Grain Producers Australia (GPA) welcomes the Albanese Government’s priority pathway for urgent Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa cases, and is urging grain producers who need workers for harvest to use it straight away. Under the arrangement, urgent farm worker cases are put forward through state farming organisations and the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF), with submissions made to the Department of Home Affairs by 3pm each working day. “This is a solution and we thank the

Grain Producers Australia (GPA) is surveying grain growers ahead of upcoming safe work exposure limits changes for grain dust, that will commence during harvest. From 1 December 2026, the Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL) for grain dust is being significantly decreased from an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) from 4.0 mg/m³ to 1.5 mg/m³. Through an online survey, GPA is seeking to better understand the impact of this to growers amid concern that they will find it difficult to

Grain Producers Australia (GPA) and Operation Grain Harvest Assist (OGHA) are again placing former Australian Defence Force members into grain harvest jobs - and building a permanent pipeline of skilled Australian workers for agriculture. The partnership connects former members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with grain producers, offering an Australian answer to the workforce shortages confronting growers as the 2026 harvest begins. With headers rolling in northern cr

Grain Producers Australia (GPA) welcomes the announcement by the Federal Government today to prioritise migration for key sectors including agriculture, although it is cautious about the broader impact on the upcoming harvest. During his presentation to the National Press Club today in relation to the Government's overhaul of the migration system, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed that he will update a ministerial direction to prioritise migrants who have skills Aust

Grain Producers Australia (GPA) questions the Senate’s decision to launch an inquiry into the continued use and regulation of paraquat less than three months after the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) completed its extensive scientific review of the chemical. GPA Research, Development and Extension spokesperson Andrew Weidemann said the grains industry did not agree with every restriction imposed through the final decision, but respected the AP

Grain producers are invited to join an online question and answer session examining global grain markets, price movements and the factors to consider when making grain marketing decisions. GPA Deputy Chair and South Australian grain producer Mark Schilling will be joined by Andrew Whitelaw from Episode 3 for a practical discussion about what is happening across international markets and what it could mean for Australian growers. The session will look at the global factors inf

Australian cricketing great Brad Hogg will be at the Dowerin Machinery Field Days this week, taking Grain Producers Australia’s (GPA) Farmer Mates Mental Health Initiative to growers across the Western Australian Wheatbelt. Mr Hogg, the initiative’s National Ambassador, will be joined on 26 August by GPA Western Region Director and WA grain producer Barry Large, catching up with growers, families and others from across the supply chain and encouraging people to check in with

This National Biosecurity Week, Grain Producers Australia (GPA) is reminding Australians that protecting the nation’s $26 billion grains industry starts with simple decisions, including staying out of picturesque canola crops flowering across the country. National Biosecurity Week, held from 24 to 30 August, highlights the role everyone plays in preventing, preparing for and responding to biosecurity threats. GPA Chair and Moree grain producer Matthew Madden said biosecurity

Grain Producers Australia is urging growers across South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria to remain alert as the risk of locust plague activity increases heading into spring. Locust populations increased substantially across inland eastern Australia during autumn following heavy rainfall, good soil moisture and favourable breeding conditions. The Australian Plague Locust Commission has identified a moderate to high likelihood of a widespread infestation developing in s

Growers experiencing significant mouse pressure can now submit paddock-level evidence to have their agroecological zone’s (AEZ) mouse activity rating reviewed as part of the process that determines access to ZP50 mouse bait. The rapid in-paddock assessment pathway will ensure evolving mouse activity is found quickly and if moderate or above levels are confirmed, ZP50 use will be permitted under the emergency permit held by Grain Producers Australia. Development of this report

Grain Producers Australia (GPA) welcomes the Victorian Government decision today proposing a significant delay in workplace changes to phosphine fumigant use. WorkSafe Victoria announced today a proposal to delay the commencement of new Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs) for 15 airborne contaminants, including phosphine, until 1 December 2029. It is hoped that this is the first sensible announcement of many from state regulators who will be charged with enforcing new standard

Grain Producers Australia (GPA) has elected Northern Region Director Matthew Madden as its new Chair following the organisation’s Annual General Meeting today. Mr Madden, a New South Wales grain producer from Moree who has served as GPA Deputy Chair since 2023, succeeds Barry Large, who steps down after five years as Chair and sixteen years of service on the GPA Board, including as one of the organisation’s founding directors. Southern Region Director Mark Schilling has bee

Syngenta’s withdrawal from the Australian paraquat market has exposed the vulnerability of local growers when global commercial decisions reduce access to essential crop protection products. Grain Producers Australia (GPA) Research, Development and Extension Spokesperson Andrew Weidemann the decision is particularly concerning because Syngenta is the original paraquat registrant and has been a long-term foundation of the Australian market. Syngenta's announcement today closel

Australian grain producers will retain access to paraquat and diquat following the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority's (APVMA) final review decision, delivering a positive outcome for the grains industry and a victory for science-based regulation and due process. Grain Producers Australia (GPA) has welcomed the outcome of the review, which confirms paraquat and diquat will remain available for use in Australian broadacre farming systems subject to revis

The objectives of GPA are to establish a strong independent national advocate for grain producers based on a rigorous and transparent policy development process; engage all sectors of the Australian grains industry to ensure operation of the most efficient and profitable grain supply chain; and facilitate a strategic approach to Research, Development and Extension (RDE) intended to deliver sound commercial outcomes from industry research. The terms of three current directors

Three Western Australian agroecological zones (AEZ) are no longer eligible for access to ZP50 under the current emergency permit after a decline in mouse activity levels identified through the national mouse monitoring network. The latest monitoring results have also seen one South Australian AEZ move from a high to moderate mouse activity, which still allows for ZP50 purchase and use in this area. Grain Producers Australia (GPA) is reminding growers that eligibility to

Grain Producers Australia acknowledges community discussion regarding paraquat and concerns that have been raised about potential links between paraquat exposure and Parkinson’s disease. The health and safety of grain producers, agricultural workers and regional communities is critically important to the Australian grains industry. Grain Producers Australia supports decisions on agricultural chemical use being based on rigorous scientific assessment and Australia's establishe

Grain Producers Australia (GPA) has secured a national ZP50 emergency permit allowing grain producers to access stronger mouse bait as significant mouse numbers plague several states. Australian grain producers have been desperately calling for permits to access stronger mouse bait to tackle the growing problem, with the standard available bait proving inadequate. Today the regulator - the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) - has approved GPA’s

Grain Producers Australia (GPA) expects an outcome later this week as work continues on an emergency permit for ZP50 mousebait access. GPA is in regular contact with the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to meet requirements for the permit, with the support of the CSIRO and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). GPA Research, Development and Extension Spokesperson Andrew Weidemann said significant work had been undertaken across industr