Adelaide graduates have won both available selections to represent Australia at the One Young World Summit in London next week for international beauty company Burt’s Bees.

Steven Burnside and Fiona Paton were chosen because of their already diverse working and volunteering experiences – and both just happen to be graduates of the University of Adelaide.

Burt’s Bees is sponsoring 10 delegates to join their colleagues from some 192 nations to put forward the thoughts and opinions of youth on world issues including the environment, global business, the media, health, politics and faith. They will hear from high profile speakers including the likes of Sir Bob Geldof, Desmond Tutu and Kofi Annan.

Perhaps more importantly – they will also have their say so these leaders can listen to a different point of view, something both Fiona and Steven are looking forward to doing.

“This is an amazing opportunity for us, not just to present our opinions as young Australians, but to have our views challenged by current world leaders and other young people from across the globe.” Steven Burnside said.

Burt’s Bees Australia Marketing Manager, Emma Sykes, said the Adelaide pair are an inspiration.

 “What these two young people have already packed into their lives in terms of work and life experience is an example to us all,” Ms Sykes said.

“Steven is just back from a stint working with a school for disabled and underprivileged children in India, while Fiona will be taking up a personal invitation to attend the G8 meeting in the US straight after the London summit.

“To be represented by them, to learn from them through their experiences being at the Summit, will be something everyone at Burt’s Bees will appreciate, and that we will do our best to share as broadly as possible.” 

Information for editors:

• Lee Welch, Porter Novelli (Adelaide) 0407 390 089
• Emma Sykes, Burt’s Bees Australia Marketing Manager, 0407 471 008
• Steven Burnside 0421 827 709
• One Young world Inaugural Summit information: www.oneyoungworld.com

No medical referral is required to take up the offer, which is normally valued at $195.

“The test is done using a handheld scanner to detect hard masses in breast tissue,” clinic director Sunset Chenery said.

“There’s no requirement to compress the breast tissue for this test so it’s absolutely pain free. Each client receives a detailed report to take back to their GP and a visual breast map they can use themselves to help them monitor changes in their breasts,” Ms Chenery said.

“This offer is our gift to women who want to take a positive step towards breast health and overall wellbeing.”

The $50 plus donation breast scan offer is available at Breastlogic, 74 Gawler Place, Adelaide and 1a/661 Newcastle Street, Leederville until New Year’s Eve. Bookings can be made on (08) 8227 0800.

Porter Novelli are proud to welcome Breastlogic as a new client.

Information for editors

• Further information: Sunset Chenery 0411 017 103 or (08) 8227 0800.
• Breastlogic use the SureTouch system, in use in 29 countries worldwide including the U.S., Canada and UK. Breastlogic is the first dedicated Australian clinic using this technology. This system involves a hand-held device to measure pressure changes in breast tissue.
• Website: www.breastlogic.com.au

Dover Fisheries were assisted in developing their applications for the SA Premiers Food Awards by Porter Novelli (Adelaide). These awards recognise outstanding achievement and excellence in the South Australian food industry and reward businesses and individuals who have demonstrated vision, leadership and innovation in their field.

The food industry in South Australia contributes over $12 billion to the state’s economy and employs 146,000 people. This is the third year Porter Novelli has worked with the Awards, offering support to food producers in telling their stories effectively and with preparation for judging.  This year, Porter Novelli also assisted Bushmin Farmed Rabbits, Fleurieu Milk, Southern Waters Marine Products and Humbugz Honey to become Finalists. Dover Fisheries now joins Humbugz Honey (winner of the 2008 New Product category) as a recipient of the Porter Novelli prize pack – consisting of pro bono support for implementation of a media campaign around their win and strategic advice to leverage their success.

Porter Novelli congratulates all involved with the SA Premier’s Food Awards and this year’s finalists and winners.

http://www.doverfisheries.com.au/

Discover Murray, creators of the award-winning tourism website www.MurrayRiver.com.au , has become an official partner of the fruit fly community awareness program managed by the Tri-State Fruit Fly Committee – just in time to help spread the message during the peak summer period.

“If holidaymakers are aware of the restrictions around travelling in the Fruit Fly Exclusion Zone and Greater Sunraysia Pest Free area with fruit and vegetables then they will avoid fines, and everyone benefits,” Discover Murray Director Shane Strudwick said.

“The Murray River is the heart of much of the horticultural industry in south eastern Australia as well as the heart of its tourism sector and that’s why we think it’s a perfect partnership,” Mr Strudwick said.

“We’re delighted to be able to help this message get to travellers,” he said.

