Do you really know where the flowers you buy come from? You might be shocked
A bouquet of flowers is the go-to gift for many special occasions but the world is paying a high price for transporting our out-of-season blooms. ⌘ Read more

Once destined for the tip, these low-grade blueberries are being turned into wine
A food recycling charity has taken blueberries destined for the tip to create a zero-alcohol wine alternative, which is now being served in restaurants and ultimately helping feed more people. ⌘ Read more

Exotic tomato virus detected for first time in Australia
The disease that affects the production of tomato, capsicum and chilli crops has been detected in the major vegetable growing area of the northern Adelaide Plains. ⌘ Read more

Inside the push to boost homegrown coffee in Australia
The Australian coffee industry is aiming to get bigger and better. Whether it can or not hinges on access to prime real estate and importing smaller coffee trees. ⌘ Read more

Why your strawberries are unexpectedly rotting in your fridge
Finding spoiled fruit in your fridge is frustrating but research is underway to make strawberries last longer. ⌘ Read more

Olive trees bring new hope to wine grape growers facing another year of low prices
With some grape growers facing another year of prices below the cost of production, some grape growers are taking advantage of the global demand for olive oil. ⌘ Read more

Gold ring found in cabbage could be from ‘anywhere in the world’
A gold ring found in a cabbage plant by a West Australian farmer has been traced back to the Netherlands, but its true owner and origin remain a mystery. ⌘ Read more

Go-between appointed to help Queensland farmers negotiate supermarket prices
Vegetable grower Carl Walker says farmers are worried the new commissioner’s powers won’t go far enough. He says farmers just want a “fair price for a fair day’s work”. ⌘ Read more

Pineapple is an iconic Australian fruit but its undersupplied market may be ripe for imports
The federal government is undertaking a biosecurity risk assessment after India and Indonesia applied to export pineapples to Australia under their free trade deals. ⌘ Read more

This $18,000 bottle of Australian wine sold out before it was released
Ultra-premium wine collectors have snapped up a new commemorative bottle of Penfolds, but what is driving the hefty high price tags for luxury drops? ⌘ Read more

The new technology helping Vietnamese coffee farmers adapt to a changing climate
The way farmers manage soil health could soon become cheaper, easier, and better for the environment thanks to artificial intelligence. ⌘ Read more

Growing taste for pick-your-own farms as people turn away from supermarket shelves
Pick-your-own farms are becoming increasingly popular with both Australian growers and customers, allowing farmers to be price makers instead of price takers. ⌘ Read more

Almost 500,000 black market cigarettes, 380kg of ‘chop chop’ seized in Queensland raids
Health officials and police are cracking down the sale of illicit vapes, cigarettes and “chop chop” tobacco in Queensland. In the Wide Bay area alone sellers are estimated to have avoided paying about $1.2 million in tax. ⌘ Read more

Return of beloved local iceblock soured by fact it’s now made overseas
A fruit iceblock once made in the Victorian town of Mildura from local oranges is back on shelves, but the manufacturer’s decision to make the product in Argentina has left devotees of the sweet treat feeling “let down”. ⌘ Read more

Pumpkins are a winter favourite, but here’s why you may pay more this season
Patchy pumpkin supply across Australia leads to higher prices at the check-out, while some growers say returns are poor. ⌘ Read more

Banana splits and tomato relish, here’s how this tiny town made the most of truck spills on ‘fruit salad corner’
A notorious bend in this Queensland highway brought many trucks unstuck — and locals still remember the free fruit and veggies they scooped up after the drivers’ misfortune. ⌘ Read more

Why fruit and veg sales are soaring in this remote community
It’s been a long time since people in this remote corner of Australia have been able to buy locally grown fruit and veggies. A new farm has changed that. ⌘ Read more

Fresh food for Arnhem Land
It’s fresh and it’s cheap. Can this farm inspire other remote communities? ⌘ Read more

Avocados are likely to stay cheap for years, but farmers are getting smashed
Once considered a luxury, avocados have stayed cheap throughout the cost-of-living crisis. But while consumers are cheering, farmers are looking to other markets to absorb an oncoming glut. ⌘ Read more

After 70 years of farming this grower is selling his water to the government, but the big end of town won’t
Bob Vale is one of many small-scale farmers expected to sell up after the federal government opened the biggest water buyback scheme the southern Murray-Darling Basin has seen in years, but big irrigators are unlikely join in. ⌘ Read more

Farmer goes all in on ‘ugly lemon’ restaurants can’t get enough of
Stephen Reiffer is keen to show everyone that yuzu is so much more than just a little, yellow citrus fruit as chefs seek it out for everything from crayfish butter sauce to margaritas. ⌘ Read more

Heat on olive oil producers after a difficult season as growers offer consumers an important tip
A patchy growing season across Australia is affecting an already tight market with olive oil prices expected to stay high. So should consumers buy up now before further price rises? ⌘ Read more

Family’s kilometres of hand-built dry stone walls and gravity-defying structures a lasting legacy
The Mulligan family of Maaoupe has spent 50 years building dry stone walls and sculptures from unique stone quarried on their own farm. ⌘ Read more

From chasing thieves to working 16-hour days, former tobacco farmers have rich memories of life on the land
A fortnightly gathering over the past four decades has slowly rolled these former tobacco farmers — once isolated, a world away from their Italian homes — into a family. ⌘ Read more

