Laurissa Smith

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Laurissa Smith |Meg Powell

Side-by-side vehicles have increased in popularity with Australian farmers in recent years. Despite having safety features such as seatbelts and rollover protection cages, the working vehicles were involved in 14 deaths on Australian farms last year. Farm safety advocates say while "the vehicle itself is a very safe product", vehicle users need to take the manufacturers' safety advice more seriously.

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Laurissa Smith |Tony Briscoe

The record price for a bull sold in Tasmania has been smashed by a stud in the states north. "Uppercut" from the property Cluden Newry was sold for an eye watering $275,000 to a Victorian buyer. Laurissa Smith went along to the sale at Longford - and caught up with owner Jock Hughes after the frenzied bidding.

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Laurissa Smith |Tony Briscoe

This year in December the ABC's flagship rural radio program The Country Hour turns 80The show, also shares the same milestone birthday with the national commodity forecaster, ABARES. It was set up as a research organisation ,and over the years has provided agricultural data and analysis to key decision makers in government. Laurissa Smith spoke to senior economist Dale Ashton. Launceston, Agricultural Policy, Agricultural Prices, Agricultural and Farming Practice, Agricultural Marketing

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Laurissa Smith |Tony Briscoe

A national palliative care advocacy group is calling for more local manufacturing of pain relief medicines. Dr Peter Allcroft says it's frustrating that shortages exist when Tasmania is one of the world's largest producers of raw narcotic material. Poppy Growers Tasmania would like to see the expansion of the industry here, but admits it's restricted by global drug regulators.

Feb 13, 2025 | abc.net.au | Laurissa Smith |Meg Powell

Flower Industry Australia claims imported blooms now make up about half of Australia's flower market, and nearly all of its supermarket offerings. Many of these cheaper blooms are from countries with patchy human rights records and are treated with toxic chemicals for biosecurity reasons, but neither of these things are mandatory to declare to the customer. Local growers, who are struggling to compete with the flood of overseas flowers, are continuing their decades-long push for clear labelling.