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Fed up farmer blasts major supermarkets for price gouging

In a heartfelt plea captured in a viral video, Ross Marsolino, a Victorian farmer and owner of Natural Earth Produce, expressed his frustration with major supermarkets and their pricing strategies for fruits and vegetables. Marsolino, who specialises in growing zucchinis, tomatoes and eggplants in Victoria's Goulburn Valley, said that the profit margins imposed by supermarkets are crippling farmers, adversely impacting consumers, and driving growers out of business. “We’re going to walk away from 80 acres today,” Marsolino said in his video posted to social media. “We’re not retailing the right price to be able to keep the product moving and selling. Plain and simple. The supermarkets are making too much profit out of our crops. We can’t survive. As growers we can’t afford to pay the workers, 50 people are going to be out of the system looking for work.” The crux of Marsolino's argument lies in the claim that supermarkets are engaging in price-gouging, purchasing produce from growers at a considerably lower price and then selling it at a steep markup. He highlighted the stark contrast between the $1.80 per kilo that supermarkets allegedly pay to farmers and the retail price of $4.99, stating that this disparity is unsustainable for growers. The consequence, as Marsolino outlined, is a domino effect on the entire supply chain. Farmers, unable to cover their costs, are forced to reduce the quantity of product they sell, leading to both financial losses for growers and higher prices for consumers. That is why, in his case, Marsolino is saying he is prepared to abandon his 80-acre zucchini crop, estimating the loss at a staggering $2 million. This decision, he said, is a result of the unsustainable economics of the industry. Marsolino's argument goes beyond his personal struggle; he contends that the high retail prices set by supermarkets are ultimately detrimental to consumers and the agricultural industry as a whole. He believes that if prices were lowered to a more reasonable level, consumers would be more inclined to purchase the produce, resulting in increased sales for growers and a healthier industry overall. The plea from Marsolino has also sparked a call for government intervention. He urged authorities to scrutinise the pricing practices of supermarkets, demanding transparency in their transactions with growers. Marsolino's desire is for someone to hold the major supermarket chains accountable for the prices they set and to ensure that they are fair and reasonable. In response to Marsolino's claims, representatives from Woolworths and Coles <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/fed-up-farmer-abandons-80acre-zucchini-crop-blaming-high-markups-at-supermarkets/news-story/30c5ebbaa296e74b8c12c1da356696cd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defended their pricing structures</a>. They argued that the prices paid to suppliers are influenced by various factors, including processing, transport, labour, packaging and market conditions. Both companies emphasised their commitment to fair pricing and their efforts to balance the interests of suppliers and consumers. Marsolino's plea serves as a reminder of the delicate balance required to sustain both the agricultural sector and the affordability of fresh produce for consumers. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen whether there will be a shift towards a more equitable pricing structure that benefits all stakeholders in the industry. Images: Instagram

Money & Banking

Farmer Wants A Wife couple announce exciting news

Farmer Wants a Wife couple Brad and Clare have announced that they are expecting their first child together. The lovebirds took to Instagram to announce the exciting news, with a picture of the pair posing alongside a tiny pair of shoes. “We’re so excited to meet our newest little farm hand! Baby Jones due December,” Clare captioned the photo. The surprise announcement comes just one month after the show finished airing on Channel Seven. The pair opened up about their family plans to New Idea, and shared that it has been a “crazy” time. “We didn’t think it would happen as quick as it did,” Brad told the publication. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ct71vikPGvh/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ct71vikPGvh/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Clare Hockings (@clare_hockings)</a> </div> </blockquote> Clare shared that she is currently in her second trimester and is feeling “pretty good” about her “pretty healthy” pregnancy so far. Clare also revealed that this will be the first grandchild on her side, and that her parents are ecstatic as they are already shopping for the new bub. “They are so excited,” she gushed. “Brad’s parents just welcomed a new granddaughter the other day, so it’ll be nice for our baby to have a little cousin close in age.” The couple have reportedly decided that they want to wait and find out the baby’s gender “the old-fashioned way”, and that they have yet to decide on a name for their baby. Brad and Clare have both been on the same page about their relationship goals and that they are “ready to settle down and start a family and get married”. Fans and friends congratulated the couple on their happy news. "Finally 😍😍😍 congratulations my loves ❤️❤️" commented former Farmer Wants A Wife contestant, Jessica Nova. "Oh my congratulations guys🥹❤️" commented a fan. "This is so exciting !!! Congrats you two 😍" commented another. "Congrats guys, can’t wait," wrote a third. Images: Instagram

Family & Pets

Dog lovers rejoice after "greedy" serial puppy farmer handed life ban

A serial puppy offender has faced sentencing over 17 charges of animal cruelty, with both a lifetime ban and thousands of dollars in fees included in her punishment. The 51-year-old woman from Bullsbrook, a northern suburb in Perth, had been breeding sick dogs in squalid conditions while charging their potential new owners thousands of dollars, and has now been banned from owning or breeding any more dogs for the rest of her life. For her cruel actions, the Perth Magistrates Court handed her a “10-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, $25,000 in fines and an 18-month Intensive Supervision Order.” Additionally, the repeat offender - who has been in custody since April 14 after breaching the conditions of her bail - was also ordered to pay $24,279.11 in legal costs, as well as care and treatment costs totalling $18,241.01. The charges were in relation to 23 dogs who were seized from her property in June 2020 - with sought-after breeds including the likes of Maltese, shih-tzus, poodles, and cavalier King Charles spaniels among them. It wasn’t her first offence - instead her fourth - but her most recent was in 2014 when the RSPCA found 50 dogs at her former home, with 12 of the animals “hidden in a bunker three metres underground”. This time around, she had been trying to conceal her crimes. As the court heard in December, she has been moving the dogs between three different Bullbrook addresses in a bid to avoid detection. It was a display of “callous disregard or at least wilful blindness,” Magistrate Janie Gibbs said. RSPCA WA had launched their investigation into her after a member of the public reported their concerns - they had been trying to purchase a puppy through Gumtree, and had grown suspicious when they were informed they couldn’t visit the dog at home. From there, RSPCA WA seized 32 dogs from the woman’s property - of which there were four adult males, 19 adult females, and nine puppies - with the majority of them showing signs of being “underweight, unkempt, or unwell”, and nearly all of them suffering from “ear infections and/or dental disease and … matted, overgrown hair”. Two did not survive, and five of them were pregnant, giving birth to 22 more puppies in the weeks to follow. All have been in the foster care of RSPCA WA while the case went on. As RSPCA WA Executive Manager Animal and Enforcement Operations Hannah Dreaver explained, the woman responsible had been operating a profit-driven business, and had been placing her income well above the welfare of the dogs in her care. “This included using several locations to hide this operation from both authorities and potential puppy buyers,” she added. “All were popular breeds selling for thousands of dollars. These dogs were making her a fortune and she was treating them as nothing more than money-making machines, having litter after litter without proper care. “Please, if you want to get a dog, consider adoption from the RSPCA or another reputable rescue organisation first. If you do decide to buy a puppy, never buy online and never buy sight unseen. “Always meet your new puppy and its mum in the home where it’s being raised.” Images: RSPCA WA

