Soaring sugar prices, Varroa mite response changes, livestock drought management, and NSW success at the Melbourne Royal; Getting the Upper Land episode 12

Sweet demand for sugar at all levels has created boom times at last for Northern Rivers growers. Record sugar prices have been locked in for the next three years by Sunshine Sugar marketing staff and for the first time in decades demand for new acreage to grow the sweet crop is burgeoning.

A pollinator unlucky in the Varroa mite response timing has said the flow on effects from the state's Varroa mite incursion will be seen for some time despite the emergency response transitioning from containment and eradication to management last week. Many beekeepers are saying the pivot in the response has come too late with more than 30,000 hives euthanised since the sentinel sites at Port of Newcastle first detected the hive-collapsing mite on June 22, 2022.

The message from Local Land Services is to act now and plan for drought as the dry bites. Vets have warned livestock producers must act immediately as dry conditions worsen to maintain proper nutrition for sheep, cattle and other animals. North West Local Land Services veterinarian Heidi Austin provided a livestock health analysis as part of a NSW Department of Primary Industries pasture update at Tamworth.

Dual purpose crops fill the feed gap and help maintain high stocking rates for James and Bianca Brady as management is key to their successful lamb operation at Eurongilly in the Riverina. Breeding composite sheep Mr Brady has their practices down to a fine art with the calendar planned out for all major operations to improve efficiency.

Finley High School has won the interbreed event and taken out the two pinnacle prizes in the Melbourne Royal Show's sheep competition. Finley High School won both interbreed champion ewe and interbreed champion ram in an impressive field of entries.The school did one better than last year, having won interbreed champion ram in 2022 but not quite getting the clean sweep.