After being discovered in Queensland in January 2020, Fall armyworm quickly expanded throughout Australia, becoming entrenched in portions of Victoria, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia. The fall armyworm can move quickly and is dispersed by storms. It has adapted to warm tropical and sub-tropical regions in northern Australia. Experiences in Queensland have also demonstrated a strong predilection for feeding on maize, even while wheat, millet and sunflowers were close.
Presenting at the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries event was the department’s principal entomologist Dr Melina Miles.
Dr. Miles discussed her observations on the pest in light of the current season. This year's FAW infestations in Queensland and northern New South Wales have been the worst to date.
“We’re hoping to have as many graziers and dairy farmers as possible attend this event to boost awareness about it in the livestock as well as the cropping sector,” Dr Miles said.
“Too many paddocks are being lost, and we’re trying to raise awareness.”
Certain winter crops are also being impacted by FAW, such as oats that were sown for hay or winter feed.
Among the subjects discussed were:
- the severity of the FAW infestation,
- updates on the most recent research,
- and long-term strategies for controlling the pest during a difficult season.
The most recent online session to keep the industry informed about where to look, what to look for, and how to prevent or control infestations was held on May 1.
FAW is affecting sorghum and maize crops in particular the most this season than it has in the past.
The National Fall Armyworm Symposium was held in Brisbane recently, and Dr Miles last month recorded a podcast about FAW available through the GRDC website.
(Source: Beef Central)
US President Donald Trump has dropped another bombshell on the global beef trade, announcing a 90-day tariff suspension on ground beef
imports to the United States.
So, what does this erratic move mean for us here in Australia?
You may have seen the annoncement recently on Australian agriculture reaching a massive $100 billion in total production value. It’s a huge milestone, but if you look just under the hood, there’s a critical story unfolding at the processing level that every producer needs to have on their radar.
Off the back of last week’s update on the El Niño declaring itself, RaboResearch general manager Stefan Vogel dropped some serious insights at Ekka Beef Week in Brisbane.
Here is what local producers in our region should keep on their radar, along with where the big opportunities lie.
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