From earth goddess to blokes who bathe, from mums and bubs to feet and hands - this Christmas is all packed and ready to go with Burt’s Bees.

The earth friendly natural personal care company has released limited editions of a range of beautifully packaged gift sets for all ages and price ranges. And you know it’s good for you and for the environment, because it’s from Burt’s Bees.

Burt’s Bees products are available from Terry White Pharmacies and David Jones stores nationally, or phone 1300 855 478 for stockist information.

Girls love –
 
Bee Cute Wristlet - $9.95
Every girl’s dream stocking filler – a little red bag stacked with natural goodies. Beeswax Lip Balm will tingle and refresh, while the Citrus & Ginger Body Wash gently hydrates as it cleanses. Follow up with the Milk & Honey Body Lotion – richly hydrating yet light and quickly absorbed.
 
Shimmer Wristlet - $14.95
This cute little bag contains two of the world’s best lip balms in sheer luminescent colour. Slip on some colour, slip this little bag over your wrist and off you go for a day in the sun.

Mini Lip Gloss Trio - $19.95 
Glide into Christmas with a slick of subtle colour – this pack contains three juicy shades to drench your lips in moisture.
  
Earth Goddess Gift Set - $24.95
Indulge an inner Goddess (yours or someone else’s!) with this gift pack featuring travel-sized Peach & Willowbark Scrub, luscious Lemon Butter Cuticle Crème, Replenishing Lip Balm with lashings of antioxidant pomegranate oil, rich Shea Butter Hand Repair Crème, a Super Shiny Lip Gloss and a Calming beeswax candle. Ideal to throw in your bag for that New Year’s getaway.
 
Rich Renewal Pack - $29.95
Is someone on your gift list having Christmas at the beach? This is the gift for them! Wash away the day with Naturally Nourishing Milk & Shea Butter Body Bar and then dip into the full size tub of Rich & Repairing Cocoa Butter and Macadamia Nut Body Butter to help hydrate and repair moisture-depleted skin after a day in the sun. Presented in a cute hessian sack, perfect for under the tree.

Body Nectar Set - $39.95 
A luscious combination of goodies, as good as a Christmas hug for someone special. This pretty pack contains Honey & Jojoba Hand and Foot Cremes, lovely, light Milk & Honey Body Lotion and a Honey Lip Balm. Give someone you love a sweet treat.

Bee Pampered Gift Bag – $49.95
A practical and pretty zip-up bag for later comes crammed with goodies for now – Aloe and Buttermilk Body Lotion, Lemon Butter Cuticle Crème, Almond & Beeswax Hand Crème and  Honey Lip Balm.

Guys love –

Men’s Wash and Shave Pack - $19.95
Wake up Christmas morning to an invigorating buzz with this great gift. Men’s Body Wash, Shave Cream, Aftershave Lotion are teamed up with a bright face washer in a reusable draw string bag. Naturally nice on your man this festive season!

Bay Rum Men’s Pack - $29.95 
It’s a classic. Bay Rum, perfect for the well-groomed gent this Christmas. This pack contains Shaving Soap, Aftershave Balm, a shaving mug and brush and a Beeswax Lip Balm to round off his toilette. Looking good never smelt better!
 
Mums and bubs love –

Kids Wash Pack - $19.95
Here’s a bee with no sting – a cute bee sponge! Liven up bath time with this collection of natural, products. Baby Bee Shampoo & Body Wash, Baby Bee Apricot Oil and Baby Bee Buttermilk Lotion. Gentle, safe and simply gorgeous to use, these products are a treat for everyone within splashing distance!
  
We all love –
 
Treats for your Feet - $39.95
Dip your toes in natural indulgence with this pack of summer softeners. Start out with rich Coconut Foot Crème for naturally pretty feet or give yourself a lift at the end of the day with the tingling refreshment of Peppermint Foot Lotion. Slip those relaxed toes into your bee-adorned thongs and head on out for summer fun.

Hand Repair Kit - $29.95
How about some sheer indulgence for your hands after a hard day’s Christmas preparation? Start with the soft scent of ginger and citrus in the gentle Citrus & Ginger Root Hand Wash and follow with lusciously hydrating Almond Milk & Beeswax Hand Crème, and a special treat for your nails – Lemon Butter Cuticle Crème. Ease all the hard work away.
 
Mani Pedi Pack - $29.95
This pack is the perfect holiday gift. Full size Lemon Butter Cuticle Crème and Almond Milk & Beeswax Hand Crème for your hands, topped off with a full size tube of richly hydrating Coconut Foot Crème with Vitamin E for your feet. Plus an exfoliating pumice stone and nail buffer to finish off the perfect manicure and pedicure. All wrapped up and tied with a bow – making your Christmas shopping easy this year.

