Countryman

A Plague of MiceMouse plague threatens $1 billion in damage to WA’s crops

WA’s grain growers are facing another whammy to the industry — a $1 billion damaging mouse plague — after about thousands of burrows were found in key farming regions.

Georgia Campion & Sienna Seychell

CSIRO researcher Steve Henry said farmers were seeing up to 8000 mice per hectare in some grain paddocks.

Sheep have been stolen from two Wheatbelt farms.

Rural CrimeNearly 150 head of sheep stolen from two Wheatbelt farms

Georgia Campion

Tropical cyclone Narelle ripped through WA's northern and Mid West coasts last week, severely damaging homes, shearing sheds and crops.

Tropical ChaosEx-tropical cyclone Narelle rips through stations, crops

Mid West and Gascoyne pastoral stations are reeling from the “substantial” damage wrought by ex-tropical cyclone Narelle, while Carnarvon banana growers are grieving a significant wipe-out of their crops.

Georgia Campion and Danielle Marsland

The government has been warned banning live sheep exports will have major trade consequences. (Trevor Collens/AAP PHOTOS)

Funded BanFed Govt rolls out more money for live sheep phase-out

The Federal Government has rolled out almost $11.5 million in further funding to support the “orderly” phase-out of the live sheep export industry ahead of the looming 2028 deadline.

Georgia Campion

Rail SafetyRail lighting under microscope in new social media video

Families devastated by horrific rail crashes across Australia have banded together to release a video on social media calling for all governments to legislate mandatory lighting visibility standards.

Georgia Campion

Australia’s sheep flock is expected to fall by 2.7 per cent to 67.1 million head by the end of June.

Got Sheep?Australia’s sheep flock to fall to 67.1 million head

Australia’s sheep flock is set to fall this year, with WA producers still adjusting their business modelling to the phase out of the live sheep export trade set to be completed in 2028.

Georgia Campion

York farmers Erin and Adrian Emin on their farm just out of York. They are among the thousands of growers concerned about fuel and fertiliser shortages.

WA NewsFuel, fertiliser shortage threatens WA’s $7 billion harvest

WA grain growers are facing a ‘Wheatbelt recession’ which will flow through the entire State as fuel and fertiliser shortages threaten to derail what was shaping as the perfect start to the season.

Rhianna Mitchell

Hancock Agriculture chief executive Adam Giles with employee Sandie Craig at Hancock's Dongara farm.

HANCOCK CUTS CROPSHancock Agriculture scraps cropping at its Dongara property

Hancock Agriculture has canned cropping at its new Dongara property, citing fertiliser and diesel shortages as making it too risky, with CEO Adam Giles saying the company will instead double down on Wagyu beef

Danielle Marsland

Sheep bound for the Middle East loaded on to Al Messilah in Fremantle Port.

Trade Disruption$1.3 billion live export trade continues to be disrupted

Live sheep and cattle exports by sea to the Middle East continue to be suspended as the Iran-US conflict rages on and adversely affecting Australia’s agriculture industry.

A Plague of MiceMouse plague threatens $1 billion in damage to WA’s crops

WA’s grain growers are facing another whammy to the industry — a $1 billion damaging mouse plague — after about thousands of burrows were found in key farming regions.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical waterway for about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas.

Fertiliser PlanFed Govt to underwrite sector fertiliser and fuel purchases

The Federal Government has established a working group to navigate the fertiliser crisis faced by farmers who last week began their seeding operations for the winter crop.

Rural CrimeNearly 150 head of sheep stolen from two Wheatbelt farms

The rural crime squad is investigating after nearly 150 head of sheep were stolen from two Wheatbelt properties as farmers gear up for lambing season.

Georgia Campion

Elders Williams Campdraft is back this autumn.

SOCIAL CALENDARTake five from the farm with events across the State

Countryman has handpicked the best community get-togethers happening across the State this autumn including the Elders Williams Campdraft, Fairbridge Festival, Gidgegannup Small Farm Field Day and more

Danielle Marsland

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AFL
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How the 2024 draft REALLY should have gone

Inspired by the stunning early success of Murphy Reid after he was taken with pick No.17, The West Australian’s Josh Kempton has run a re-draft on the stacked 2024 pool.