Family & Pets

Farmer Wants a Wife stars reveal what it’s like to work with Sam Armytage

Farmer Wants a Wife stars Brad and Brenton have revealed what it’s like to work with former Sunrise host Sam Armytage. The two farmers from NSW and Victoria only had positive things to say about the presenter. “She was really good. There were a few times where we got some one-on-one time with her when the cameras weren’t rolling and talked to her and she was really genuine and down to earth,” Brad said. The farmer also said that Sam gave him advice on how to find his match on the show, which has been fruitful, after he successfully found love and is now in a relationship with Clare Hockings. “Sam said to me, ‘Just be yourself and I can see you’re here for the right reasons and to embrace the experience. You’ll probably end up with a good outcome’. And we have (done) so,” Brad said. His partner, Clare, also agreed and said that Sam was “down to earth” and “always lovely” throughout the experience. Brenton, another farmer who appeared on the show said that he “loved” working with her and doesn’t deserve the hate she receives online. “She gets a lot of hate on Facebook but I don’t think I could have had anyone more genuine and down to earth than Sam,” he said, reflecting back on his time in the show. “Sam made us feel so comfortable at events and just would chat to you like you were best friends. “I have all the time in the world for her,” he added. Image: Seven News

Prices to drop for everyday grocery favourites

Aussie households struggling to keep up with the cost of living will be happy to know the low prices they’re paying for some grocery items will continue to drop further this year, with some farmers reporting a bumper crop. Industry experts have said price falls will include meat, poultry and grain, while some fruit and vegetable costs will remain low. The National Farmers Federation said there has been a strong supply of berries, lettuce and avocados to markets, and the prices will not increase further. “It’s great news for consumers,” NFF Horticulture Council executive officer Richard Shannon said. “Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen dramatic increases to the cost of production. That’s a result of disrupted supply chains,” Shannon explained, in reference to the Queensland floods as well as increased prices for fertiliser, packaging and farm labour. “Some of those supply chains are starting to open up again,” he continued. Avocados Australia’s weekly supermarket report saw the price of a single avocado being about $1.80 to $3, depending on the variety. CEO John Tyas said customers could expect prices to stay that low, with avocado supply up 10 per cent for the May season. “We’re expecting pretty steady supply through to the end of the year,” he said. Lettuce was four times its usual price mid-2022, being sold at $12 a head. It is now priced at $3.50 at various stores. A spokesperson for the peak body representing vegetable growers, AusVeg, said the cost of winter vegetables such as carrots, lettuce, celebrity, pumpkin and beans would also see a drop in price as they come into season due to a strong supply. Other retail experts predict the price of meat and poultry will come down after having peaked in 2022. QUT Business School Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour Gary Mortimer told Sunrise, “With growing conditions improving, we’ll start to see more supply into the market, and accordingly, prices will fall,” "I think we’ll see some price relief in some of the other fresh departments, including meat, particularly poultry and grain.” Mortimer also said as farmers, particularly in central NSW, recovered from two years of drought, there was more grain to feed their livestock. The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences’ latest forecast for sheep and lamb prices confirmed meat prices would fall because “farmers had rebuilt their flocks” and there were more animals available for slaughter. According to BARES' latest agricultural snapshot, “industry production and export values are forecast to hit record levels in 2022-23, with broadacre and dairy farm cash incomes remaining well above historical benchmarks”. Executive director Dr Jared Greenville said the good performance would likely continue into the foreseeable future, with weather partners expected to return to normal after several years of severe rainfall in some regions. “Despite the deteriorating conditions, strong soil moisture, full water storages and the rebuilding of our herds and flocks will provide a buffer for overall production, giving us another year in the high country,” he said. Image credit: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Floods, pandemics, wars and market forces: what’s driving up the price of milk

