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Mutton market prices hit record levels, but for how long?

MUTTON prices have hit record levels – averaging above $9/kg cwt and up to $10/kg in some saleyards this week – but there are doubts this can be sustained with supplies scarce and processors already planning for possibly extended winter shutdowns…Read More

Terry Sim, June 17, 2026

Lamb Production

Prime lamb school project fosters next generation of ag leaders

SCHOOL students around New South Wales have been carefully feeding and collecting data on teams of prime lambs in a hands-on project designed to foster and mentor the next generation of farmers…Read More

Sheep Central, June 17, 2026

News

Sheep producer confidence highest in second quarter Rabobank survey

AUSTRALIAN sheep producers were the most confident commodity group in the second quarter, followed by beef then grain, according to the latest Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey…Read More

Sheep Central, June 16, 2026

Ag Tech

Report makes case for on-farm electrification over biofuels

FARMERS should focus on transitioning to electric machinery and vehicles rather than shifting existing equipment to biofuels, according to a report commissioned by Farmers for Climate Action and written by energy researcher Professor Ray Wills…Read More

Emma Alsop, June 17, 2026

Weather

Weather bureau says El Niño underway in Tropical Pacific

AUSTRALIA’S Bureau of Meteorology has announced that the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is now in an El Niño phase, releasing a detailed statement explaining the likely impacts of the cyclical weather phenomenon on winter and spring rainfall and temperatures…Read More

Burau of Meteorology, June 17, 2026

Weather

BOM weekly rainfall update 16 June 2026 + outlook map

WEEKLY rainfall totals of 25-100mm were recorded across the west of Western Australia, coastal South Australia, western Tasmania, the south-eastern ranges, and areas of southern Queensland to north-eastern New South Wales…Read More

Sheep Central, June 16, 2026

Wool Processing

Prizemoney boosted for shearers and wool handlers at Bendigo

SHEARER and wool handler entries at Australia’s premier sheep and wool show are struggling this year despite an increase in prizemoney…Read More

Terry Sim, June 15, 2026

News

Export fee increases prompt wool and meat exporter concern

AUSTRALIA’S wool and meat exporters have expressed concern about the Federal Government’s intentions to raise export fees and charges to effect full cost recovery from next year…Read More

Sheep Central, June 15, 2026

Goat Central

Methane trials reveal potential winning goat feed combo

By Sue Webster, June 15, 2026

Nutrition & Animal Health

Feedgrain Focus: Season turnaround pressures prices

Liz Wells, June 15, 2026

Farm safety

‘It’s not the machines, it’s how we use them’ – farm safety warning

Lydia Burton, June 15, 2026

Recruitment

Recruitment: Is automated farming a threat to future job security?

Sheep Central, June 15, 2026

Wool Market Reports

Wool prices continue to surge higher, with EMI at seven-year high

Sheep Central, June 12, 2026

News

Hay drop helps out as winter bites in northern NSW

Liz Wells, June 12, 2026

Industry Dashboard

Carbon Trading Market

Aust. Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) - $/tonne of CO2 equiv.

Today

37.45

Source: Jarden

$A / $US

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.7068

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

18 Jun 2026 (updated 10am daily)

Company	Price	Trending
Elders	$8.96
Australian Agricultural Co	$1.52
Graincorp	$7.29
Ridley	$2.12
Woolworths	$36.64
Wellard	$0.06

Source: ASX

SOI Graph

Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)

Today

-14.14

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

ESTLI

Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator. Ac/kg cwt

Last Week

1216.6

Source: MLA's NLRS

EMI

Eastern Market Indicator. c/kg clean

Today

1979

Source: Australian Wool Exchange

Goat

Eastern States 12.1-16kg c/kg cwt

Today

Source: MLA

ASX Market Index

18 Jun 2026 (updated 10am daily)

Company	Price	Trending
Elders	$8.96
Australian Agricultural Co	$1.52
Graincorp	$7.29
Ridley	$2.12
Woolworths	$36.64
Wellard	$0.06

Source: ASX

What readers are saying

AWI clueless on claim of $120m boost from non-mulesed sheep

The similarity between AWI and a fly-struck sheep is unbelievable. Both are stubborn, go in the wrong direction and both require money being spent to fix their problem. A....

