Ag Newsletter - 30 June 2026
Dairy Exports:
New EU Rules Mandate Tighter Antimicrobial Records - From September 2026, new European Union regulations will require Australian dairy farmers to tighten controls and record-keeping around antimicrobial use to maintain export market access. While antibiotics remain permitted for disease treatment and prevention, they can no longer be used for growth promotion or production enhancement. This restriction includes common feed additives such as Monensin and Lasalocid. To protect Australia’s $29 million EU dairy export trade, producers must now meticulously record the specific therapeutic reason (e.g., preventing bloat, treating coccidiosis) for every antimicrobial application, as on-farm records will be subject to ongoing EU export audits. Source: Dairy Australia
Red Meat Trade:
Brazil Challenges Australia’s Market Share in Indonesia - Brazil has rapidly become Indonesia's second-largest source of beef offal, posing a direct competitive threat to one of Australia's most critical secondary beef markets. According to recent trade data, Brazil exported 12,000 tonnes of beef offal to Indonesia between January and May 2026, coming dangerously close to matching Australia’s 13,688 tonnes over the same period. With Australian shipments to Indonesia dropping 27 percent year-on-year, market analysts warn that Brazil's expanded 75,000-tonne import quota will continue to heavily pressure Australian carcass values. Source: Beef Central
Biosecurity:
Raw Peanut Imports Raise Alarms Over Germination and Disease Risks - Queensland peanut growers and federal representatives are calling for an urgent biosecurity investigation following discoveries that imported peanuts—purportedly sold as "roasted"—were actually capable of germinating. Federal Member for Maranoa David Littleproud has urged the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) to immediately recall and destroy the products, citing a severe biosecurity breach. The raw imports threaten Australia's 12,000-tonne domestic industry by posing a direct risk of introducing exotic diseases and highly toxic aflatoxins. DAFF has confirmed it is currently investigating the non-compliance reports. Source: Grain Central
Cropping:
New Digital Tool Released to Combat Septoria Tritici Blotch - As early-sown wheat crops advance through winter, a new digital decision-support application has been launched to help broadacre growers manage Septoria tritici blotch (STB). The foliar disease is increasingly prevalent across the high- to medium-rainfall zones of New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, and can cause yield losses of up to 50 percent if left uncontrolled. The new predictive app assists agronomists and growers in optimising fungicide application timing, protecting both yield potential and grain quality from late-season delivery downgrades. Source: Grain Central
NSW Budget:
Budget "Falls Short" of Transformational Ag Investment - NSW Farmers has expressed deep disappointment in the 2026-27 NSW State Budget, stating it fails to back the sector’s goal of reaching a $30 billion industry by 2030. President Xavier Martin labeled the budget a "recycled response" that ignores fully-costed industry proposals for R&D, land tax reform, and biosecurity. Ahead of the next state election, the association will aggressively seek binding, funded commitments from all political parties. Source: NSW Farmers