At the end of 2021, the cost of a litre of home-brand milk in an Australian supermarket <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2021-11-25/dairy-farmers-welcome-woolworths-milk-price-lift/100650118" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was about $1.30</a>. It’s now about $1.60. What will it cost at the end of 2022? That depends on the continued effect of flooding on prime dairy-production regions in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, as well as on global economic conditions. The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Science has projected <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/agricultural-outlook/dairy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a 28% increase</a> in the farm-gate milk price in 2022-23 – to 72.5 cents per litre, a record high. With less milk being produced, it could be even more. <hr /> Australia’s dairy regions <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/490779/original/file-20221020-19-64n8np.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/490779/original/file-20221020-19-64n8np.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/490779/original/file-20221020-19-64n8np.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490779/original/file-20221020-19-64n8np.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490779/original/file-20221020-19-64n8np.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490779/original/file-20221020-19-64n8np.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490779/original/file-20221020-19-64n8np.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490779/original/file-20221020-19-64n8np.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption><a class="source" href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/surveys/dairy#financial-performance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABARES</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CC BY-NC-ND</a></figcaption></figure> <hr /> It’s a case of higher demand and lower supply. Production has been declining since 2014. In the first half of 2022, ABARES says milk production was about 7% lower than the same period in 2021: <blockquote> This was driven by extreme weather events: a drier than average start of the year in southern Victoria and northwest Tasmania, flooding in regions of Queensland and northern New South Wales. Also, with export prices for Australian dairy products increasing substantially at the start of 2022, less milk was available to the domestic market. </blockquote> Obviously, things aren’t all rosy. Some dairy farmers face the devastation of natural disasters. All face the same post-COVID challenges as other primary producers. Russia’s war on Ukraine has help drive up <a href="https://www.austrade.gov.au/news/insights/insight-farm-food-costs-rise-due-to-higher-energy-prices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">costs of inputs</a>, from fertilisers to <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/data/weekly-commodity-price-update/australian-agricultural-prices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">feed</a>. Labour is <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/australia-needs-workers-million-are-stuck-door-2022-08-31" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hard to find</a>. But for all that, the record high farm-gate price is good news for an industry where the number of farmers has declined by a quarter in the past decade (from <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=b16a172f-6300-4ee0-918a-b235cf9da725">about 7,500</a> in 2011 to <a href="https://www.dairy.com.au/our-industry-and-people/our-regions">about 5,700</a> now). Deregulation stirs the pot Until 2000, farm-gate milk prices were regulated. State and territory governments set minimum farm-gate prices that maintained farmer income. This was abandoned in July 2000. With deregulation, farmers, processors and supermarkets were set free to negotiate prices. In economic theory, free trade works fine when you have a large number of buyers and sellers, all with the same amount of information about what is happening in the market. But in the milk industry, thousands of producers sell to a handful of milk processors, who then sell to even fewer retailers. The major supermarkets control almost <a href="https://milkvalue.com.au/australian-dairy-market/sales-trends/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">60% of total milk sales</a>. This is not always such a problem. It is not often you hear fresh producers screaming at supermarkets, in what is a very similar arrangement. But with the dairy industry, as noted in a <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/review-report-dairy-industry-code.docx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2021 report</a> from the Department of Agriculture, Waters and the Environment, there is a “perceived market failure”. Why? It has to do with how supermarkets have used their power. Waging the milk price war To give time for the market to find an equilibrium, the Howard government introduced a “Dairy Adjustment Levy” of 11 cents per litre to support farmers through deregulation. This levy remained in place until 2008, when it was abolished by the Rudd government. Then, in 2011, the “milk war” broke out. Coles had the idea of luring shoppers from Woolworths by selling milk <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/milk-wars-leave-sour-taste-in-farmers-mouths-20120120-1q9st.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at $1 a litre</a>. Woolworths responded. Aldi joined the move. And the war kept prices artificially low for almost a decade. Supermarkets put the squeeze on processors, who had little option but to accept what was offered for crucial supermarket contracts. Processors then put the squeeze on farmers. <hr /> <iframe id="5TukM" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/5TukM/1/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> Many decided the effort was not worth it, and quit farming. Milk production peaked in 2014 then declined. Supermarkets finally abandoned $1/litre milk in 2019, under considerable public and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-23/milk-wars-whats-at-the-heart-of-dairys-battles/10838390" target="_blank" rel="noopener">political pressure</a> to acknowledge that, after eight years with no increase, some rebalancing was needed. During this time, overseas demand for dairy products has also been increasing, especially in Asia. Now <a href="https://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/westvic-dairy/industry-statistics/industry-reports/australian-dairy-industry-in-focus#.YzA0_nZByM9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">about 32%</a> of Australian dairy production is exported – not as fresh milk, but as cheese, butter and other dairy products. (It takes about 10 litres of milk to make <a href="https://www.dairysafe.vic.gov.au/consumers/dairy-foods/cheese" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1 kilogram of cheese</a>, and 20 litres to make <a href="https://www.dairysafe.vic.gov.au/consumers/dairy-foods/butter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1kg of butter</a>.) On top of that, lately US and European dairy farmers have had a hard time <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/agricultural-outlook/dairy#milk-production-to-increase-but-export-volumes-to-fall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with drought</a>, increasing international prices. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization’s Dairy Price Index increased by more <a href="https://www.fao.org/3/cc1189en/cc1189en.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">than 17%</a> from 2020 to 2021, and is expected to rise another 15% by the end of this year. <hr /> Australian milk production and farm-gate price <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486429/original/file-20220926-15788-17niif.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486429/original/file-20220926-15788-17niif.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=350&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486429/original/file-20220926-15788-17niif.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=350&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486429/original/file-20220926-15788-17niif.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=350&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486429/original/file-20220926-15788-17niif.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486429/original/file-20220926-15788-17niif.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486429/original/file-20220926-15788-17niif.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><a class="source" href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/images/ac-sept-2022-dairy-fig-1-2.png">ABARES; Dairy Australia</a></figcaption></figure> <hr /> The projected 28% rise in farm-gate milk prices in 2022-23 will bring the value of the Australian dairy production to a record <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/agricultural-outlook/dairy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$6.2 billion</a>. Which is good news for the long term sustainability of dairy farming in Australia. You might not appreciate it, but to keep dairy farmers in business, a fair price must be payed for your fresh milk. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/191064/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />Writen by Flavio Macau. Republished with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/floods-pandemics-wars-and-market-forces-whats-driving-up-the-price-of-milk-191064" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Getty Images