Paul Favaloro

AWI clueless on claim of $120m boost from non-mulesed sheep

I am with AWI on this topic. Let the market sort this one out.....

Oliver Cay

WA Roadmap to 2028 launched with no timelines – WAFarmers

Federal agriculture minister will not come to Western Australia. Local agriculture minister afraid to leave Perth. Albo has been to WA 40-odd times, as he boasts, but has never....

Glenn Nix

WA Roadmap to 2028 analysis highlights flock rebuild challenge

Great, another pencil-pushing waste of time and money report on my industry. No sheep producer in Western Australia has the confidence to build numbers for these reasons. The eastern....

Rohan Chalmer

Sheep producer confidence highest in second quarter Rabobank survey

AUSTRALIAN sheep producers were the most confident commodity group in the second quarter, followed by beef then grain, according to the latest Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey…Read More

Sheep Central, June 16, 2026

Weather bureau says El Niño underway in Tropical Pacific

Burau of Meteorology, June 17, 2026

BOM weekly rainfall update 16 June 2026 + outlook map

Sheep Central, June 16, 2026

Export fee increases prompt wool and meat exporter concern

AUSTRALIA’S wool and meat exporters have expressed concern about the Federal Government’s intentions to raise export fees and charges to effect full cost recovery from next year…Read More

Sheep Central, June 15, 2026

Markets

Wool prices continue to surge higher, with EMI at seven-year high

Australia’s wool market continued to boom this week, with the benchmark indicator rising another 15c to hit a new seven-year high…Read More

Sheep Central, June 12, 2026

Wool prices lift again as demand for volume and quality continues

AUSTRALIA’S wool market strengthened further this week, with the benchmark indicator rising 30 cents over two days of auction selling this week…Read More

Sheep Central, June 5, 2026

Forward wool trading activity focused on 19 micron

FORWARD wool trading activity over the week was mostly concentrated in the 19 micron contract, which accounted for 25,000kg across July…Read More

By Andrew Gooley, June 5, 2026

Demand for Merino and crossbred wool volumes lifts market

AUSTRALIA’S wool auction market surged to its highest level since 2019 this week, as buyers chased Merino and crossbred volumes…Read More

Sheep Central, May 29, 2026

Liz Wells, June 15, 2026

Feedgrain Focus: More rain, lower values as north ups planting

Grain prices have dropped another $3-$10/t this week to reflect export parity and improved production prospects for the northern region…Read More

Liz Wells, June 8, 2026

AWI clueless on claim of $120m boost from non-mulesed sheep

AUSTRALIAN Wool Innovation has been unable or unwilling to detail an estimation of the productivity benefits associated with non-mulesed wool production, despite a report claiming growers could be $120 million better off within seven years by transitioning away from mulesing…Read More

Sheep Central, June 5, 2026

Wool Production

Feedgrain Focus: Season turnaround pressures prices

Wheat is under pressure in the north, where a turnaround in the season has brightened new-crop production prospects, and consumers are banking on a further softening in values…Read More

Liz Wells, June 15, 2026

AWI clueless on claim of $120m boost from non-mulesed sheep

Sheep Central, June 5, 2026

WA Roadmap to 2028 analysis highlights flock rebuild challenge

A WA Roadmap to 2028 economic analysis report has laid out the size of the challenge to rebuild Western Australia’s sheep industry from the flock, labour and production impacts..Read More

Terry Sim, June 1, 2026

Feedgrain Focus: North plummets as more rain falls

NORTHERN feedgrain prices tumbled last week as further rain brightened the region’s production prospects and demand from graziers fell away…Read More

