Lydia Burton

Nov 11, 2024 | abc.net.au | Lydia Burton |Kallee Buchanan

A fire started by "frightening lightning" has burned $30,000 worth of cattle feed as parts of Queensland continue to swelter through extreme heat, fires, and storms. Dalby farmer Ian Stark was excited to see clouds building on Saturday afternoon, hopeful he would get much-needed rain. But instead he said his farm, about 200 kilometres west of Brisbane, suffered "an extraordinary amount of lightning", some of which struck the ground.

Oct 19, 2024 | abc.net.au | Lydia Burton

As a young boy, Trevor Hess's passion was watching auctioneers sell cattle. For the past 33 years, it has been part of his job. "One day, I overheard my dad saying that he was going to a cattle sale at Bell, so I got sick," he said. "But I got remarkably well by the time it was time to go to the [cattle] sale."Seven decades on, Mr Hess works for Meat and Livestock Australia's (MLA) National Livestock Reporting Service.

Oct 1, 2024 | abc.net.au | Maddelin McCosker |Kallee Buchanan |Lydia Burton

Would-be premier David Crisafulli has promised Queensland's agriculture sector a $30 million funding injection if the LNP forms government in this month's state election. The state opposition said the Sowing the Seeds of Farming Innovation fund would help boost Queensland's agriculture industry to $30 billion by 2030. The industry is currently worth $23.6 billion to the state's economy.

Sep 2, 2024 | abc.net.au | Maddelin McCosker |Lydia Burton

Fear was struck into the hearts of Brodie and Jess Harvey when their two-week-old baby boy Jace broke out in a rash. The nearest hospital was more than an hour's drive from their property in rural central Queensland. They tried to call a medical professional but couldn't get mobile reception despite a phone tower only 10 kilometres from their house.

Aug 29, 2024 | abc.net.au | Maddelin McCosker |Lydia Burton |Jane McNaughton

Unseasonably hot winter temperatures will see the price of some vegetables drop across supermarket shelves in the coming weeks and months. But some farmers are welcoming the warmer weather. While the highest temperatures were felt in northern and outback Australia, records have been set across the country. In Victoria, winter went from a cold and dark July to abnormally high temperatures in August. John Said, CEO of Fresh Select, grows cauliflower and broccoli in Werribee, south-west Melbourne.