Money & Banking

Hollywood star engaged to Aussie farmer

Hollywood actress Kate Walsh accidentally announced she is engaged to Aussie farmer Andrew Nixon during an Instagram Live video. The 54-year-old Grey's Anatomy actress was chatting with her former Private Practice co-star Amy Brenneman when her partner walked into the frame. “Here comes the jungle cat,” she said. “That is my fiancé.” The farmer smiled and waved at the camera as Brenneman, 58, told him, “She just 100 per cent outed your engagement.” Walsh, whose ring could be seen during the video, then confirmed, “I did. I just outed our engagement.” News of the pair's relationship originally broke in February 2021, with reports they had met on a cruise. The couple have been living together in Perth, with Walsh telling The Daily Telegraph in August 2020 that she got “stuck” away from home during the pandemic. “I didn’t really want to go back to New York in the middle of a pandemic when it was pretty gnarly to say the least,” she said at the time. “I couldn’t go home initially, and now that I can, I don’t really fancy going back,” she continued. “I have my own mother saying, ‘Don’t come home,’ my 86-year-old mum. We are in a very challenging time!” Until now, Walsh's relationship with Nixon has been kept extremely private, as they have both chosen not to post photos of each other on social media. Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram <div class="media image portrait side-by-side" style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: inherit; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; width: 338.484375px; float: left; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 14.09375px; margin-bottom: 24px;"> </div>

Relationships

Meet the cast of Farmer Wants A Wife

Farmer Wants A Wife is hitting the screens once again with hopeless romantics trying their luck at love. The show will be hosted by Natalie Gruzlewski, who will be joined by former Sunrise host Sam Armytage who herself famously <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/sam-armytage-shares-beautiful-new-wedding-photos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fell in love with a farmer</a>. “I fell in love with a farmer myself, so I can't wait to help them find the one,” Sam tells viewers in the trailer. In a twist that hasn’t been seen in a long 11 years, the show has once again introduced a female farmer, Farmer Paige. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CV1GYbKomi8/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CV1GYbKomi8/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Farmer Wants A Wife (@farmeraustralia)</a> </div> </blockquote> Along with Farmer Paige, there is also Farmer Will, Farmer Harry, Farmer Ben, and Farmer Benjamin hoping to find the one to spend the rest of their lives together. Here’s what you need to know about the farmers. Farmer Paige The 27-year-old knew at the age of 15 that she wanted to become a farmer. "So much of my life, at work and after hours, revolves around the farm or around farm-based activities," she said. "I would like to have someone to come with me to the drafts and the rodeos, or join me on the fence line, or be my gate opener; just someone to share life with." Farmer Will The broadacre crop and sheep farmer is only 26 and looking to settle down with someone who has the same interests. Those interests range from football, motorbike riding, fishing, tennis, cricket and water sports. Farmer Ben Already a father to a three-year-old, Farmer Ben, 27, is looking for someone who is family focused. He runs a dairy farm in Wingham, NSW and considers him “old fashioned” when it comes to love. Farmer Benjamin Farmer Benjamin is a 33-year-old sheep farmer based at Guyra in NSW but is also a man of many talents. He holds a degree in drama, co-owns a record label, can DJ, and produces music. Farmer Harry The youngest of the pack at just 23, Farmer Harry loves to cook for his future significant other. Farmer Wants A Wife airs on September 4, on Channel 7 at 7pm. Image: Instagram

Man accused of shooting family of four identified

The accused shooter who <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/three-confirmed-dead-after-horrific-shooting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killed two farmers and their son</a> and wounded the other has been identified. Darryl Young has been charged with the murder of his neighbours Mervyn, 71, Maree Schwarz, 59, and their son Graham Tighe, 35, following a dispute of boundary lines on their land in Bogie near Collinsville in Queensland. The 59-year-old was also charged with one count of attempted murder after Mervyn and Maree’s other son Ross Tighe survived following a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Police will allege Young invited the three members to the edge of his property on August 4 before shooting them “execution style”. Young allegedly shot at Ross who managed to escape the farm in a ute and alert police to the horrific attack against his family. Police charged Young with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder and he is due to appear at Proserpine Magistrates Court on Monday. Acting Superintendent Tom Armitt said it was incredible Ross was able to survive due to the properties being so far apart. “It’s actually a 45-minute drive between the neighbours,” he said. “At the crime scene, which is at the front gate of one of the premises, it is a 3km drive between the gate and the house at that location.” In another devastating twist of events, Graham’s wife Lucy had just given birth to their second child. “It’s just devastating shock that things can happen so quickly in the blink of an eye and ruin so many lives so quickly,” Greg Austen, Graham’s uncle told 7News. Images: 7News

News

Here’s how to support farmers and the environment on National Banana Day

Though <a href="https://abgc.org.au/2021/04/30/banana-growers-celebrate-national-banana-day/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">95 percent</a> of Aussie households buy an average of 800 grams of bananas each week, there’s one variety that most of us have seen but don’t know much about: red-wax tipped bananas. Most of us will have seen them in our local supermarket, but research suggests that only 4 percent of us know what the significance of the wax is. For National Banana Day on May 1, members of the Australian banana industry are urging fans of the potassium-packed fruit to show their support for farmers doing their bit for the environment, and all we need to do is pick these eye-catching bananas. The red wax on the ends of these bananas signifies that they’re grown using Ecoganic farming methods, which avoids synthetic and organic fertilisers and is certified by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. Ecoganic farming explained This style of farming, conceptualised and perfected by Australian growers Frank and Diane Sciaccia, seeks to avoid the environmental impacts that traditional farming has. Since fertilisers can impact the health of soil, waterways, and wildlife, Mr Sciaccia was inspired to develop ways of farming that use products that have a minimal impact and allow the biodiversity and health of the soil to improve, with an overarching goal of having zero impact on nearby waterways. “We wanted to farm differently, with nature at the heart of what we do,” Mr Sciaccia said in a statement. “Nature keeps everything in balance, and understanding the natural capital you have available to you enables you to get rid of all the harmful chemicals. “The result is a farming method that is good for the environment and at the same time produces far superior bananas, just as nature intended." Certified growers are required to undertake fortnightly monitoring of biodiversity levels, as well as audits every six months and annual carbon testing. According to the Ecoganic <a href="http://www.eco-banana.com.au/ecoganic/wordpress/index.php/ecoganics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>, growers regularly supply soil samples that are “tested and verified by independent agencies” to verify that growers aren’t using synthetic or organic chemicals. As a result, the red-tipped bananas are guaranteed to be free of harmful pesticides and grown using environmentally-conscious methods. Image: Supplied

