The Victorian government has been urged by an environmental mob to use aerial surveillance to keep an eye on land clearing activities by farmers. They say satellite images can be stored and then used to monitor in later years.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Soon we will see any old activist parking and letting a drone loose to invade landholder privacy. Farmers will not be the kings and queens of their castles, there will be someone snooping in the back paddock. The problem is that once you give activists an inch they will take a mile. In the future farmers may resort to shooting down objects that fly over a property, with the excuse that they thought it was a predatory bird. Surely current satellite imagery, that is being collected, should be used for information and scientific purposes not for belting farmers over the head.
The problem is that once you give activists an inch they will take a mile.
- David Everist
Dirt is good
For generations flies and dust have been part of the Australian agricultural and pastoral scene. A study in Belgium has found that European children growing up on dairy farms are less likely to have asthma.
It seems the dust and airborne cow hair gives children resistance. So here, at least, is one plus for the embattled dairy industry. Make sure your kids suck in the air and gain a bit of resistance. A leading allergy expert from the Murdoch Children's Research Institute said the Belgian findings are in line with the theory that allergies are rising because children are too clean.
Big impact
Whilst much has been made of clawbacks by dairy companies that have shocked the industry, the problem of non-payment for grain must be devastating for the growers impacted. This has been occurring for decades on a limited scale. Maybe growers need to ask for a sizable payment before collection to reduce the risk of default. In some cases growers are unable to meet commitments and many local businesses are affected.
Regular work
Many wool producers are embracing more regular shearing. Some are shearing every six months to produce a shorter staple wool of higher quality. However the vexing question is that will there be enough shearers. On the up side shearers and shed hands will have more regular work and the sheep will be much easier to shear.