Nufarm GM
PETER O’Keeffe has been appointed as Nufarm ANZ general manager.
Mr O’Keeffe had been working in the role in an interim capacity since
August when former incumbent Lachie McKinnon took on an
international position with Nufarm.
Nufarm Limited Managing Director and CEO, Greg Hunt said “Peter is an exceptional business leader with a vast knowledge of both our company and agriculture in Australia and New Zealand.”
Mr O’Keeffe has spent almost 15 years with Nufarm, initially joining the company in 1996 as a Territory Sales Manager, along with spells at competitors Monsanto and Cheminova.
He returned to Nufarm in early 2015.
Roundup warning
CONSUMER groups continue to protest against the use of glyphosate, saying it leads to liver disease.
MADGE, a group against genetically modified food (GM), say studies have shown that glyphosate is responsible for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease at levels they say Australians are exposed to in food and water.
"Mothers should be able to feed their children without having to worry that we may be inadvertently setting our kids up for liver disease" said Fran Murrell from MADGE.
MADGE makes it claims citing evidence from a study headed up by Michael Antoniou from King’s College in London, which fed female rats Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbicide.
The study found a link between the herbicide and NAFLD.
Glyphosate is the most important broadacre herbicide in Australia.
It was in the headlines last year when those against its use cited World Health Organisation warnings that it was a ‘probable’ carcinogenic.
However, those in favour of its use said this only put it in the same category as everyday products such as oranges or red meat.
New Vic executive
THE Victorian Farmers Federation grains group will unveil a new look executive at its annual conference next week.
There were seven positions on the group’s council up for grabs and they have been filled unopposed.
The major change will be at the top, with Willenabrina, near Warracknabeal, farmer Ross Johns replacing Brett Hosking in the role.
Ashley Fraser will be vice president.
Wheat funding
US-based Cornell University has received a $13.65 million grant from the United Kingdom to help an international consortium of plant breeders and pathologists overcome diseases in wheat.
The funds for the four-year Delivering Genetic Gain in Wheat, or DGGW, project will build on a $31.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, announced in March 2016, and bring the total to $45.15 million.
Ronnie Coffman, international plant breeder and director of International Programs at Cornell University said wheat was a critical crop, providing the major source of calories for 20pc of the world’s population.
“We are using the modern tools of comparative genomics and big data to develop new varieties of wheat for smallholder farmers that incorporate resilience to abiotic stresses and diseases such as rust and septoria,” he said.
Tasmanian aphid sighting
TASMANIA had its first official sighting of Russian wheat aphid in January.
The aphid, a serious pest in cereal crops was found near Cressy, in the State’s north.
Officials believe it travelled from the mainland on northerly airflows.