Agribusiness buzz in brief: Chicken market review, Domino's, StockCo, Rex

Poultry industry participants will be urged to have their say after an information paper is released in the near future.

The Australian Bureau of Agricultural Resource Economics and Sciences will examine the relationship between growers and integrated producers and look at potential actions which might be introduced, if needed.

The review will also consider information contained in recent inquiries into the industry and examine the industry's evolution over time.

ABARES will conduct stakeholder engagement meetings across all major parts of the chicken meat sector before releasing a draft report by mid-year.

The federal budget papers revealed the government is looking at potentially nationalising country airline, Regional Express, to ensure it keeps flying to remote airports.

Canberra has already paid $80 million to keep the beleaguered carrier operating, having also bought $50m of its debt from previous financial backer, PAG, giving the government the final say if the airline's administration period and private sale efforts end without an appropriate buyer.

This week's budget papers noted if no sale occurred the federal government was working on contingency options, including preparations necessary for a potential acquisition of Rex, in consultation with relevant states.

The Transport Workers Union welcomed the news saying regional communities and aviation workers desperately needed a strong commitment to Rex's future if the market failed to deliver.

Rooftop solar uptake boomed last year, with more than 300,000 Australian homes, sheds and business premises installing solar panels in a fifth consecutive year of growth.

Rooftop solar generated 30,178 gigawatt hours of electricity in 2024, or 12.4 per cent of Australia's total supply.

That was up from 11.2pc in 2023, and almost doubled 2020's 6.5pc contribution..

According to the Clean Energy Council's latest report on solar power generation and energy storage, household battery installations increased, but only 28.4 per cent of solar-powered buildings had a home battery.

With two thirds of those with panel owners missing out an opportunity to almost double their savings the Clean Energy Council has reignited its call for a national home battery rebate incentive of up to $6500 per household.

NSW leads the way with the most home battery sales (14,686 installations), followed by Victoria (10,996) and Queensland (8,555).

The Australian Forest Products Association has launched a quirky video message pitched at getting the attention of voters and politicians prior to the federal election.

"Try living without Aussie timber and paper" is the theme of the AFPA campaign, which also involves billboards in key forestry battleground electorates and a forestfacts.com.au website demonstrating the importance of sustainable everyday essentials created by the timber industry.

"The video is to counter disinformation being spread about the forestry sector," said AFPA chief executive officer, Diana Hallam.

AFPA staff were roped in as acting talent in each short scene where the underlying message is a serious reminder about what life could be like without forestry-based products.

"Whether it's timber to build your house, cardboard boxes, furniture or even toilet paper, there is so much our sector is responsible for that we literally cannot live without," Ms Hallam said.

She has welcomed the federal government's additional $20 million in funding to support the Buy Australian campaign, although she said to really support local products, Australia needed country of origin labelling so consumers could readily choose locally grown timber and wood fibre.

Short-term finance provider, StockCo, has teamed up with online selling service, AuctionsPlus, to develop a digital livestock finance partnership.

StockCo finance will be directly available through the AuctionsPlus livestock sales platform.

StockCo, owned by New Zealand's Heartland Bank group, will make loans tailored to the unique needs of buyers available directly through AuctionsPlus transactions.

Heartland's chief commercial officer, Medina Cicak, said embedding the simple finance application process into AuctionsPlus allowed agents and producers to take advantage of market opportunities, make faster decisions and speed up purchase and invoicing processes.

AuctionsPlus is jointly owned by Elders and Nutrien Ag Solutions.

Riverina-based winemaker, Casella Family Brands, is cashing in on a US pizza market opportunity, having released a red wine blend to complement a Domino's pizza.

Casella's big-selling signature export to the US, the Yellow Tail brand, has produced a limited edition 1.5-litre bottle of easy drinking "fruit-forward flavoured" red wine specifically to pair with pizzas.

Drinkers make an order via a QR code on the bottle cap, although the pizza's cost is not included in the wine purchase.

Domino's launched the promotion last month urging Yellow Tail buyers to tap the QR code on their phone and order online via the fast food company's app.

The marketing partnership follows Pizza Hut getting into the wine-pizza pairing theme in the US late last year with an interesting basil-infused wine made from fermented tomatoes.

Independent research firm, Phillips Group, is researching farm management planning in Queensland and wants to hear from primary producers.

Farmers in the state can earn $200 by chatting with the researchers on the phone or via video call for 60-90 minutes to share their ideas on the advantages, barriers, and areas for improvement in creating farm management plans.

Phillips Group has already spoken with around 20 primary producers for the project and is looking for more farmers to interview.

The research, including with people who have and have not created farm management plans, will help shape government support for farmers.

Large-scale fresh fruit and vegetable grower and marketer, Costa Group, and the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation have teamed up in a new three-year partnership to promote fresh food experiences at schools and early childhood services.

The partnership is on a mission to bring the globally celebrated Kitchen Garden Program to more communities, giving children the opportunity to learn and thrive through hands-on involvement with fresh, sustainable food.

In regions where Costa has farms, 30 schools will specifically receive a grant to become members of the Kitchen Garden Program.

Costa's commitment to the partnership also helps the foundation support 1000 schools already participating in the program.

"In a country like Australia, which produces so much fresh and healthy food, the rate of chronic and preventable diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and obesity amongst all ages, is sadly far too high," said Costa Group chief executive officer, Marc Werner.

"We know that an effective way to change this is through educating children about the benefits of eating a balanced and nutritional diet, including regular servings of fresh fruit and vegetables."

A new training program launched by Hort Frontiers will mentor farmers with good innovation ideas to turn them into real solutions for the horticulture sector.

Australian-Grown Innovation, developed in partnership with Startupbootcamp and Cluster Connect, is designed to help tackle the most pressing challenges in the industry during the next five years.

The Hort Innovation program will accelerate grower-led innovation through three stages of mentorship, aiming to turn ideas into commercially viable products

and services, including climate resilience strategies, value-added product innovation, technology-driven solutions harnessing artificial intelligence, and supply chain improvements to increase productivity.

Hort Innovation said growers on the frontline of horticulture were the country's most innovative entrepreneurs, and understood better than anyone what problems needed solving.

Asset investment group, Merricks Capital, has won an international award for its innovative agricultural lending.

Merricks won the Private Lender of the Year category in the Agri Investor Global Awards, recognising its private debt lender services in agricultural farmland credit in Australia and New Zealand.

In the past seven years Merricks has invested $1.4 billion in the sector in senior secured loans supporting farmland acquisitions, horticultural development, land-use conversion and downstream processing through its Merricks Capital Agriculture Credit Fund and the Merricks Capital Partners Fund.

The Agriculture Credit Fund has returned 10.1 per cent since it was launched in 2021 (net of fees and costs).

The awards, covering a number of categories and regions, are voted for by the industry, recognising managers, investors, deals and innovators in the agriculture sector.

Grain Trade Australia is running export workshops in April and a two-day export execution and risk management event in Melbourne on May 13 and 14.

Australia sells grain to 90-plus countries, each with its own quarantine requirements, making the process of exporting grain complex and risky.

The Melbourne program, designed by GTA, will offer expert insights into navigating grain contracts, logistics, dispute resolution, and compliance with government regulations.

Early bird booking rates at $1450 expire on May 1.

Virtual attendance is available for those unable to attend in person.

GTA is also running virtual workshops on understanding grain markets and trade rules and contracts on April 2 and 10, respectively.