Agricultural Workers

In an interview with Stateline WA, Agriculture Minister Murray Watt insists the federal government's $107 million transition package is "significant", but says discussions will continue with the state government to determine what is needed. 

A photography projects offers new insight into the lives of seasonal fruit pickers, including the lighter parts of a job known for its tough working conditions.

Timor-Leste national Nina Goncalve is happy with her job picking strawberries, but visas are a challenge. A new employment initiative for migrant workers might be just what she and this WA community need.

Farmers and backpackers agree that the axed go-to harvest trail farm labour program could increase costs, threaten harvest, and exploit vulnerable workers.

Once a rare sight in a shearing shed, women are now working alongside men in one of the toughest jobs in the country. Here's why that's very good news for the industry. 

Growers will now be able to offer PALM workers 120 hours of labour averaged over four weeks rather than having to guarantee them 30 hours of employment per week.

The growth of the industry isn't just changing diets, it's also re-shaping the way our dry continent farms.

When urban Mancunian Sarah Moore and her wife Emily decided to give dairy farming a go in South Australia they found a reason to get up in the morning and doing a good day's work was a fine reason to stay.

Fijian nationals working in Australian service stations say it's a "blessing" as the hospitality and retail sectors are next in line to recruit staff from the Pacific Nations.

Fijian nationals working in Australian service stations say it's a "blessing" as the hospitality and retail sectors are next in line to recruit staff from Pacific nations.

Australia's milk supply is the lowest it's been in 30 years and cheap imported dairy products are on the rise with farmers warning the high prices aren't sustainable.

She might be the world's most expensive working border collie, but Queen Lizzie is a low-maintenance pup. Pats and treats will keep her happy after a hard day at work.

The owner of a house where 40 workers from Vanuatu were living dismisses concerns of fire risk at the property, where Tasmanian authorities found 56 beds and conditions described as "poor and unsafe".

In Western Australia, some businesses are tapping into a supply of highly trained ex-prisoners to fill open positions in vineyards.

On the back of the success of ABC TV series Muster Dogs, farmers across the country are increasingly turning to working dogs to get the job done on their properties.

The popularity of working dogs like border collies and kelpies is rising. Highly trained dogs are filling the workforce shortage gaps for farmers, but the price tag for a worker this efficient is high.

Demand for Pacific Island seasonal workers is falling after a post-COVID boom in numbers, and some say one reason is changes requiring labourers receive at least 30 hours of work each week.

Pacific Island nations are looking abroad for workers, and taking control of labour mobility schemes at home, as they look to address labour shortages hitting employers. But experts say it's too early to say whether they're succeeding.

While shoppers battle with the cost of food at the check-out, farmers around the world are expected to sow fewer crops this year, as the cost of growing some produce is higher than its potential value. 

A sharp tongue and a quick wit saw Sarah Marsden climb the corporate ladder at speed until a gap year on an outback station convinced her to cast aside life in the big city. 

Despite long-running local opposition, and an initial rejection by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, a major aquaculture farm on a prime patch of Victorian coast is set to proceed to the detailed design phase. 

Safety remains a huge issue on the state's farms where a number of people have died this year, including a young man killed in a cattle truck incident last month.

Sabrina Hahn was surprised by the quality and quantity of work being done at a farm in WA's Great Southern region that supplies meat, vegetables, fish and fruit to major metropolitan prisons.

Roots and Shoots host Sabrina Hahn is urging farmers and gardeners to give former prisoners with these skills a second chance in life.

Farmer-turned-filmmaker Leila McDougall, joined us to share how her personal experience shaped the film which aims to shine a light on Australia's farming community.