Josh Kempton

Flowers by the side of Nicholson Road, Lynwood, where a fatal crash occured which resulted in the death of Skye.

GoFundMeBaby who died in crash remembered as ‘precious little soul’

The baby, who died in a horror rideshare car crash on Saturday, has been remembered as having ‘the most beautiful smile’.

BusinessTreasury Wines faces ‘elevated risk’ of bankruptcy

Shares in the winemaker have collapsed 63 per cent over the past year as one Australian hedge fund said its debt load means bankruptcy is possible.

Tom Richardson

A forklift passes the power plant at the Emirates Global Aluminium PJSC Al Taweelah plant in Abu Dhabi.

MiningAlcoa’s crucial WA alumina supplies face Hormuz deadlock

Deadlock in the Strait of Hormuz has upended trade between Alcoa’s cyclone-disrupted WA alumina operations and one of the world’s biggest aluminium producers, whose refinery was bombarded at the weekend.

Simone Grogan

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In Case You Missed It

Premier Roger Cook has declared a state of emergency in WA amid a fuel crisis.

State PoliticsRoger Cook declares state of emergency in WA over fuel

A state of emergency will be declared in WA in a bid to pressure fuel companies to divert supplies where they’re needed, but Roger Cook says it won’t trigger Covid-style restrictions on the public.

Jessica Page

“Boardroom screaming match ends with cops storming out” with Ben Harvey.

WATCHBoardroom screaming match ends with cops storming out

In tonight’s show, Ben Harvey reveals why being the boss of WA’s Police Union isn’t a long-term career prospect with the third president in five years facing the chop.

Ben Harvey | Mon, March 30

Raymond Reddington, who changed his name from Maxwell Robert Fulton was on trial accused of murdering his wife Sharon Fulton (inset) in 1986.

Court & JusticeHusband learns fate for murdering Sharon Fulton 40 years ago

A cold case killer who murdered his wife 40 years ago has been sentenced to life in prison, however a terminal cancer diagnosis means he could have as little as 18 months to live.

The Eagles have produced the rare feat of comebacks from 22+ points down at quarter time in their past two matches.

AFLTwice in 48 years: Eagles’ amazing ‘comeback kings’ feat

In A Six-Pack Of IPA (Interesting Points, Allegedly), we look at West Coast achieving a comeback feat achieved only four times before in AFL/VFL history, and more stats and facts on our WA clubs!

There were 3,355 properties listed for sale in Perth a few days ago, following several weeks of rising listings, including some weeks with double-digit listings growth.

PropertyPerth property listings surge but prices still rising

It was hoped that extra supply would reduce prices. Why has the opposite happened in March?

News

HANCOCK CUTS CROPSHancock Agriculture scraps cropping at its Dongara property

Danielle Marsland

Trade Disruption$1.3 billion live export trade continues to be disrupted

Georgia Campion

Rural CrimeNearly 150 head of sheep stolen from two Wheatbelt farms

Georgia Campion

Premier Roger Cook speaks to the media during a press conference at Dumas House, West Perth.

Seeding ConcernsMixed reactions from ag sector on WA emergency fuel powers

Georgia Campion

CNBC newsDimon exposes risks in geopolitics, AI and private markets

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon in his annual letter to shareholders noted the country’s 250th anniversary and called for a broad recommitment to American ideals.

Sara Salinas

Oil prices have been gripped by volatility since the US-Iran war began nearly four weeks ago.

CNBC newsWhat ‘backwardation’ in oil market means for energy prices

Analysts say the market has now entered a state of “backwardation” that suggests a risk premium has been baked into energy prices, despite traders anticipating a swift resolution to the conflict.

Chloe Taylor

An unusual burst of activity early Monday, minutes before a market-moving social media post from President Donald Trump has raised eyebrows.

CNBC newsBillion dollar ‘bet’ minutes before Trump’s post pays off

‘Someone with access to privileged information appears to have made hundreds of millions in profit by trading on a political secret before it became public.’

Yun Li