Countryman

Animal WelfareCharges laid after mass cattle deaths

Animal cruelty charges have been laid against a Pilbara charity and eight of its former board members after the death of hundreds of cattle two years ago.

Cally Dupe

Trade delegationLibs pledge to open up Asian trade opportunities

Zak Kirkup would lead a trade delegation to Japan and South Korea, if elected, with a plan to open up trade opportunities for WA with the Asian superpowers.

rodeo deathAussie rodeo veteran Bruce Green killed by bull

A longstanding member of the Australian rodeo community has died after suffering severe injuries when he was gored by a bull on Saturday night.

Christopher Harris

Drought resilienceClimate data to aid drought resilience

The Federal Government has promised to help farmers build their drought resilience by giving them access to specialist climate data.

PoliticsNats’ insurance plan against new Barnaby bid

Barnaby Joyce says there are “no circumstances” under which he would launch another bid for the Nationals leadership.

John Rolfe and Clare Armstrong

WORKER SHORTAGESVictorian and Tasmanian workers agreement ‘too late’

Victoria and Tasmania have inked a new deal to get more seasonal workers out to help pick fruit and veg. But it has been met with some criticism.

Jade Gailberger

END “STALEMATE”Calls for united front on farm worker quarantine

Just 1500 international farm workers have been flown in since the Federal Government gave the green light for the resumption of the Pacific Labour Scheme and Seasonal Worker Program in August.

Shannon Verhagen

OPINIONCurious sight in the shed as spit balls fly by

A quick swerve to the left and I narrowly avoid a flying ball of green, sticky, and incredibly smelly alpaca spit.

Cally DupeCountryman Editor

Derby planOverseas firms back $4b Derby fertiliser plant

The Derby Fertilizers and Petrochemical Complex wants to be in production before Vikas Rambal’s proposed $4.5b plant in Karratha.

Sean Smith

Residue testingCBH brings chemical residue testing in-house

CBH has invested in one of the world’s most high-tech chemical residue detection machines to ramp up its maximum residue limit testing

EXCLUSIVE Cally Dupe

WASIA AGMWA Shearing Industry Association AGM

A bumper turnout of about 40 shearers and contractors gathered in East Perth on Saturday for the WA Shearing Industry Association’s annual meeting.

Cally Dupe

HEART WARMINGManjimup’s fresh produce stall with a heartwarming tale

While always popular with the locals, Bella and Bryn’s stall has also become popular with people passing through the area.

Shannon Verhagen

“A BIG HELP”Fiji fathers help family back home with WA farm work

For the past three years, Fijians Kaurasi Etike and Rocky Fereti have been travelling to the State’s South West to work among the grapevines.

Shannon Verhagen

HARVEST HELPTwo more planes of Pacific workers to land by April

As of late this afternoon, more than 300 workers from Vanuatu will have been deployed to farms and agricultural operations across the State, from Mt Barker and Pemberton to Gingin and Harvey.

Shannon Verhagen

HELPING HOMEFarm work helping Vanuatu families with school, food

“For me, to have this opportunity I’m very glad to be here.”

Shannon Verhagen

VISA APPEALFrustration as WA farmworker denied sponsored visa

Visa red tape could force a long-term WA farmworker to leave the country when thousands of harvest jobs go begging, despite her employer wanting to sponsor her to stay.

Shannon Verhagen

farm heistYarloop Gran has $30K jewellery stolen in farm burglary

A Yarloop grandmother has lost $30,000 worth of jewellery and heirlooms after her farmhouse was ransacked in a callous burglary just days after Christmas.

Briana Fiore

TREE CHANGENarrogin farmers ‘loving’ life on the land

In the late 1990s, Barbara and Jefferson Harris were looking for a change.

Shannon Verhagen

GROWING DEMANDWA passionfruit farmers turning seconds into pulp

And it is helping local growers reduce “waste” and get more value from their crops.

Shannon Verhagen

Beyond the SaleyardsSupport up for mutton prices

WA lamb prices eased last week with BRM lowering the bid by 20¢ to 700¢.

ROB KELLY

Mt Barker Sale$17,000 top for Simmental at Mt Barker Saleyards

A Denmark Simmental stud set a sizzling record pace with a $17,000 top price at the first bull sale of the year held last week at the Mt Barker Saleyards complex.

Bob Garnant

Mt Barker SaleSouthden heifers to $4050 top at Mt Barker saleyards

Redmond dairy farmers set a new record top price for their first cross pregnant heifers at the Mt Barker Saleyards last Tuesday.

Bob Garnant

Organics AdvisoryWA winemaker to drive organic industry changes

One of the State’s best-known winemakers is the sole WA representative in a new national group hoping to revamp domestic regulation of the organic industry.

EXCLUSIVE Cally Dupe

Shearing RecordNZ woman shows her shear class and sets record

A New Zealand shearer has smashed the women’s world record for the number of lambs shorn in nine hours, notching up 661 and inspiring female shearers worldwide.

Cally Dupe