Social Isolation Measures Provide Producers with a New Opportunity for Direct-to-Consumer Sales
While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused chaos in supermarkets around the world, changing consumer behaviour has had a positive impact for some segments of the market. Producers who sell direct to the consumer have seen a significant lift in sales as customers look to avoid supermarkets amid social distancing concerns. For many producer-led food brands, […]
Agriculture Minister vows to “Make Agriculture Sexy Again”
Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud revealed his plan to “Make agriculture sexy again” at a recent ABARES Outlook conference, including a push to make Australia the number one country in research and development globally. Amid drought, bushfire and now coronavirus, Minister Littleproud said that agriculture should be proud of its resilience and ability to innovate […]
Amid the Chaos: Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Australian Agriculture
Despite concerns about the impact of Coronavirus and the associated economic downturn, there are potential benefits for the grocery retail sector, with a potential flow on to supply chain and production components. Increased demand on supermarkets has lead to Coles to announce 5,000 new temporary jobs around Australia to meet consumer demand, while Woolworths has […]
COVID-19 Causes Concern for Agricultural Employers
Charged with the decision of returning home in the wake of COVID-19, many backpackers have elected to stay in Australia, creating a temporary spike in the number of temporary visa holders looking for agricultural work. In Manjimup, WA, Harvey Giblett has been inundated with requests from backpackers looking for work. “A lot of people are […]
Legal Heat Intensifies for Chemical Manufacturers Bayer and BASF
A Missouri court has ordered Bayer and BASF to pay US$265 million in damages and fines after it was found that a peach farmer lost his orchard because dicamba drifted onto his property. The ruling is the first in around 140 cases pending in the US court system, in which dicamba is being blamed for […]
Brave New World: UK Starts to Battle Out Post-Brexit Agriculture Policy
As Britain begins to grapple with its post-Brexit status, many wonder what the UK’s agriculture industry will look like as policy-making returns from EU control. Coined, “one of the most significant pieces of legislation for farmers in over 70 years.” the UK’s proposed agriculture bill is eagerly awaited in Britain, where 460,000 people rely on […]
Australian Agriculture Feeling the Effects of Corona Virus
While the fall out from the outbreak of Corona Virus is yet to be fully realised, disruptions to agricultural trade with China are already causing issues for many sectors. Most affected are exporters of products heavily reliant on food service as millions of Chinese are on home quarantine, with restaurants and food outlets closed until […]