Where do Australia’s famed Thoroughbreds go after their career in racing finishes? The question of finding the right post-racing career for Thoroughbreds is at the heart of this episode of Unearthed. AgriFutures is developing a national strategy to increase demand for the 6000 horses that retire from the track each year, with second careers options ranging from the equestrian ring to amazing work healing the bodies and minds of human beings through equine therapy.
As the climate shifts and farmers more closely monitor the returns achieved for every megalitre of water invested, the landscape is changing and producers are asking the question of what else could they grow to maximise productivity and profit.
This episode builds on our series examining the evolution of Australia’s rice industry over the last 100 years, and investigates the place of new crops like sesame and industrial hemp in modern, water- and climate-efficient farming systems.
For an industry built on irrigation, modern Australian rice growers have become the most water efficient in the world using 50% less water than their international competitors and producing 50% more rice per megalitre than they did 25 years ago.
And the improvements are set to keep on coming as new varieties and agronomic practices transform the farming landscape.
Over two big episodes, Unearthed is exploring the rich history and evolution of the Australian rice industry, which is this year celebrating 100 years of commercial production. From horse and plough, to Tiger Moth planes, to massivemachinery, this episode tracks the changes in farming techniques, water management, and the impact of technology on rice production. The conversation features insights from industry veteran George Rathbone, who at 95 has lived through almost everything that has been experienced in the industry, to current day champion growers Michael and Felicia Chalmers. The common theme: the importance of innovation and adaptation in the face of new challenges to deliver both productivity and environmental sustainability.
Australia’s chicken meat industry is a star performer of Australian agriculture with retail value of around $6.6 billion and employing more than 58,000 people. So how does an industry like that take its game to the next level? In this episode of Unearthed, we discover how the team at AgriFutures has taken a leaf out of the elite sports coaching manual as part of a new approach to chicken meat research.
The final episode in our three-part series celebrating 25 years of the Rural Women's Award, is a special one-on-one interview between AgriFutures Chair, Cathy McGowan and our host Michael Thomson. As one of the changemakers of rural Australia, Cathy shares her personal insights into the evolution of the award, the challenges faced by rural women in gaining recognition and taking a more prominent role in Australian agriculture, and the ongoing challenges to realising their full potential.
Unearthed continues the celebration of 25 Years of the Rural Women’s Award by delving into the next chapter of its the evolution. After emerging from the shadows in the previous episode, leading rural women are now in the spotlight and facing new and unexpected challenges. Through the use of design thinking, new support networks and alumni connections are created resulting in greater collaboration and diversity in the agricultural workforce. Looking ahead, the conversation envisions a future where the award continues to empower women and expand its reach within rural communities.
In part one of Unearthed’s special three-part series celebrating 25 years of the Rural Women’s Award, we go back to where it all began and discover the challenges facing women in rural Australia in the 1980s and ‘90s. Featuring interviews with Jeanette Long, Lisa Palu and Edwina Clowes, the episode explores how they were motivated to bring the contribution of women to agriculture and rural communities out of the shadows and into the spotlight, and how the Award has empowered women within the agricultural sector.
Episode 2 of AgriFutures new look podcast Unearthed, delves into the hives of Australia’s European honeybee population and the impact of the varroa mite on both the beekeeping industry and the crops that depend on pollination. To help keep track of varroa’s spread, and stay ahead of emerging pests and disease challenges, an early warning system in the form of an annual Colony Loss Survey as been implemented as part of the National Varroa Transition to Management Program, managed by the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council with support from AgriFutures Honey Bee & Pollination Program. Find out what the first Col Loss survey has revealed about the health and threats to our hives on Unearthed: The people changing Australian agriculture.
We’re off to the races in episode one of AgriFutures' new-look podcast, Unearthed: The people changing Australian agriculture, to find the people who’ve changed Australia’s racing industry using new research into Thoroughbred respiratory conditions.
Join host Michael Thomson as he unearths the farmers, scientists and big characters changing Australian agriculture in this new series from AgriFutures Australia.