THE WEST AUSTRALIAN – by Rueben Hale – “The price of sheep and wool may be at record highs but with limited rainfall affecting sheep-growing areas around the State, producers fear lamb supply could be severely affected as a result.
The Department of Agriculture and Food WA said the Wheatbelt had been hit by a worrying dry spell, with parts of the Great Southern also experiencing well below average rainfall for this period.”
TOWNSVILLE BULLETIN – “THE Flinders Shire Council under Mayor Jane McNamara has started sheep shearing demonstrations for tourists.
It was the first day last Tuesday, the same day that the Townsville Bulletin drove into town to do a story on a larrikin pet sheep named Sheepy, owned by local bloke, Raymond Wiggins (Sheepy featured in the paper on Thursday. You can check out the video at Townsville Bulletin online).”
THE WEST AUSTRALIAN – by Cally Dupe and Rueben Hale – “Farmers are worried a billion dollars could be wiped off this season’s grain harvest if the seasonal break does not come soon… The Carters have seeded wheat (2200ha), barley (750ha), canola (750ha), lupins (320ha) and have a mix of about 4000 Merino and cross-bred sheep…”
STOCK & LAND – Day 5 – Photos and videos by Justin Conlan, Nathan O’Sullivan and Laura Griffin.
FARM WEEKLY – by Annabelle Cleeland – “FINE Merino wool’s epic run in the Australian wool market has come to abrupt halt, as sheepmeat prices continue to rally in record territory.
Despite a small national offering of less than 30,000 bales, the Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) experienced its fourth consecutive week of falls, softening 23 cents to 1472 cents a kilogram last week.
National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia chief executive Chris Wilcox said the declines came despite a sharp drop in the Australian dollar.”
FARMING UK – “Auction prices for wool are down by 13 per cent on average against last year, according the British Wool Marketing Board (BWMB).
The association’s chairman, Ian Buchanan, told FarmingUK that the global market for wool had been challenging over the last 12 months.
Exports of British wool to China were down on four years ago, but the chairman said that BWMB was planning a new marketing campaign to explain the benefits of woollen carpets to consumers and, hopefully, boost sales.”
NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER – by Bruce McLeish, Elders northern wool manager – “IN a departure from normal patterns and just to confuse the majority of pundits, wool prices rose even though the value of the Australian dollar also increased.”
EASTERN RIVERINA CHRONICLE – by Elizabeth Habermann – “Students put their sheep and skills to the test against stud sheep at Thursday’s sheep and wool fair in Holbrook.
The second day of the show sees the open competition day where sheep are judged in breed categories.
Stud sheep from across the state were stood alongside school sheep for the judging.”
THE WEEKLY TIMES – by Karolin MacGregor – “THE Campbell Town Show is the time for sheep and fleeces to shine so winning grand champion fleece there is no mean feat – and Scott Reardon has now done it twice.
This year fantastic seasonal conditions and excellent wool prices made for a buoyant atmosphere at last weekend’s show.
Midlands Agricultural Association president David Taylor said the combination made plenty of farmers happy.”
THE BORDER MAIL – by John Chanter – “The Holbrook Sheep and Wool Fair is on June 14-16 at the Holbrook Showgrounds, attracting stud breeders and more than 150 secondary school students from throughout the Riverina, southern NSW and Victoria.
Wednesday is schools day and is dedicated to educational workshops for participating schools, before they compete with their school sheep in the schools’ interbreed competition.”
