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18/5/2017
For young Sophie Agriculture is the business
The future of agriculture is looking exciting to young farming professionals like Sophie Forrester. She moved back to to the family property in Qualeup WA after graduating and undertook a business apprenticeship while working part time on the farm. Initially she has no intention of making a career on the land but realised that her heart was in it and so enrolled in a Diploma of Agriculture via Charles Sturt University. Sophie has been working on the farm, Glenkeith, full-time for two-and-a-half years now.
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18/5/2017
State Gov. funds digital infrastructure in Regional Victoria
The Andrews Labor Government has announced an upgrade to the broadband, mobile coverage and Wi-Fi hubs across Victoria. ​ ​This comes as a direct response to the nine Regional Partnerships unanimously calling for improvements to digital infrastructure. As a result the 2017/18 budget includes $45 million for the Connecting Regional Communities Program (CRCP).
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15/5/2017
What the Federal Budget means for Farmers
​The highlights from the budget this year for farmers sees major spending on an inland rail and an increase in funding for the National Landcare Program. ​ Key points: - $8.4 billion for inland freight rail between Melbourne and Brisbane - $1 billion in Landcare funding over five years - New food safety requirements for importers, and new powers to hold product at the border - Farm Household Allowance remains capped at 3 years, but maxed out farmers can apply for loans - Live export industry gets $8.3 million to develop new welfare assurance program
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Blazing a trail for women in agriculture

1/6/2017

Based in Bowen Qld, Stackelroth Farm is an almost all-female operation managed and operated by same-sex couple Michelle O'Regan and Belinda Williams.

Based  in Bowen Qld, Stackelroth Farm is an almost all-female operation managed and operated by same-sex couple Michelle O'Regan and Belinda Williams.

The farm that produces mainly butternut and Halloween pumpkins has been in Ms Williams's family for three generations. It was Pam Stackelroth, Belinda's mother who started the female tradition when her father died in a farming accident. 

Ms O'Regan recalled "Pam was a director of one of the packing houses of a major company, and one of the managers said to her 'What are you going to do now? Women can't farm'," 
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According to Ms O'Regan and Ms Williams the attitude towards women farming the land has changed these days
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​"I think a lot of that acceptance comes from the hard work, resilience, sheer determination and courage that both Belinda and Pam have displayed," Ms O'Regan said.
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"They are very respected in the industry, knowledge-wise as well as work-wise, so I think their work ethic has shone through."
When Tropical Cyclone Debbie hit the farm in late march, the family lost all of their butternut pumpkins.
​Now, like many other farmers in the region, they are starting over.
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"It was pretty overwhelming coming back to the farm the day after, especially seeing sheets of tin from the sheds scattered through our paddocks and the crop totally annihilated," Ms O'Regan said.
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"We had a few moments but we dusted ourselves off and go again."
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That resilience has long been a trait of any farmer, and a family trait for Ms Williams.
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"For farmers like Belinda and her mother and the family, that toughness and resilience to bounce back is really ingrained in them," Ms O'Regan said.
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​What about the benefits of an all-female farm? It seems multi-tasking is a big advantage.

"Multi-tasking is a very big thing, and thinking on a lot of levels and fast on your feet … I'm not saying that males don't, but in the business it is a bit of a different approach," Ms O'Regan said.

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