Amazing Race Australia 2011 & 2012

August 2nd, 2011

Much as they irritated me at times (deliberately setting out to use good looks [short shorts etc] to get ahead on so many occasions); on merit (tenacity, ability etc), the girls (Sam and Renae) should have won ‘Amazing Race Australia’ ahead of the blokes; especially considering the much higher number of tasks/challenges that favoured blokes […]

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Dr James Wright giving anti-meat eating advice

July 29th, 2011

Just as it is disconcerting to hear admired, talented musicians and actors spouting on about politics or issues unrelated to their field of work, it’s disappointing to discover writers and other well known/famous people, doing the same. For many years I’ve read and listened to the commonsense advice handed out by Dr James Wright.  Then this ‘gem’ of […]

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Amazing Race Australia – Matt Nunn & Tom Warriner eliminated

July 26th, 2011

For Tom Warriner and Matt Nunn, tragedy strikes in the form of a bright orange shirt.  More accurately, an industrial sewing machine and pieces of orange cloth that had to be sewn into a shirt.  It was a great task to throw in amongst the challenges with so many heavy-lifting endurance feats that clearly favoured […]

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AACo has sold Meteor Downs Station to Xstrata, presumably to be run by Colinta Holdings

July 23rd, 2011

AACo has sold the central Queensland cattle station ‘Meteor Downs’ to the Swiss mining company, Xstrata.  Meteor Downs is 17,000 ha 40km SE of Springsure (between Emerald & Roma), and it was purchased in 1990 to run the AACo’s Brahman and Santa Gertrudis studs.  In recent years it has been running Wagyu cattle, and growing forage crops […]

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Nuclear waste dump in ‘the middle of nowhere’ – Tennant Creek

July 22nd, 2011

If the vitriolic anti-bush comments in relation to the live export ban didn’t convince rural Australians that there is a sizeable slab of urban Australia who despise them (though urban residents rely on rural residents for food & export income), then the recent online forum comments regarding the planned nuclear waste dump near Tennant Creek, surely will.  Discussions on […]

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Australia 2012 Year of the Farmer

July 7th, 2011

I must be living under a rock because until yesterday I didn’t know that 2012 is the Year of the Farmer.  Sponsored by Elders, the Year of the Farmer board is impressive.  Included are Deb Bain (Wool & sheep meat producer and Farm Day instigator, Vic), Geoff Bell (NSW), Bill Belotti (agronomist, NSW), Philip Bruem […]

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Australia’s live export ban lifted

July 6th, 2011

At last some sense has prevailed and Agricultural minister Joe Ludwig announced this evening that the live export ban has been lifted.  Cattle that are completely traceable will be allowed to be exported to ‘independently audited’ abattoir facilities. However many regional small businesses will have lost huge amounts of money, many cattle that a month […]

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People changing their minds from ‘ban live exports’ to ‘ban cruelty – support Australian beef farmers’

July 5th, 2011

Anyone who still believes that banning Australian live exports is an intelligent idea should read this excellent explanation by Genevieve Hopkins on her ‘Green Foodie’ blog.  As Genevieve explained, early on she signed petitions supporting the banning of live exports.  Then, in response to pointy comments posted on her blog, she decided to do some […]

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Another farmer’s comment on conservation – at Mission Beach (NQ)

June 21st, 2011

Here’s a classic comment on farmers and conservation, written by Mission Beach farmer, Maurice Franklin. A must-read for anyone who thinks farmers don’t care for the environment and that the natural environment and farming can’t co-exist.  And the recent residential development around Mission Beach should give everyone cause for serious thought.  Queensland’s wet tropics region is only a tiny […]

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Rural producers from southern regions, making ill-informed judgements regarding Australia’s live export trade

June 16th, 2011

It’s exasperating to find southern producers who have posted online comments supporting the blanket ban on live exports because a) I haven’t come across a single one whose comments demonstrate any understanding of agriculture outside their own specific region and b) they’ve played right into the hands of animal rights extremists – apparently oblivious to the fact that […]

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