Domestic Travel

Farmer's moving tribute after missing family funeral

A farmer in New South Wales has honoured a late family member in a very unique way. Ben Jackson, from Guyra in northern NSW, was unable to attend his aunt's funeral in Queensland due to COVID-19 border closures and restrictions. So instead, he paid tribute to his aunt in a very special way, and captured it all on his drone camera. The farmer used his property to create a love heart shape out of grain, causing hundreds of sheep to get in the formation. He captioned the video saying, "I made this for my Aunty Deb. We said goodbye yesterday." “I hope you had a peep down and saw this from up there.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CS7nqwKhkFV/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CS7nqwKhkFV/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Benjamin Jackson (@electricpostman)</a> </div> </blockquote> Bridge over Troubled Water can be heard in the background of the video, with Ben saying it was one of his aunt's "favourite tunes". The impressive tribute was played at Deb's funeral in Brisbane in place of her nephew's unfortunate absence. The farmer said he had been feeling “hopeless” on his farm, while being unable to travel to support members of his family. <div class="caas-body"> “…I wanted to show my love somehow. I know there are lots of people in worse situations, but it's still painful,” he said. Ben has long been creating “sheep art” on his property, and said his aunt loved to visit and hear about his latest creations. “I just hope that when I did it, Debbie took one eye off from having a yarn with her loved ones up there and looked down and saw my heart for her.” Image credits: Instagram @electricpostman </div>

Family & Pets

“Vile”: Nickia blasts Farmer Will over pregnancy scandal

Farmer Wants A Wife drama is continuing to heat up, after contestant Nickia slammed reality star Will Dwyer for his insensitive statement surrounding pregnancy rumours. He has been embroiled in scandal for the last two weeks after another contestant, Hayley Love, revealed she and Dwyer had a short, tumultuous relationship after filming for the finale episode ended. The fling quickly came to an abrupt end after she told him she was pregnant. Dwyer had been at the receiving end of criticism, and his response to the allegations have left him in a less-than-favourable light with fans. Taking to Instagram to share a vintage photo of his own father, he wrote, “My family is my world, and my parents were the perfect role models. When the time comes, I will be the best Dad I can be. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSEJwV-HB5M/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSEJwV-HB5M/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Will Dwyer (@farmerwillau)</a> </div> </blockquote> “If this is in fact my child, I’ll be there whenever the child needs me. Even if as parents we can’t be a couple, our family will be filled with love for our child. “But one thing I learnt from my Father is that discretion is the better part of valour. I’m sad that this has played out in public. I want only the best for Hayley. “I’ll say what needs to be said in private and let my deeds do the talking.” Nickia, who is close friends with Hayley, 25, and is also a contestant on Farmer Wants A Wife, has berated Dwyer for his “vile” statement. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842856/will-dwyer-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/550d2b54f8bc4fe1848df4e23aecea4f" /> Nickia was a contestant on Farmer Wants A Wife. Image: Instagram @nickiacerneka She said in an Instagram story that the 39-year-old should have stepped up when Hayley first revealed she was pregnant. Nickia also accused him of “vile” private conversations with the pregnant contestant. Referencing Dwyer’s choice of words, Nickia responded, “When the time comes? The time came six months ago buddy when Hayley fell pregnant.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842857/will-dwyer-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/52036c8802834ccaaa17d5875db3b27b" /> Image: Instagram @nickiacerneka. On the show, Nickia was matched with Farmer Sam Messina, but they failed to find love. She added, “Majority of what Will has said ‘in private’ has been vile. And I know because I’ve read it.” Hayley went public last week about her pregnancy, stating the rumours that had circulated for weeks, made her feel like an “absolute wreck”. “I am speaking my truth before it gets misconstrued by the public and tabloids who don’t know the full story,” Hayley, who had been paired with farmer Matt Trewin for the show, explained. “This is my story to tell.” She also revealed that she would gladly raise the baby by herself. “I’ve tried to keep things amicable with (Will), to be clear on what his involvement with our child will be,” she said. “At the end of the day I have decided to keep the baby because I have enough love for this child with or without a biological father. I will be enough for him or her.” The Farmer Wants A Wife reunion special is set to air next Wednesday August 11 on Seven. All eyes will be watching Will, who during the finale, was loved-up with his original “pick”, Jaimee.

Will Dwyer speaks out about Farmer Wants a Wife pregnancy

A farmer from the hit show Farmer Wants a Wife has responded to major claims from contestant Hayley Love who alleged he is the father of her unborn child. The harsh criticisms clearly don’t seem to phase Will Dwyer, who paired with Jaimee on the show, but struck up a secret relationship with Hayley after filming ended. Will declined to comment on her public announcements, but took to Instagram to post a graphic that read: “A WOLF DOES NOT CONCERN HIMSELF WITH THE OPINIONS OF SHEEP”. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842749/will-dwyer-hayley-love-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c9a65a4a09bf4dd6b8017897dd53efc4" /> Will chose Jaimee on Farmer Wants a Wife. Image: Supplied Hayley was originally paired with Farmer Matt Trewin on the show, and came forward to allege she and Will connected after the finale episode in December, and before the reunion episode that was taped in January. Hayley alleges they split in April after she told Will she was pregnant. In a statement, she revealed she had “decided to keep the baby, because I have enough love for this child with or without a biological father. I will be enough for him or her.” In a follow-up statement posted to social media, Hayley admitted she had been “absolutely terrified” to come forward and share her story. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842750/will-dwyer-hayley-love-4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ac984a25d9264646bbd3a3f8ca94489c" /> Hayley at her first ultrasound. Image: Instagram After weeks of blind items about a “Farmer Wants a Wife pregnancy scandal”, the story hit FWAW fans like a bomb yesterday. “I started my relationship with Farmer Will in December, before the reunion episode was filmed a few weeks later in January,” Hayley wrote in her statement on Thursday. “He told me he wasn’t with Jaimee, and Jaimee was in contact with me before the reunion,” she added. “We’d started chatting online. (Then) I visited him at his house in Longwood and when our sexual relationship started, he told me he had feelings for me and I had feelings for him. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842748/will-dwyer-hayley-love-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/61fbd80a1e084d3e9534683d7a6483a4" /> “From there, I saw him as often as I could, staying at his house for a few days at a time.” It is understood Farmer Will and Jaimee will still appear together in the reunion episode. The reunion will air on Seven on August 11.