Key points:

• Growers must observe pesticide withholding periods
• PestFacts advisory service keeps growers informed as season finishes sharply

With windrowing and harvest fast approaching, South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) entomologist Ken Henry urges growers to be mindful of withholding periods for pesticide applications made late in the season.

The latest edition of PestFacts SA and western Victoria, a service provided by the National Invertebrate Pest Initiative (NIPI), supported by growers and the Australian Government through the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), contains information about pesticide withholding periods.

Mr Henry, SARDI Entomology’s PestFacts coordinator, said with such a sharp finish to the growing season this year it was vital that growers observe chemical withholding periods.

“Growers are reminded that windrowing or harvesting crops before the withholding period expires can leave unacceptable residues in the crop,” Mr Henry said.

“This can occur when managing late insect outbreaks such as native budworm, aphids or diamondback moth.”

Mr Henry said growers must confirm the applicable withholding period on the product label and observe the true definition of ‘harvest’ with regard to withholding periods.

“It’s important growers remember that label ‘harvest withholding periods’ apply to whenever the crop is cut,” he said. “This means time of windrowing is treated as point of harvest with regard to withholding periods.

“Growers should choose products with shortened withholding periods where required, or plan to harvest or windrow as late as possible, keeping in mind that recent seasons have finished off quickly in some regions with windrowing and harvest commencing earlier than expected.”

For more information contact PestFacts coordinators Judy Bellati on (08) 8303 9670 and Ken Henry on (08) 8303 9540, or visit www.grdc.com.au/pestlinks.

 

Key points:

• GRDC-funded project delivers new sources of rust resistance to breeders
• Diversity in resistance sources critical to providing robust defence against emerging rust pathotypes
• Australia in ‘excellent’ position to defend against stem, leaf rust

 

University of Adelaide researchers have identified new sources of stem and leaf rust resistance in wild grass relatives of wheat sourced mostly from the ‘fertile crescent’ of the Middle East.

The research project, supported by growers and the Australian Government through the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), has helped position the Australian grains industry to better defend against emerging rust races such as the virulent Ug99 stem rust pathogen, which scientists believe may pose a serious threat to global wheat supplies.

Project supervisor Dr Ian Dundas, of the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine at the University of Adelaide, said the project was part of a concerted global effort helping to underpin the sustainability of wheat cultivation.

“Australia is in an excellent position to combat the threat of cereal rust,” Dr Dundas said. “This is one of many projects under the Australian Cereal Rust Control Program (ACRCP) developing new sources of rust resistance for growers.

“Nearly two decades ago, Australian research organisations and GRDC recognised the danger to the economic viability of Australian wheat producers from the emergence of new strains of rust and began investing heavily in this type of research. In the long term, this work will assist Australia’s competitive advantage in the global market place.

“Finding alternative sources of resistance is vitally important. Diversity in resistance genes and variation in sources of resistance is one of our best defences when confronting any new rust pathotypes.”

The project has involved working with wheat breeding lines which contain chromosome fragments from uncultivated relatives of wheat.

“These are mostly wild grasses from the region in the Middle East where modern bread and durum wheat species originated,” Dr Dundas said. “The fertile crescent is a centre of genetic diversity.”

In a recent project, Dr Dundas’ team has identified three new sources of stem rust resistance from the species Triticum speltoides, and two new sources of leaf rust resistance from the species Triticum searsii and Triticum tripsacoides.

Plant pre-breeding is not a fast process. Dr Dundas said there was considerable work to be done before the newly identified genes found their way into wheat varieties for Australian growers.

“Provided the resistance sources meet our expectations, we could see them in wheat varieties within the next 10 years,” he said.

“An important step will be testing wheat breeding lines with the newly identified resistance genes in the field. We’ve been working with scientists in the United States, where they will test these lines for resistance to the Ug99 stem rust pathogen.

“This virulent form of stem rust was identified in Uganda in 1999 and has now spread into the Middle East.”

The GRDC is a major investor in the fight against cereal rust and part of a world-wide collaboration of scientists working to overcome the threat of Ug99. The GRDC said immediate priorities for effective rust management were growing resistant wheat varieties, managing the ‘green bridge’ of volunteer growth, and responding to outbreaks with strategic fungicide applications.

Growers can access detailed information about rust management by visiting www.grdc.com.au/rustlinks.

Ongoing volatility in international grain markets and deregulation of Australia’s bulk wheat export system had created challenges but also new opportunities for growers to maximise profitability according to an Australian grain marketing business today.

“Grain markets are as volatile as ever,” Elders Toepfer Grain General Manager Mark Thiele said. “We’re coming off some record high prices, and like the share market, these prices will continue to fluctuate.

