Daily Ag News – 16 April 2026

Dairy:

Mounting Input Costs and Supermarket Pricing Squeeze - Dairy farmers are intensifying their push for supermarkets to absorb the mounting costs of farmgate production and processing. Rising expenses across energy, labour, and logistics have placed significant financial pressure on the dairy supply chain, prompting stark warnings from producers that current retail pricing structures are unsustainable and could threaten domestic supply stability if margins are not adjusted.

Source:ABC Rural

Regional Workshops Launched to Tackle Fuel and Fertiliser Crisis - With farmgate margins being squeezed by volatile input costs, Dairy Australia has rolled out a series of targeted regional workshops aimed at helping producers navigate the current fuel and fertiliser supply crisis. The "Preparing for Tight Times" and "Cash, Cost and Margins" events are designed to bring farmers together to share management approaches and real-world strategies. The initiative underscores the severe pressure these specific operational constraints are placing on dairy profitability ahead of winter.

Source:Dairy Australia

Employment & Workforce:

National Agricultural Workforce Declines by 7,900 - Recent labour data updates reveal that employment in Australia’s Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing sector has fallen by 7,900 workers (a 2.6% drop) over the past year. With the industry now employing roughly 258,900 people, which represents 2% of the Australian labour market.

Source:Jobs and Skills Australia

Cropping:

CSBP Walks Back Flexi-N Force Majeure Declaration in WA - Western Australian grain growers have received a slight reprieve as fertiliser supplier CSBP reversed its force majeure declaration regarding liquid nitrogen (Flexi-N) contracts. Driven by supply chain disruptions, the initial declaration had caused widespread concern ahead of winter seeding. CSBP has confirmed it will now honour existing contracts by substituting alternative nitrogen products to ensure growers have the inputs they need, though industry representatives from WAFarmers warn the company may still face reputational fallout for the initial market shock.

Source:Grain Central

CSIRO Warns of Extreme Nitrogen Fertiliser Vulnerability - New research published by the CSIRO highlights Australia's alarming 100% dependency on imported synthetic nitrogen fertilisers, warning that global supply chain disruptions pose a severe threat to national food security. The report notes that over 56% of Australia's nitrogen imports now originate from the Middle East. With global shipping lanes increasingly volatile, CSIRO scientists are urgently calling for the accelerated development of more efficient on-farm nitrogen applications and the revitalisation of domestic manufacturing capabilities to shield growers from international price shocks.

Source:CSIRO

Beef:

Aussie Beef Targets Southeast Asia Through ASEAN Football - Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has brokered a major new partnership with the ASEAN Football Federation to aggressively market Australian beef across Southeast Asia. The deal integrates the "Aussie Beef" brand into four major football tournaments under the ASEAN United FC banner, granting access to a massive and highly engaged regional audience. This strategic marketing push is designed to solidify Australia's position as a premium protein supplier to the region’s rapidly expanding middle class following record export values.

Source:MLA

Weather:

Dry Northern NSW Forecast Threatens Winter Plantings - A persistent lack of autumn rainfall across northern New South Wales is casting a shadow over the upcoming winter cropping season, with agronomists predicting a substantial increase in fallow paddocks if conditions do not improve immediately. While southern growing regions have enjoyed a full moisture profile, northern growers are being forced to carefully weigh the high financial risks of sowing expensive seed and fertiliser into dry dirt, likely resulting in a highly conservative planting program across the region.

Source:Grain Central

Sheep:

Western Victorian Sheep Producer Named State Ag Minister - Victorian farmers are welcoming the appointment of a primary producer to a key government portfolio, with western Victorian sheep farmer Michaela Settle taking on the role of Minister for Agriculture and Regional Development. Settle, who has operated her family's sheep farm in Ararat for more than a decade, steps into the role following a State Cabinet reshuffle. The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has publicly backed the appointment, expressing optimism that having a minister with hands-on farming experience will lead to more pragmatic agricultural policy.

Source:Sheep Central