural Advisory Council (NRAC) had reviewed the areas due to expire on 30 April 2010. The Government has accepted NRAC's advice that conditions have improved and EC assistance should not be extended in the following areas:.

South Australian grain producers are encouraged to closely monitor wheat crops following the emergence of both stem and leaf rust on the West Coast and in the Lower North. According to Dr Wallwork, leaf rust is now widespread in wheat crops on the West Coast of SA. With all three wheat rusts being present in SA, growers should monitor crops for the presence of each rust and consider fungicide treatments where crops are still young enough to benefit.

Two Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) reports launched today put the annual cost of cereal diseases at an estimated $1.165 billion - $913 million for wheat and $252m for barley. 'Wheat diseases cause an estimated current average annual loss of $913 million, or $76.64 per hectare, to the Australian wheat industry,' Mr Clark says. Mr Clark says the wheat report details results Gordon Murray and John Brennan's third study on the economic impacts of wheat diseases and is the first report since 1998.

Four new pulse varieties suited to the southern Australian cropping zone will be commercially available for the 2010 winter cropping season. David Shannon, Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) southern panel chair, says the new varieties are part of a pipeline of pulse varieties that will be released by PBA over a period of five years. It aims to fast-track the release to Australian growers of new pulse varieties that have better disease resistance, are higher yielding and are adapted to Australian conditions.

Significant improvements in wheat yields have been achieved over the past 50 years while the global area sown to crops has remained reasonably constant. Dr Jacobs said the development of salt-tolerant crops was also a major focus. The ACPFG has over the past year or so achieved a number of research advances which have opened a wide range of new options.

The Rudd Government today acknowledged the hard work and talent of Australian women working and living in rural areas, ahead of the 14th UN World Rural Women's Day tomorrow (15 October 2009). Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said rural women in Australia played a vital role in food production, including in agriculture and fisheries, natural resource management and the forestry sector. 'In 18 months we have increased the representation of women on our rural research and development corporation boards from 20% to more than 40% and that work is on-going.'.

Rudd Government reforms to Australia's dairy export system will cut red tape and help improve our market access in the United States and European Union. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke today announced the Government had overhauled the system for allocating the United States and European Union dairy tariff rate quotas. 'Australian dairy has a strong reputation around the world but our farmers are affected by factors such as the global fall in dairy prices,' Mr Burke said.

Helping drought-affected families with education expenses. The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Tony Burke, today announced funding of $17.4 million to help rural families whose children attend schools in drought-affected areas with education expenses. More information on the Drought Assistance for Schools program can be found at.