Ed Carr honoured at International Wine Challenge
Tasmanian winemaker Ed Carr named the Sparkling Winemaker of the Year ⌘ Read more

White wine on rise as chardonnay tops shiraz to be Australia’s most popular variety
More chardonnay grapes were crushed across Australia in the past year than any other variety, pushing the country’s white grape crush ahead of red for the first time in a decade. ⌘ Read more

This alternative to supermarkets can help you save on groceries, but most people don’t know it exists
Families and neighbours shopping through informal co-ops are saving hundreds, but the business model could help apply major competitive pressure to the major supermarkets. ⌘ Read more

Australia’s plant royalty system is broken, putting more than just new tomato varieties at stake
A flaw in Australia’s plant-breeding rights system could mean the fruits, vegetables and grains needed to feed the world and combat climate change are never developed. ⌘ Read more

Police seize tonnes of illegal tobacco after raids in Victoria linked to organised crime gangs
Police say more than three tonnes of illegal tobacco have been seized in raids on properties in Melbourne and regional Victoria. Police allege the properties are linked to the leader of an organised crime syndicate. ⌘ Read more

Instant coffee prices set to increase as crops in Vietnam suffer yield loss
Instant coffee could become even more expensive as Vietnamese producers fear farming land in the country could be halved by 2050 due to climate change. ⌘ Read more

‘Up-and-coming Barossa Valley’ pushes back against large solar farm
Residents in the regional Victorian community are concerned a proposed 665-hectare solar farm would change the microclimate of the renowned grape-growing region and drive away tourism. ⌘ Read more

From tobacco to cauliflowers to timber, where this WA town heads next is the million-dollar question
The small WA town of Manjimup has long struggled to find an identity that sticks and, after the state government’s timber industry shutdown, locals are asking: “What’s next?” ⌘ Read more

Wasps cause damage to grapes
Grape crop destroyed by hungry wasps ⌘ Read more

Making agritourism developments easier to navigate
New cellar door at Bream Creek proving a success ⌘ Read more

They may be ugly and wonky but this is what natural carrots look like
Theresa Scholl says many visitors to her farm have no idea that “normal” supermarket carrots are the result of centuries of selective breeding, farming techniques and careful curation. ⌘ Read more

You may not have heard of this berry, but these Victorian farmers are determined to change that
While elderberry can be found in everything from cordial to cosmetics around the globe, in Australia its health benefits and potential are only just beginning to be realised. ⌘ Read more

Bartering for backyard produce, this Tasmanian restaurant is championing regenerative tourism
An armful of salad greens in exchange for a restaurant dinner is what’s on offer for local backyard growers at a northern Tasmanian hub where ‘ultra seasonal’ is the fare. ⌘ Read more

Tributes flow for ‘fun-loving, passionate patriarch’ and wine label magnate Peter Teakle, who has died aged 72
Businessman Peter Teakle transformed his family’s wine label printing business into a global multi-million-dollar company before opening a winery and restaurant. ⌘ Read more

Small Australian wineries record ‘mind-blowing’ wins at Decanter awards in London
At the prestigious Decanter wine awards in London, Australian has “retained its status amongst the major global players” after recording a series of impressive medals. ⌘ Read more

Iconic walnut farm snapped up by major wine producer as cool climate grapes in demand
The wine glut in parts of Australia is not deterring developers from forging ahead with planting new vineyards in Tasmania. ⌘ Read more

International farm workers armed with cameras capture everyday lives for photography exhibition
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. ⌘ Read more

Colourful varieties of kitchen staple win praise for packing healthy punch
A nutritionist says purple sweet potatoes have higher antioxidants than the more popular gold variety and are a cost-effective food for families. ⌘ Read more

Adam’s family has been growing wine grapes for 28 years. He’s now facing the ‘heartbreaking’ decision of pulling out his vines
Since the imposition of hefty Chinese tariffs on Australian wine in 2020, wine grape growers have barely broken even and the federal government has signalled it will not fund growers to exit the industry. ⌘ Read more

The chemical-free veggie garden that sprang to life on an arid salt pan
A community supported agriculture enterprise is supplying chemical-free produce grown on Whyalla’s arid salt pans and offering alternatives to the big supermarkets. ⌘ Read more

Water surety needed in the Coal River Valley
Vineyard expansions depend on water surety ⌘ Read more

New jobs program aims to help farm workers like Nina settle into a new life in on the land
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. ⌘ Read more

End of ‘go-to’ harvest trail farm labour program a big loss, farmers say
Backpackers fear a rise in exploitation on Australian farms after the government axed a 26-year-old jobs program, which farmers fear will also increase costs and threaten harvests. ⌘ Read more

Big Pineapple shining bright as state’s big thing is back on show
Visitors will soon be able to ride the Plantation Train again, which once carried then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana around the grounds. ⌘ Read more

India goes for ‘green gold’ as Australian avocados grow in popularity in massive new export market
From Melbourne to Mumbai, demand for avocado is on the rise in India, creating a big opportunity for Australian farmers who might otherwise dump fruit due to oversupply. ⌘ Read more

SPC cuts canned fruit production by 40%
Shepparton based company says Aussies are buying less home-grown products amid the cost-of-living crisis. Nationals MP Sam Birrell said fruit businesses needed help to be competitive. ⌘ Read more