Farmer Wants a Wife contestant comes forward about bombshell pregnancy

A contestant from 2021’s season of Farmer Wants a Wife has revealed behind-the-scenes details about the bombshell pregnancy rumours surrounding the popular Channel 7 program. Hayley Love has alleged to News.com.au that she is indeed pregnant with Farmer Will Dwyer’s child. Hayley, 25, said she and 39-year-old sheep and cattle farmer Will struck up a relationship shortly after the show wrapped up filming its finale in December. The contestant appeared on the show as one of the pool contestants who was vying for Farmer Matt Trewin’s love. It is understood they ended their romance in April after Hayley told Will she was pregnant. Farmer Will chose contestant Jaimee as his final pick in the finale which aired last week. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842741/farmer-wants-a-wife-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/d4ac203ef7e34b459ef315bbeb7f4030" /> Will chose Jaimee. Image: Channel 7 Hayley had been sent home earlier in the week by Farmer Matt, who chose to stay with Tara. “I am 22 weeks pregnant with Farmer Will’s child,” Hayley wrote in the statement. “I started my relationship with Farmer Will in December, before the reunion episode was filmed a few weeks later in January. He told me he wasn’t with Jaimee and Jaimee was in contact with me before the reunion. “We’d started chatting online. (Then) I visited him at his house in Longwood and when our sexual relationship started. He told me he had feelings for me and I had feelings for him. From there, I saw him as often as I could, staying at his house for a few days at a time.” “I started my relationship with Farmer Will in December, before the reunion episode was filmed a few weeks later in January. He told me he wasn’t with Jaimee and Jaimee was in contact with me before the reunion. “We’d started chatting online. (Then) I visited him at his house in Longwood and when our sexual relationship started. He told me he had feelings for me and I had feelings for him. From there, I saw him as often as I could, staying at his house for a few days at a time.” Hayley went on to say she could not deny her feelings for Will and found it difficult to stay away from him. “You must remember we went on this television show to find love. I thought I could have that with him,” she wrote. Hayley claimed that another woman allegedly contacted her on Instagram to confess her feelings for Will. It was then, she says, she made the decision to end things. “On the 2nd April I left his house thinking, ‘I’m never coming back, I’m done.’ The next morning I found out I was 6 weeks pregnant. I was terrified to tell him,” Hayley wrote. She went on to say she was surprised by Will’s reaction to the pregnancy. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842742/farmer-wants-a-wife-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ff05a0a24e514e978364f41a4fa9b1bc" /> Image: Channel 7 “It was a very quick phone call where he said ‘Yeah well we kinda knew that you were pregnant’. I said ‘no worries, I just thought you should know’,” Hayley wrote. “I’ve tried to keep things amicable with him, to be clear on what his involvement with our child will be. I’ve asked him to do all the appointments and he did come to the ultrasound.” “At the end of the day I have decided to keep the baby because I have enough love for this child with or without a biological father. I will be enough for him or her.” Hayley has also revealed why she decided to come forward and share her story: “I am speaking my truth before it gets misconstrued by the public and tabloids who don’t know the full story.” “This is my story to tell.” Farmer Will had been posting about his reality TV experience on Instagram and tagging 32-year-old paediatric nurse Jaimee. Since the finale has aired, he hasn’t shared any more posts with Jaimee.

Relationships

Farmers fear mice plague could explode again

Farmers are terrified that the horrifying mice plague could occur across parts of NSW and Queensland this spring. NSW Farmers Vice President Zavier Martin has warned that despite the mice plague not hitting capital cities in Australia, it's still a massive problem for farmers. “If they explode like some are saying they will now, holy moly it’s going to be on for young and old and we’ll be talking some pretty serious numbers,” Mr Martin said. “They’re still all here and if they... start having 10 pups every 20 days, they’ll just wipe out crops come spring-time if we’re not prepared.” While the cold weather and baiting has given some farmers respite, Martin said that many mice have likely "dug deeper underground" to stay warm. Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall has warned that there could be a surge in mouse numbers and farmers will need the tools to combat them, which includes rebates of up to $10,000. He's also advocated for the use of bromadiolone in paddocks, despite environmental concerns it could lead to secondary poisoning of predatory birds, like owls, hawks and eagles that eat mice. “I won’t shy away from advocating for farmers to have all the tools they need and ask for to manage this mice plague, including the use of bromadiolone,” he told <a rel="noopener" href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/worrying-reason-mouse-plague-could-explode-again-095425430.html" target="_blank">Yahoo News Australia</a> in a statement. “There is no single solution which is why the NSW Government has provided primary producers with a multi-pronged approach to knockdown numbers.” The federal agricultural poisons regulator, the APVMA, rejected the emergency exemption of spraying paddocks with bromadiolone. Animal Control Technologies Australia (ACTA) has housed significant stores of bromadiolone, where the government sourced 2,000 litres from ACTA. ACTA owner Linton Staples said that he believes the government "went wrong" when they decided to advocate for broad-acre as it's "potentially environmentally dangerous". “Had they gone ahead on a massive scale with thousands of litres of chemical, then that amount of bait would have probably caused environmental problems to my judgement, if it hadn't been controlled wisely,” Mr Staples told Yahoo News Australia. “But I know the people who are involved at the government level, and they're pretty solid citizens, and they were going to be very cognisant of those risks and how we were going to monitor for them.” “You can always pull back if things start to go wrong, and you start to seeing birds dying or other animals being affected.” While he believes controlled use in paddocks could have worked, words like "napalming" were "inappropriate" when discussing how to use the poison scientifically. “It caused the welfare people to start to become involved in things and in some ways rightly so,” he said. "It was just a poorly chosen description of a chemical control method unfortunately.”