Fruit fly can hitch a ride in many types of fruit, including stonefruit, pome fruits (apples, pears and quinces), tropical and temperate fruits and in citrus. It will even lay eggs in chillies and other fruiting vegetables such as capsicums, eggplants, tomatoes and tamarillos.

Fresh fruit and vegetables cannot be taken into the Zone or the PFA and should not be taken across any state borders.

The Fruit Fly Exclusion Zone includes areas in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia and also incorporates the Greater Sunraysia Pest Free Area (PFA). On the spot fines apply to travellers found to have restricted produce in their vehicles and court fines can run to $20,000.00.

Chairman of the Tri-State Fruit Fly Committee, Scot MacDonald said the support of organisations such as Discover Murray is vital to the Committee’s goal of reaching all travellers with the fruit fly message.

“Keeping fruit fly away out is essential to the livelihoods of many regional communities and we want to spread the message as widely as possible,” Mr MacDonald said.

“It’s all about having the best holiday this summer – and all of us doing our bit to protect the great quality of Australian produce at the same time,” Mr Strudwick said.

Further information:

• Shane Strudwick, 0409 678 654
• Scot MacDonald, 0428 624 333
• Lee Welch, Porter Novelli (Adelaide) 0407 390 089

Rural and regional insurance specialist Elders Insurance is urging householders and property owners to take three important steps before the bushfire season.

Tim Plant, Managing Director of Elders Insurance, said the financial and emotional impact of bushfires to individuals, families and businesses could be reduced if people in bushfire zones took the following steps:

1. Determine assets requiring insurance cover;

2. Check that those items are insured or take action to insure them; and

3. Ensure sums insured accurately reflect replacement value.

“We’ve all witnessed the tragedy of bushfires and seen the devastating impact underinsurance can have on people’s ability to re-build and replace their assets,” said Mr Plant.

“While we can’t stop bushfires from happening, we can certainly encourage all householders and property owners to make sure their assets are properly protected – that means annually reviewing sums insured to keep pace with the rising cost of materials and labour.

“We hope everyone in a bushfire zone takes the time to review their insurance covers. If people are not sure whether their sums insured are adequate, it’s important to speak with a professional who can provide advice.” Online sum insured calculators are also useful.

Mr Plant said Elders Insurance Agents live and work in local communities across Australia with many experiencing first hand the tragedy of bushfires.

“As an insurer we know how devastating it can be and as a community of people we have been touched by these events. We hope we can play a role in reducing the impact these events have on Australians,” said Mr Plant.

He said Elders Insurance also strongly encourages people in bushfire areas to follow government and fire authority advice and guidelines about being bushfire ready, in particular ensuring their homes and properties are prepared and they have an action plan in place.

Media comment:

Tim Plant

Managing Director

08 8425 4474

0400 220 010

Brenton Crabb

National Manager Claims & Operational Services

08 8425 4988

0408 858 223

Media enquiries:

Anne Lucas

Communications Manager

08 8425 4611

0412 712 782

Key points: 

- Help other growers adapt to, mitigate and understand climate

- Nominate to become a ‘Climate Champion’

Are you a grain grower in the southern cropping zone who believes that climate is an important consideration in managing your farm?

And are you interested in communicating about climate research and its application?

If so, the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is asking you to nominate to become a ‘Climate Champion’.

GRDC is seeking to better communicate its research into climate variability and change, says Managing Director, Peter Reading.

“Climate change impacts on grains industries must be understood so growers can minimise risk and maximise opportunities,” says Mr Reading.

GRDC currently invests more than $16 million directly into climate change research and more than $70 million indirectly through plant breeding and farming practices programs.

“Our research aims to produce knowledge, tools and technologies that growers can use to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions as well as adapt to inevitable climate change,” says Mr Reading.

One of the ways of achieving better communication about this research is through ‘Climate Champions’ – growers who are knowledgeable and interested in climate research.

‘Climate Champions’ is a working title and once they have been selected, GRDC will ask the growers what they’d like to be called.

Up to 15 ‘Climate Champions’ from the three major grains regions of Australia will be supported through training, resource kits and a small quarterly payment ($1000/ quarter) to:

• Present relevant information about GRDC’s climate change research and innovation activities to their industry networks
• Showcase the practices and farming systems they use to manage climate and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions
• Review research outputs and tools relevant to their location and farming system
• Be media spokespeople about relevant research outcomes
• Participate in and lead online discussions with other farmers

Growers who are interested in nominating to become a “Climate Champion’ can do so by completing a simple online form (at www.climatechampions.net.au) or hard copy form (contact GRDC on 02 6166 4500). This form should only take about 10 minutes to complete.

