Great Southern and South Coast WA Rural Report
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Latest Report
Big changes for AWI
Yesterday some major changes were made to the board of Australian Wool Innovation.Four newcomers were voted onto the board and New South Wales fine wool producer Wal Merriman has been elected the new chairman.
It seems many Australian woolgrowers are tired of the industry's political in-fighting and voted for change.
Williams grower welcomes a new AWI focus
Williams wool grower Howard Higham says the vote to oust many of AWI's board members reflects the anger of growers especially in WA who had lost confidence in AWI over the mulesing issue, board expenditure, declining stock numbers and a general malaise in the industry.He welcomes the changes made at the board's AGM yesterday.
Wool prices continue to rise
Last weeks price rises continued yesterday at sales in Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle with the eastern market indicator rising by 17 cents per kilo clean.The Sydney indicator rose by 16 cents, Melbourne by 17 cents and Fremantle was up by eight cents per kilo.
WA growers withdrew or passed in around 20 percent of the eight thousand bales scheduled for sale.
Peter Leroy reports that there was renewed interest from China in finer wools and sales will continue today in Sydney and Melbourne with around 15,000 bales being offered.
Byline; Owen Grieve
Western Australia Features
Lobsters keep their cool
Cool lobsters are happy lobsters.
Australian Wool Innovation overhauled
Australia wool producers have voted to overhaul the board of Australian Wool Innovation. Not only does the company have a new board but a new chairman, in New South Wales fine wool breeder Wal Merriman.
To taste these strawberries you'll have to pick them yourself
The Cold Esky Challenge is about to reveal where you can find some of the freshest strawberries in the South West heading into summer.
Small herb stops development
A major real estate project in Western Australia's Ord Valley has come across a large hurdle after the discovery of a tiny rare plant.
Making a difference in Halls Creek
This year the Halls Creek District High School has been nominated for the WA Innovative School of the Year Award, and during a quick trip to the school one Friday it's obvious why they're up for nomination.
WA mining town tackles health problems
As country towns across Australia grapple with obesity, remote mining communities are finding they're also battling the bulge.
The second ever Geographe Crush...
The delicious smell of fresh seafood sizzling on the barbeque washed down with a drop of local wine was too much for the Cold Esky Challenge to resist this week.
Bees on a health-kick go missing in the Ord
A number of sunflower and melon growers in Western Australia's Ord Valley have had their yields slashed this year by an unexpected problem.
Case Study - Promoting a farmers'/growers' market
It's no secret that farmers' markets are much loved by shoppers because they're outdoors, they can talk to the people who grow what they're selling and it's a social experience.
Wheat in the Ord
It's not a crop normally associated with Northern Australia but record high prices for wheat over the past year have caught the attention of a grower in Western Australia's Ord Valley.