Domestic Travel

Don’t kill the mice: PETA cause backlash among Aussie farmers

An animal rights organisation has been called out for demanding farmers stop killing the mice running rampant on their properties in regional Australia. Millions of rodents have been destroying crops and stored hay and grain across large parts of inland NSW and southern Queensland over the last six months, despite floods and tonnes of poisons being deployed to reduce numbers. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Even if grain’s in silos, mice can get to it. Like Tyler Jones discovered in Tullamore when cleaning out the auger and it started raining mice <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mouseplague?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#mouseplague</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mice?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#mice</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/australia?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#australia</a> <a href="https://t.co/mWOHNWAMPv">pic.twitter.com/mWOHNWAMPv</a> — Lucy Thackray (@LucyThack) <a href="https://twitter.com/LucyThack/status/1392315030012522497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2021</a></blockquote> A spokesperson for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) pleaded with farmers this week to not kill the animals, arguing that exterminating them promoted the “dangerous notion of human supremacy”. “These bright, curious animals are just looking for food to survive,” PETA Media Officer Aleesha Naxakis told NCA NewsWire. “They shouldn’t be robbed of that right because of the dangerous notion of human supremacy.” Instead of using “cruel killing methods” that subject “innocent mice to unbearably painful deaths”, Naxakis said farmers should employ humane methods to control the outbreak. “We urge farmers to avoid poisoning these animals,” she said. “This cruel killing method not only subjects innocent mice to unbearably painful deaths, but also poses the risk of spreading bacteria in water when mouse carcasses appear in water tanks. “Instead, humane traps allow small animals to be caught gently and released unharmed,” she added. Naxakis’ comments have drawn fierce backlash from farmers and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, who said PETA were “idiots who have never been outside the city.” “The real rats in this whole plague are the people who come out with bloody stupid ideas like this,” he said, according to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/science/animals/mouse-plague-crisis-peta-cops-backlash-for-telling-farmers-not-to-kill-the-rodents/news-story/f107ba8f8fb80372a4cc9b1e23a164ee">news.com.au</a>. “Their thinking around this is reprehensible, when you have farmers struggling,” he continued. “You have these people who have never left the city and wouldn’t know if their backside was on fire, then all of a sudden they’re telling farmers what to do? “The only good mouse is a dead mouse.” NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro also said the comments from PETA’s spokeswoman were “ridiculous” and an “insult” to farmers currently struggling. “I would laugh if it wasn’t so serious,” Mr Barilaro said. “I will not entertain PETA’s ridiculous concerns. Mice are pests. They are destroying crops and farming businesses, and the mental angst they are causing familiers is real.” Ben Storer, a farmer in north-west NSW, has lost 800 hectares of his sorghum crop and been left with upwards of $200,000 in damage caused by the pests. “Every morning you get up and pull 400 dead mice out of your pool and out of your filters, and you know, that sort of thing takes a bit of a toll on you,” he told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/may/15/australias-mouse-plague-six-months-ago-it-was-war-now-whole-towns-have-accepted-their-presence">The Guardian</a>. Baiting is the only large-scale method of controlling mice populations, but farmers still feel for the creatures. Farmer Graham Jones said: “People think farmers don’t have a heart, but they love their animals. I’m sure everyone wants to be killing the mice in a human way.” Image credit: 9NEWS

News

Farmer rescues “five little baby girls” found crying, abandoned

A Texan farmer made a shocking discovery on his ranch near the southern border with Mexico. Five abandoned girls from Honduras and Guatemala were reportedly found on Sunday, May 9 (local time) by farmer Jimmy Hobbs while he was “doing the rounds of his property”, according to local congressman Tony Gonzales. “While we thank God they were found alive, these tragic scenes are happening more and more,” he tweeted. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Take a good hard look at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BidenBorderCrisis?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BidenBorderCrisis</a> These young girls were found outside a ranch near Quemado, Texas in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TX23?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TX23</a>. The Del Rio Sector border patrol tell me they are uninjured, healthy, and in good spirits. 🙏 <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> enough is enough let’s work together solve this crisis. <a href="https://t.co/mt5P7ysN9g">pic.twitter.com/mt5P7ysN9g</a> — Tony Gonzales (@TonyGonzales4TX) <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyGonzales4TX/status/1391529589256695810?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2021</a></blockquote> In a video posted on social media, Mr Hobbs described the moment he found the girls. “About 8.30 in the morning, just driving along and then all of a sudden I see them, laying there, right beside the bank of the river,” he said. “Five little baby girls, all by themselves - hungry, crying, one didn’t have any clothes on. One wasn’t even old enough to walk.” Three of the girls are reportedly from Honduras, aged seven, three, and two, while the other two, aged five and 11-months-old, are from Guatemala. Mr Hobbs said he called Border Patrol and gave the girls something to eat and drink. “I don’t think they would have made it if I hadn’t found them,” he told congressman Gonzales. Unaccompanied children are often sent across the border with the hope they can stay in the US following Biden’s winding back of some of the harsher border policies of the Trump administration. Unaccompanied children have been exempted from expulsion under President Biden, allowing them to stay in America while pursuing asylum claims. The number of unaccompanied children encountered on the US-Mexico border has also been reduced from an all-time high in March, according to authorities, with more adults found coming without families. Image credit: Tony Gonzales / Twitter

