Agribusiness buzz in brief

The symposium, from 7am to midday on May 6, will feature a lineup of distinguished speakers setting the scene for a week of big name industry events and speakers at Beef 2024.

Sir John, who was NZ's 38th Prime Minister from 2008 to 2016 and is on the board of the ANZ Banking Group, will be joined by internationally acclaimed economist and beef industry expert, Ralph Schoellhammer; animal genomics authority, Alison Van Eenennaam; sustainable agriculture identity, Sue Middleton, and Australian Eggs managing director Rowan McMonnies.

Themed "On Being Influential", the Cattle Australia breakfast session will explore influence in the beef industry with thought-provoking discussions, insights, and strategies to shape the sector's future.

"Sir John's distinguished career and unique perspectives promise an enlightening start to the symposium, bringing unparalleled insights into the world of politics, leadership, and global influence." said Beef Australia chief executive officer, Simon Irwin.

Regional job vacancies fell at the end of last year, but are still faring better than metropolitan Australia.

About 77,600 regional positions were advertised online in December - down 11.4 per cent on the previous month and four per cent below December 2022.

However in metropolitan areas annual job vacancies were down 13pc on November and 12.1pc on the prior year.

While all regions across recorded fewer job ads in December, the full year showed significant annual job vacancy rises in some areas, notably regional Northern Territory (up 31pc), South Australia's Yorke Peninsula and Clare Valley (18pc), South West Western Australia (16.4pc), NSW's Riverina and Murray (11.5pc), and NSW's Southern Highlands and Snowy regions(9.9pc)

Despite the year being marked by severe weather events and big farm input costs rises, Australian vegetable growers produced 3.59 million tonnes of produce last financial year 2022-23 with a production value of $5.83 billion.

Production volume was down only three per cent on the previous financial year according to newly-released data in the Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook.

While the $5.83b overall production value was up 5.4pc to a record high in dollar terms, the value was offset by a 6 per cent lift in the consumer price index during the same period.

Additionally, the 4pc rise in the horticulture crop's fresh wholesale value to $6.17b represented a real term decline.

Ausveg chief executive officer, Michael Coote, said the figures were an indication of the financial pressures confronting many vegetable growing businesses who continue supplying more than 98pc of the fresh vegetables sold domestically.

The overall and fresh wholesale production values of many common commodities were down, both in year-on-year and actual terms.

The Australian Medical Association, Cancer Council and the Australian Dental Association are among a swag of leading health bodies pushing the federal government to tackle the nation's obesity crisis with a levy on sugary drinks.

Their newly launched Rethink Sugary Drink campaign wants a 20 per cent levy on certain soft drinks and sugar-sweetened drinks.

The alliance is aming for a sugar tax to encourage manufacturers to reformulate their products with less sugar content so Australian consumers cut their average sugar intake by about 2.6 kilograms a year.

The health group argued such action by beverage companies would prevent about 16,000 type 2 diabetes cases over 25 years and prevent 4400 heart disease cases and 1100 strokes.

The Australian Meat Business Women national conference returns this year after a hiatus in 2023, centred on the Meat Business Women's global campaign, #ThePowerOfYou, which aims to drive inclusivity in the meat industry.

The conference at the Hyatt Place, Melbourne Essendon Fields on March 20.

Employee strategy and experience director at Gilbert and Tobin Lawyers and award-winning founder of She Lion Group and Walk Fearlessly, Kate Dillon, will headline the event with a pragmatic session concentrated on "mastering your brand, clarifying your goals, and leveraging your unique value to seize opportunities".

Sue McCluskey, Australia's representative for Australian Agriculture under the government's Global Agriculture Leadership Initiative will be among other speakers and panellists attending.

The conference includes the One to Watch Award presentations.

Founded in 2015, Meat Business Women is the United Nations recognised global network for women working to improve the sustainability of the meat sector and grow the pipeline of female talent in a male dominated arena.

The not-for-profit Carbon Market Institute's first international carbon market update for 2024 shows 23 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions are now covered by carbon pricing, with these mechanisms jointly raising about $154 billion ($US100b) in 2022 alone.

CMI director of climate programs and nature-based solutions, Janet Hallows, said the growth of a high-integrity global market would have a crucial role to play, especially given the scale of finance currently being channelled into these solutions.

"The new report shows carbon markets are already driving large amounts of finance to decarbonisation efforts that would otherwise be underfunded, with strong demand for credits resulting in record retirements since quarter four 2023," she said

It follows comments from UN climate change executive secretary Simon Stiell this month, stating success in limiting temperature rises to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius would depend on key countries, including Australia, adopting more ambitious approaches.

The economies named by the UN cumulatively accounted for 80pc of global greenhouse gas emissions they should all have "seriously re-engineered" their emissions targets by 2025.

A panel of 35 global and local experts will share their experience and insights at the "Raising the Roof 2024" event in the NSW Hunter Valley from February 27 to 29 to help ensure Australian dairy farmers are investing in the right housing and feeding infrastructure on-farm.

Presented by Dairy Australia and Agriculture Victoria, Raising the Roof 2024 is the only Australian dairy industry event dedicated exclusively to intensive farm systems, and designed to help farmers learn global best-practice from international and local experts.

Speakers from Germany and the US will join local experts in intensive farm systems and dairy farmers who have already successfully transitioned their farms to the use of feedpads and contained housing.

The event will also feature virtual and in-person farm visits showcasing the latest innovative thinking in a range of intensive farm systems.