Welcome back to Getting the Upper Land, where you get a rundown of some of the stories featured in the paper. Making news this week:
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Producers have called for stronger biosecurity efforts following the detection of red fire ants in NSW. The Department of Primary Industries has established an emergency biosecurity order and the detection triggered the National Fire Ant Eradication Program response. NSW Farmers says the Queensland infestations should have been eradicated before the colonies became established and were able to spread.
Prices for lambs and sheep are rallying with the recent widespread rain providing the resuscitation with demand among restockers driving the market. Tamworth recorded significant gains on Monday and while a spike is also expected in the south, agents say only sheep with quality, shape and weight will attract the dividend.
A prototype buggy could make life a lot easier for wheelchair users. Mechanical engineer Tom Carr has built a prototype which someone in a wheelchair can roll straight onto opposed to having to transfer from one chair to another. Check out his demonstration in the video below.
A shortage of soil specialists in Australia is being driven but a lack of career pathways and long-term contracts, industry experts say. It is something that needs to be addressed, Dr Jason Condon said, and an experienced and connected research workforce was essential to meet future challenges.
Producers have been encouraged to consider the optimal joining period for their operation, with one vet explaining it can be more profitable to have fewer calves over a shorter period to produce a more even line. Dr Stephen Laing was guest speaker at the Yallambee Angus field day where he explained the flow-on effects of joining periods and early pregnancy testing in cattle.
Summer cropping has been sent into overdrive following significant rainfall around the state. For many, the rainfall has provided a boost in confidence after a dry season, but falls in other areas may cause crop quality problems.
![Prices rally, red fire ants and a prototype buggy on the farm Prices rally, red fire ants and a prototype buggy on the farm](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/JJAXMCtTuAnFPeUKCfF8jc/7c6453d0-bad2-436f-a976-7a81b358dbb6.png/r1_0_3599_2024_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)