The Ag Journal | 21 Nov

Author

Sam Turner
November 21, 2024

Big moves in the AgTech space, good news for NSW cattle operations and more bad news from climate change…

TODAY’S EDITION:

NSW beef enterprises maintained steady returns despite market fluctuations, according to the latest analysis from NSW DPIRD. Gross margins showed modest improvements across several production systems, with coastal weaner operations on improved pasture reaching $41.83/DSE, up from $40.14/DSE.

While most sectors recorded slight gains, the growing out of purchased weaner steers to feedlot weights saw a notable decline, dropping to $41.41/DSE due to lower feedlot prices and increased transport costs.

"Despite ongoing challenges with rising freight and animal health costs, strong weaner prices provide a solid foundation for 2024," says Todd Andrews, NSW DPIRD Beef Development Officer. Todd notes that favorable seasonal conditions in Hunter, Central, and Northern NSW are creating opportunities for producers to grow out to heavier turnoff weights.

A bright spot emerges in the branded grassfed beef market, which is gaining momentum after a slow 2023. This presents particular opportunities for crossbred weaner heifers, which currently trade at a discount compared to steers.

Looking ahead, while transport costs remain a concern, falling fertilizer prices offer some relief. The sector's outlook appears promising, with strong export demand from the USA expected through 2025-26, supported by favorable seasonal conditions across many regions.

NETAFIM AND BAYER JOIN FORCES

Netafim and Bayer have expanded their strategic partnership to deliver digital farming solutions for fruit and vegetable growers. The collaboration aims to streamline crop management and optimize resource utilization through integrated technology.

The deal aims to make data collection easier for growers and provides insights based on that data.

Central to the deal is Bayer's new HortiView platform, designed to simplify data collection and management. The platform aims to solve one of the biggest pain points for growers who struggle to unify disconnected digital tools that, more often than not, complicate rather than simplify their operations.

Complementing HortiView, Netafim is introducing customized irrigation insights that will be integrated into the platform. This solution aims to move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches, offering personalized recommendations based on each grower's specific data. The system will also connect with Netafim's GrowSphere™, their comprehensive irrigation operating system.

"Digital technology offers tremendous value in horticulture, but those digital tools rarely work together," explains Chris Pienaar, Fruit & Vegetable Digital New Value Lead at Bayer Crop Science. "Our collaboration addresses these challenges head-on, providing growers with tailored recommendations for their unique environments and practices."

CLIMATE CHANGE MAY LIMIT HERBICIDE EFFECTIVENESS

Researchers from the USDA Agricultural Research Service and the University of Illinois have shown that post emergent herbicides may be less effective under climate change conditions.

Focusing on corn and soybean programs in the US, the team mined over 30 years of climate and weed science from 16 extension programs and found that variable weather significantly impacted the effectiveness of post emergence herbicides.

The study looked at the effect of weather and climate conditions on the efficacy of fomesafen, glyphosate, mesotrione, or fomesafen + glyphosate on waterhemp, giant foxtail, and morning-glory species.

The analysis showed “The probability of successful weed control deteriorated when the average air temperature within the first ten days after application was <19 or >25 C for most of the herbicide by weed species models. Additionally, dryer conditions prior to postemergence herbicide application reduced the probability of successful control for several of the herbicide by weed species models. As air temperatures increase and rainfall becomes more variable, weed control with many of the commonly used postemergence herbicides is likely to become less reliable.”

Co-author Marty Williams summarises, "Collectively, weeds are adapting quicker than our ways to manage them. Climate change appears poised to put this evolution on a faster track," he said. "We hope it's possible to get ahead of the issue of failing weed control on the research and development side, because the cost of waiting until everything fails could be painful."

That’s a wrap,

ST