News

Farmer’s mistake alters the French border

Along the border between Belgium and France, the boundary between the two countries is usually marked by a series of stone markers. But, when local enthusiast David Lavaux was walking through the forest, he noticed one of the stone markers had moved 2.29m. The Belgian farmer behind it was apparently annoyed by the stone being in his tractor’s path and moved it to be inside French territory instead. The incident that could have caused international uproar has instead been met with smiles on both sides of the border. “He made Belgium bigger and France smaller, it’s not a good idea,” Mr Lavaux, who is also the mayor of the Belgian village of Erquelinnes, told French TV channel TF1. “I was happy, my town was bigger,” the Belgian mayor said with a laugh. “But the mayor of Bousignies-sur-Roc didn’t agree.” Aurélie Welonek, mayor of neighbouring Bousignies-sur-Roc, said with amusement to La Voix du Nord, “We should be able to avoid a new border war”. The farmer will be asked to return the stone to its original location by local Belgian authorities. But if he refuses to comply, the case could end up involving the Belgian foreign ministry, which would have to summon a Franco-Belgian border commission which has been dormant since 1930. Mr Lavaux also noted non-compliance could see the farmer facing criminal charges. “If he shows good will, he won’t have a problem, we will settle this issue amicably,” he told Belgian news website Sudinfo. Image Credit: David Lavaux

International Travel

Man sent to prison for defrauding desperate farmers

In the midst of the crippling drought affecting many parts of the nation, scammers have been preying on the vulnerability of who are desperate to feed their livestock. And recently, a man from Parkes was sent to prison for his unscrupulous act of <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/criminal/offences/fraud-charges/fraud-s192e/">dishonestly obtaining a financial gain by deception.</a> The story so far Stephen John Swindle (his real name) from Parkes had a business masquerading the sale of hay and grain to farmers, but simply did not deliver it after receiving payment. Mr Swindle was imprisoned last week for defrauding New South Wales farmers of more than $80,000 in a scam that lasted more than two years, after being found guilty of 10 counts of <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/criminal/legislation/crimes-act/fraud/">fraud under section 192E of the Crimes Act 1900</a>. During Mr Swindle’s sentencing hearing, the presiding magistrate described his actions as reprehensible, in light of the tough drought affecting our farmers, and labelled the defendant as “lying, dishonest and violent”. According to police papers, several vulnerable farmers purchased food for their livestock through Mr Swindle’s business. Some of the orders were partially delivered, while others were not delivered at all. Mr Swindle lied to his customers about the whereabouts of the delivery trucks, and spent his ill-gotten gains on trips to theme parks, accommodation on the NSW South Coast, sports betting, groceries and liquor. Mr Swindle has been sentenced to a total of three years and six months behind bars and will be eligible for parole in November 2020. Not the first case Earlier this year, a Villawood man was also charged 13 fraud charges arising from a social media scam which allegedly advertised feed for livestock, which according to police was never delivered. The man allegedly targeted farmers in the Hunter Valley region, fleecing them to the tune of $40,000. Police say that, unfortunately, fraudulent schemes of this type are on the rise, and everyone needs to be vigilant. The offence of fraud in NSW Fraud is a general term used to describe a dishonest act which deceives another for financial gain, or another’s financial loss. The general offence of fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison where the charge comes before the District Court, or two years for each count up to a maximum of five years where the case remains in the Local Court. The severity of the sentence for a person who is found guilty, or pleads guilty, depends on a number of factors, including the value of the funds or property involved, the length of time it was conducted, the sophistication of the enterprise as well as the personal characteristics of the defendant, including whether he or she has previous convictions, whether a guilty plea was entered, whether the money was repaid, whether any underlying issues have been addressed (such as gambling or drug addiction) and any demonstrated remorse. Section 192E of the Crimes Act provides that: (1) A person who, by any deception, dishonestly– (a) obtains property belonging to another, or (b) obtains any financial advantage or causes any financial disadvantage, is guilty of the offence of fraud. Maximum penalty–Imprisonment for 10 years. (2) A person’s obtaining of property belonging to another may be dishonest even if the person is willing to pay for the property. (3) A person may be convicted of the offence of fraud involving all or any part of a general deficiency in money or other property even though the deficiency is made up of any number of particular sums of money or items of other property that were obtained over a period of time. (4) A conviction for the offence of fraud is an alternative verdict to a charge for the offence of <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/criminal/offences/larceny-stealing-theft/">larceny</a>, or any offence that includes larceny, and a conviction for the offence of larceny, or any offence that includes larceny, is an alternative verdict to a charge for the offence of fraud. Written by Sonia Hickey and Ugur Nedim. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/man-sent-to-prison-for-defrauding-desperate-farmers/">Sydney Criminal Lawyers.</a>

Legal

URGENT RECALL: Officials are begging customers to BIN popular dairy product

Dairy Farmers are urging customers who purchased their 1 and 3 litre milk to throw it away due to potential E. coli contamination. The popular dairy products are being pulled off shelves as the announcement comes and Lion Dairy and Drink, who own and operate the Dairy Farmers brand, issued a recalls for both products which have been sold in NSW. The affected milk products include: - Dairy Farmers 3L Full Cream White Milk with a use by date of 24/02/2020 - Dairy Farmers 1L Full Cream White Milk with a use by date of 25/02/2020 Consumers who have products with the matching use by dates are being urged to throw them out. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7834558/logo-iga-woolworths-coles-5.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/435426a6a4fb42579a3b48ad99ca5b51" /> The impacted milk produce were manufactured at Lion's Penrith dairy plant, and were distributed for sale through Coles, Woolworths and IGA stores. "There have been no consumer complaints to date regarding these products," Lion Dairy and Drinks said in a statement. "We encourage anyone who has consumed the Dairy Farmers 3L or 1L Full Cream white milk product with the respective Use By Dates and made and sold in New South Wales and who feels unwell to seek medical advice as required." The company said they had not received any customer complaints but denied to comment on how the issue arose. Lion Dairy and Drinks will issue a full refund for consumers who have purchased the affected products. Concerned consumer are being urged to call Lion Dairy and Drinks Customer Enquiries Centre on 1800 677 852.

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