Liz Wells, June 1, 2026

Processing

Prizemoney boosted for shearers and wool handlers at Bendigo

SHEARER and wool handler entries at Australia’s premier sheep and wool show are struggling this year despite an increase in prizemoney…Read More

Terry Sim, June 15, 2026

Millionth WoolClip bale tracked to China for processing + VIDEO

AUSTRALIA’S one millionth wool bale processed via WoolClip has been tracked to China for processing at leading textile manufacturer Nanshan Group to highlight the importance of global traceability…Read More

Sheep Central, May 20, 2026

Midfield Meat International wins top Australian lamb award

WARRNAMBOOL processor Midfield Meat International has led the Victorian domination of the lamb categories at the recent Royal Queensland Branded Beef and Lamb Awards at the Brisbane Showgrounds…Read More

Sheep Central, May 4, 2026

Former Minerva Western Australian abattoir assets for sale

TWO mothballed regional Western Australian meat processing facilities previously operated by Minerva Foods Australia have been put to market…Read More

Sheep Central, April 16, 2026

Trade

Mutton market prices hit record levels, but for how long?

Terry Sim, June 17, 2026

Export fee increases prompt wool and meat exporter concern

AUSTRALIA’S wool and meat exporters have expressed concern about the Federal Government’s intentions to raise export fees and charges to effect full cost recovery from next year…Read More

Sheep Central, June 15, 2026

Chris Howie: Grass fever spreads to processors as buyers look to bolster supply

Grass fever has always been the main factor however consolidating numbers to shore up supply is now becoming part of most larger processor buying orders…Read More

Chris Howie, June 10, 2026

WA Roadmap to 2028 launched with no timelines – WAFarmers

A LACK of measureable timelines, milestones and deliverables in the WA Roadmap to 2028 for the Western Australian sheep industry has been noted by the state’s peak farmer body WAFarmers…Read More

Terry Sim, June 3, 2026

Property

Movement at the Station – Recent property listings

Renowned SW Victorian assets up for grabs | Neighbours offer 2000ha in NSW’s Riverina | Solid interest for SA’s Maranoa Downs | NSW’s Grand Junction splits in two..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, June 11, 2026

Riverina’s Yarranvale tipped to fetch $40M plus

More than $40 million is anticipated for the May family’s premium dryland cropping, irrigation and livestock asset in the southern Riverina region of New South Wales…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, June 8, 2026

Rural properties taking longer to sell, but confidence remains

RURAL property listing times have trended higher in most parts of Australia over the past six months, while active and new listings have been generally stable, a recent property market analysis by Elders has found…Read More

Sheep Central, June 1, 2026

Historic and long-held properties for sale in NSW, SA and Victoria

THIS week’s property review includes this wrap-up of interesting recent listings in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia…Read More

By property editor Linda Rowley, May 29, 2026

AgCarbon Central

New livestock carbon accounting method to encompass sheep

A PROPOSED new Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme livestock method under development by Meat & Livestock Australia will be applicable to lamb, mutton and beef production…Read More

Sheep Central, April 15, 2026

Microsoft makes another record-breaking soil carbon credit purchase

MICROSOFT has announced another record-breaking purchase of soil carbon credits, striking a deal with US company Indigo Ag to purchase 2.85m credits over 12 years…Read More

Sheep Central, January 19, 2026

“Broad scope”, lack of resourcing holding up soil carbon review

AN independent review of Australia’s soil carbon scheme is expected to be handed down by the end of this year, with a recent carbon conference told that the “broad scope” of the review was holding it up…Read More

Eric Barker, November 12, 2025

Soil carbon caught up in precarious political situation

SOIL carbon advancements continue to a background of a carefully balanced political situation and debate raging over “net zero” targets across the world, with Australia’s Federal Government appearing unwilling to give certainty to producers participating in the carbon market, Eric Barker reports from the National Carbon Farming conference…Read More

Eric Barker, November 5, 2025