The nomination form needs to be completed by Friday, October 30, 2009. This deadline has been extended by one month.

Editor’s notes:

• For more information, contact GRDC Communication Manager, Kylie Paulsen, phone 02 6166 4500 or 0428 864 934, or email k.paulsen@grdc.com.au
• www.grdc.com.au
• This media release and other media products are available via www.grdc.com.au/media

Significant improvements in wheat yields have been achieved over the past 50 years while the global area sown to crops has remained reasonably constant. The release of new varieties and improvements in agronomic practices have been largely responsible for these yield increases.

The start of systematic breeding in the late 1800s through to today’s improved varieties has been driven by the adoption of new technologies such as selective and mutation breeding, statistical computer-based analysis of field data and more recently marker assisted selection.

The ongoing improvement in varieties, despite an increasingly competitive production environment, has been achieved through the willingness of breeders and the farming community to adopt new technologies.

Biotechnology, genomics and phenomics are now emerging as key new technologies for developing even better varieties and helping ensure that yields continue to increase. Genomics provides scientists with tools to understand and investigate the 30,000 genes in barley and the 100,000 genes in wheat and then, with phenomics, determine which genes are involved in determining the quality characteristics, the disease or the abiotic stress response.

Using this information, crop improvements can then be effected using either marker assisted selection or genetic modification.

The Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG) – a major initiative of the Grains Research and Development Corporation and the Australian Research Council – is funded to understand fundamental plant processes that can subsequently be manipulated to increase abiotic stress tolerance in wheat and barley, commonly encountered by cereal crops in Australia and overseas.

Drought, salinity and nutrient deficiency are abiotic stresses which are the subject of particular focus by the ACPFG.

Speaking at recent GRDC grower Updates at Cummins and Minnipa in South Australia, ACPFG research scientist Dr Andrew Jacobs said the centre was generating drought tolerance markers for the selection of adapted lines in conventional breeding programs, and developing transgenic cereal lines carrying genes for adaptation to drought from a range of drought-tolerant sources. Dr Jacobs said the development of salt-tolerant crops was also a major focus.

“We are also using genomics and associated technologies to investigate the mechanisms cereal crops employ to tolerate toxic levels of soil boron,” Dr Jacobs said.

“One of the main genes involved in boron tolerance has now been identified, which will enable breeders to enhance the efficiency of breeding for boron tolerance, either through conventional or transgenic breeding programs.”

By studying the genes involved in transporting nitrogen in plants, researchers are working to improve the way plants use nitrogen fertiliser. And as Dr Jacobs says, reducing the amount of fertiliser needed could reduce environmental pollution and save farmers money.

The ACPFG has over the past year or so achieved a number of research advances which have opened a wide range of new options. The centre has now developed several new technologies that have the potential to significantly improve stress tolerance in cereals.

Dr Jacobs said the translation of these findings into practical outcomes remained a challenge, however, the centre was now in a position to demonstrate the practicality of many of the research outcomes and this will help build the necessary delivery pathways.

“To deliver the benefits of this research to the cereal growing community at an increased rate, the ACPFG has links with many wheat and barley breeding programs and major research organisations,” Dr Jacobs said. “This increases the efficiency of providing research outcomes to farmers.”

Editors’ notes:

• For more information about the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, phone (08) 8303 7423 or visit http://www.acpfg.com.au
• Peter Reading is the Managing Director of the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), phone (02) 6166 4500 or visit www.grdc.com.au
• GRDC Project Code: ACP00001
• This Crop Doctor and other media products are available via www.grdc.com.au/media

Key points:

- Four new pulse varieties suited to southern cropping zone to be released

- Pulses an important part of crop rotations

Four new pulse varieties suited to the southern Australian cropping zone will be commercially available for the 2010 winter cropping season.

To be launched this month, the new Pulse Breeding Australia (PBA) varieties offer growers improved reliability.

David Shannon, Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) southern panel chair, says the new varieties are part of a pipeline of pulse varieties that will be released by PBA over a period of five years.

“The GRDC, along with the other PBA partners, is pleased to support PBA in bringing growers varieties with improved yield, harvestability, disease resistance, tolerance to abiotic stresses, quality and weed management,” Mr Shannon said.

Mr Shannon said pulses were an important part of crop rotations.

