Rural Focus
Channel Details
Rural Focus
Rural Focus is a unique program in commercial radio: it provides the most comprehensive coverage of agricultural and agribusiness issues affecting the rural communities in regional Western Australia.
Recent Episodes
579 episodes
Another Day, Another Fuel Price Increase
Darren Pulford from Bunbury Machinery joins us this morning for a local business perspective on the current fuel situation.
Stephen Bro...
How are Rural Fuel and Freight Companies Dealing with the Shortages?
Michael Harding from Freight Lines Group jumps on the show today to discuss the rising concern around the lack of diesel being sent to the bush.
Running on Empty: Farmers Need Fuel as Seeding Looms
This morning we spoke to Newdegate farmer Dean Sinclair about our WA farmers' lack of access to fuel. We'll be covering the fuel shortage/price crisis...
Volatile Global Fertiliser Markets
Rabobank agriculture analyst Paul Joules gives his insight into the fertiliser situation,
Former WALGA president Karen Chappel tells us...
Should We Be Taking Ag Sustainability More Seriously?
In this episode:
Reid Seaby - Sustainable Ag Field Officer for West Region, Nutrien Ag Solutions
Paul Joules - Agriculture Analyst, Rabob...
A Spectacular Vintage Season in the South West and Great Southern
Jeff Burch, Howard Park owner, jumps on the show today to talk about how vintage 2026 is going. Turns out, this year is going to be an amazing year fo...
The Predicted Value of Agriculture
Darren O'Dea, Farm Weekly editor, gives us the latest top stories,
Nutrien's Craig Walker checks in from the Muchea sale yards,
<...
Sheep Feed That Reduces Methane Emissions By 70%?
Paul Nenke from Milne Feeds tells us about their new Easy2Gro pelleted sheep feed that focuses on high daily weight gain and reduced methane productio...
Is It Worth Applying for Those Live Sheep Export Grants?
We're hearing that a lot of primary producers and businesses were unsuccessful applying for the government's Supply Chain Capacity Program which are s...
How Trump's Tariffs Affect Our Exports
Georgia Campion from the Countryman talks tariffs, property rights appeals and CBH board elections,
ADM Trading's Tom Mayfield talks whe...
Teaching Skills for the Future of Our Ag Industry
Workforce challenges are being felt across every part of the agricultural supply chain. AgriFutures General Manager, Levied and Emerging Industries, S...
Reflecting on a Long Hot Summer in Regional WA
Nationals Member for Roe Peter Rundle pops in to chat about all sorts of things,
CBH chief SRSS officer David Paton talks to us about their Gras...
Why Are Local School Bus Routes Being Axed?
Nationals member for the Central Wheatbelt Lachlan Hunter joins us this morning to talk about the need for more regional school buses.
G...
Cost-Effective Cattle Methane Monitoring
Vytelle last week announced the commercial release of Vytelle SENSE™ Methane, so we sit down with Dr Jason Osterstock, Vytelle's chief science officer...
What Do Young People Have to Say About Living Rurally?
FRRR is inviting not-for-profit organisations to collaborate with local young people in remote, rural and regional communities. Lauren Ryan from FRRR...
Keeping Up with Feed Demand in the South West
Paul Nenke from Milne Feeds calls in this morning to tell us about feed options in Bridgetown, Donnybrook, Harvey and Margaret River,
Bu...
More GPs Are Coming to Our Rural Medical Clinics
A boom in rural training means 251 more GPs are on the way to WA communities! We chat to Royal Australian College of GPs Vice President and WA Chair D...
Get to a GRDC Grains Research Update
GRDC's Peter Bird joins us to talk about their upcoming Grains Research Updates happening in Peth and beyond.
Precision Agronomics' Mat...
The Tony Maddox Property Rights Appeal
Former PGA president and local York farmer Tony Seabrook called in today to show his support for Tony Maddox. In February last year, Toodyay farmer To...
Cane Toads... In the Pilbara?
Dr Judy Dunlop from Curtin University talks all things cane toads this morning, and why prevention is better than eradication.
Stephen B...
Geopolitics the Dominant Risk for Agriculture This Year
Rabobank's Australia Agribusiness Outlook 2026 lead author Stefan Vogel talks to us about fast-changing global trade rules and volatile commodity pric...
Meet A New Member of the Rural Aid Team!
Rural Aid's newest counsellor Louise O'Neill (previously from Farm Life Fitness) joins us this morning to talk about her plans for 2026.
...
A Positive Outlook for Ag Property in WA
A new report is forecasting a solid outlook for WA agricultural property across 2026, with expert valuers giving the sector a sentiment rating of 6.9...
Just Another Hot Day? Australia’s Extreme Heat Wake-Up Call
Today is Extreme Heat Awareness Day. Australia recently made global headlines as the hottest place on the planet, so we spoke to Sweltering Cities exe...
Get the Best Value Soil Moisture Retainer for Your Farm
Bill Crabtree from 4 Farmers has the latest findings from an Aquifer wheat trial done out near Gnowangerup,
And Nutrien's Harry Carol gi...
Why is Virtual Fencing a Thing for Cattle but Not for Sheep?
Nutrien livestock agent Craig Walker has some interesting points to make about virtual fencing and the future of our industry,
Tiff Dav...
Why Rural Women Experience Empty Nesting Earlier
Dr Teresa O’Brien chats to us about sending our rural kids to boarding school and how it affects our rural women.
Burando Hill’s Stew Mckenzie t...
Supporting WA Shearers Beyond the Shed
Darren Spencer joins us to talk about the new Beyond the Shed program, helping shearers, contractors and farmers find work and support outside of shea...
Imagine Turning Your Canola Crop into a Premium Oil Brand
Today we were joined by Fiona Mann, an AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award WA finalist who’s turning locally grown canola from her family farm near Eradu...
Do City Kids Know Where Their Food Comes From?
Research shows nearly 80% of primary students in Australia cannot identify current dairy farming practices.
The National Schools Food and Fibre...
How Do We Handle Hail?
A unique network of monitoring stations have been installed across some of Australia’s most hail-prone locations, to better understand extreme weather...
Wheatbelt Producers: Monitor Your Livestock for Lupinosis
Wheatbelt livestock producers with lupin stubbles are being urged to monitor flocks for signs of the liver disease, lupinosis, following widespread ra...
Free Financial Counselling for the New Year
Heard of Rural West? CEO Chris Wheatcroft jumps on the show this morning to tell us about their free financial counselling for producers and ag busine...
Fruit Harvesting Set to Reach New Heights
DPIRD research scientist Asad Ullah joins us this morning to talk about the trial of a new concept multi-function tree management platform at Manjimup...
Wrapping Up WA's Record-Breaking Harvest
Today's guests:
Freight Lines Group - Michael Harding
Regional Men's Health - Terry Melrose
Merrifield Real...
Diving into Supply and Demand Forecasts for the US and Beyond
The USDA World Ag supply and demand report came out this week, so we called up ADM Trading grain accumulation manager Tom Mayfield for some insights a...
What's Going on in the Muchea Sale Yards?
Nutrien's Craig Walker gives us the first Muchea market report for 2026,
Bill Crabtree from 4 Farmers has some interesting Aquifer trial...
The Ryegrass Toxicity Risk
DPIRD field veterinary officer Hayley Hardwick joins us this morning to talk about ryegrass toxicity and how it can harm your livestock.
We're Back for 2026!
To kick off the first show of the year, we chat to our show regulars -
Stew Mckenzie - Burando Hill
Leigh Ballard - Crisp...