“Pulses fix atmospheric nitrogen to reduce the fertiliser requirement of following cereal crops, they help to reduce the incidence of cereal diseases and provide opportunities to manage herbicide resistance, all of which lead to better financial and environmental outcomes for growers and the grains industry overall,” Mr Shannon said.

The new varieties – two lentils, a chickpea and a broad bean – will be launched by PBA, in association with its commercial seed partners at field days in New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria during October.

Brochures outlining the varieties’ advantages, areas of adaptation, agronomic and disease management information and marketing arrangements will be available for each new variety.

PBA provides a single world-class breeding and germplasm enhancement program for chickpeas, field peas, faba beans, lentils and lupins in Australia.

It aims to fast-track the release to Australian growers of new pulse varieties that have better disease resistance, are higher yielding and are adapted to Australian conditions.

Further information is available from Fleur Winter, PBA Coordinator, on 07 4639 3634. 

Editors’ notes:

• For more information contact PBA co-ordinator Fleur Winter on 07 4639 3634.
• www.grdc.com.au
• This media release and other media products are available via www.grdc.com.au/media

Key points:

• Stem and leaf rust found on West Coast of South Australia
• Leaf rust found north of Adelaide
• Growers urged to monitor crops as humid weather continues
• Growers can obtain cereal rust information at www.grdc.com.au/rustlinks

South Australian grain producers are encouraged to closely monitor wheat crops following the emergence of both stem and leaf rust on the West Coast and in the Lower North.

Stem rust has been found in an area of about 16 kilometres in diameter near Kalanbi, north-west of Ceduna. Crops of Yitpi have been mostly affected.

SARDI senior plant pathologist Dr Hugh Wallwork said that a single infected plant has also now been observed at Pt Kenny on the West Coast, suggesting that the rust has been distributed more widely.

“Most crops in the area are in advanced stages of grain filling so should escape severe damage,” Dr Wallwork said.

“Continuing humid weather will, however, encourage further infection and spread of rust, and any later sown crops will be vulnerable so paddocks of susceptible varieties should be closely monitored.”

Dr Wallwork said it was likely that the stem rust established in one or more crops which were sown in early April when conditions were warmer.

“Stem rust develops very slowly under colder winter conditions but the autumn infection will have allowed for rapid development of the epidemic with warmer spring temperatures.”

According to Dr Wallwork, leaf rust is now widespread in wheat crops on the West Coast of SA. Infected crops on the West Coast include the susceptible varieties Westonia, Excalibur and BT Schomburgk.

“Early sowing of such susceptible varieties in coastal areas is likely to make leaf rust a continuing problem so these older varieties should be replaced for 2010,” Dr Wallwork advised.

“This will also help to minimise the possibility of new rust mutations occurring.”

Leaf rust has also just been recorded in Yitpi wheat near Roseworthy.  The good news is, according to Dr Wallwork, that most varieties in the Lower North are at least only moderately susceptible to leaf rust so the rust epidemic in that region should not build up too rapidly.

With all three wheat rusts being present in SA, growers should monitor crops for the presence of each rust and consider fungicide treatments where crops are still young enough to benefit. Further reports of leaf and stem rust would be gratefully received by Hugh Wallwork on (08) 8303 9382.

The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) has provided growers with a central resource for cereal rust management information at www.grdc.com.au/rustlinks.

The GRDC financially supports research into rust management through the Australian Cereal Rust Control Program.

For more information contact Dr Hugh Wallwork on (08) 8303 9382

This media release and other media products are available via www.grdc.com.au/media

Key points: 

• New guide for south eastern canola industry now available
• Designed for all participants in the canola ‘value chain’

The Grains Research and Development Corporation has just released a new publication to assist the canola industry in south eastern Australia.

The Canola Best Practice Management Guide for South Eastern Australia is designed for growers, agronomists, consultants, students and others involved in the canola ‘value chain’.

The guide was launched at the 16^th Australian Research Assembly on Brassicas, held at Ballarat in Victoria on September 14-16.

Written by a team of experienced research and extension agronomists and industry specialists, the guide highlights best practice management for canola in South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria.

The 16 chapters cover issues from selecting the right paddock, through to harvesting, marketing and oil quality.

Canola is the major broadleaf rotation crop in the grain producing regions of Australia.

Since its introduction to Australia in the late 1960s, canola has grown into the major oilseeds industry, providing national economic benefits in employment, processing, manufacturing and exports.

The Canola Best Practice Management Guide for South Eastern Australia is available free (plus postage and handling) through GRDC’s Ground Cover Direct – freecall 1800 110022 or email ground-cover-direct@canprint.com.au.