“This new environment presents Australian growers with the opportunity to take greater control of their individual marketing efforts than ever before.

“We’re already working with growers to source wheat and other grains for overseas customers for whom we have been actively marketing grain, and we’ve found that many growers are ready and willing to seize the initiative in grain marketing.

“To do this, growers will need to have a plan which includes what prices they are able to accept in order to achieve their business targets, and cash prices will help because cash is definitive. Cash-based products provide revenue for forward planning – this isn’t a guaranteed outcome if growers only deal passively with the market.”

Mr Thiele said deregulation of Australia’s bulk wheat exports system and market volatility would, over time, result in a shift away from traditional pooling models towards cash-based marketing products as growers sought certainty of payment and security of cash flow.

“Growers this coming harvest find themselves operating in a much more competitive market for wheat and other grains, with a very wide range of marketing tools to choose from,” he said.

“In the past, pools have been a viable marketing alternative but they don’t necessarily provide certainty of cash flow, which is particularly important in a challenging operating environment of rising input costs and declining terms of trade.

“The new marketing environment will provide growers with new channels to market, new linkages and more options. To gain their business, marketers must deliver innovations and efficiencies that create choice and value for growers rather than continuing to offer what has always been offered, because it doesn’t necessarily cater for today’s market.

“Growers will want marketers who have built strong global and domestic demand for their grain, demand which delivers certainty and security. Our advice to growers is to deal with people they know will pay them full value and do so promptly. Growers need to understand the risks and benefits associated with new marketing products, so that when they try them, they’re not placing themselves in a difficult financial position.

“Cash prices, prompt payment and certainty of payment will be uppermost in the minds of many growers this harvest. This is why Elders Toepfer Grain has developed a simple model that delivers on all of these factors.

“Our joint venture – which celebrates its first anniversary this month – combines 250 years of experience, the local presence of Elders and the global strength of Toepfer.

“Our model moves Australian growers much closer to the buyers of their grain. Buyers tell us exactly what grain they require, and we source it directly from growers through the extensive Elders branch network. It creates a much shorter supply chain, providing both growers and buyers with much clearer indicators on each others’ expectations on price and quality.

“We aim to source a great deal of quality Australian wheat and other grains for overseas buyers who are keen to deal closely and fairly with Australian producers. This is an excellent opportunity for growers who are seeking certainty of payment and security of cash flow.”

Growers seeking more information, including the latest cash prices, should visit their local Elders branch or visit http://www.elders.com.au/.

An important part of the equation in Australian grain growers’ declining terms of trade in recent seasons has been the rising price of fertiliser.

Many soils in our cropping regions are limited by nutrient deficiencies, so nitrogen fertiliser is usually an inescapable cost component in farming budgets.

Of course, there are alternatives to applying a lot of nitrogen. Legumes play a critical role in cereal rotations by providing disease and pest breaks to cereal crops but also by returning nitrogen to the soil, and one of the most effective legumes for this purpose is vetch.

Rade Matic, who leads the vetch breeding program at the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), says trials across five sites over three years had shown an average increase in soil mineral nitrogen (as reported in commercial soil tests) in the 0-10cm soil layer of 17kg/ha after a vetch grain crop.

From two sites over two years, there was an average increase of 30 kg/ha after vetch hay production and a substantial 51kg/ha average increase following green manuring.  At current prices for urea, these nitrogen inputs would be worth approximately 33, 59 and $100/ha respectively and they only represent a tip of the iceberg – there could easily be twice as much more nitrogen from the vetch in the deeper layers of the soil profile (10-60cm).

It doesn’t stop there. Field trials conducted by CSIRO Plant Industry at Narrabri in New South Wales on vetch in cotton rotations found that vetch’s ability to fix nitrogen exceeded all other legumes in the trials, including field peas, faba beans, clovers and medics.

Vetch commonly fixed up to 200 kg/ha of atmospheric nitrogen in the trials, and there were several other notable outcomes. Soil organic matter in cotton fields with vetch in the rotation increased by 14% and subsequently, cotton grown after vetch showed improvement in its uptake of key nutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus and beneficial trace elements.

Soil structure was also improved, making cultivation easier, as was the soil’s water-holding capacity.

Demand for vetch appears to be increasing. According to Seedmark’s Bryan Robertson, high nitrogen prices and difficulties with fertiliser supply have helped to create a great deal of interest in vetch among Australian growers over the past six months.

Bryan says there has also been an increase in interest from European farmers for Australian vetch seed, which can fetch prices of $1,500-2,000/tonne for Australian growers. Again, European demand is being driven by high nitrogen fertiliser prices along with the recent fall in the Australian dollar.

The vetch breeding program at SARDI released the new variety Rasina β late in 2006 to be marketed by Seedmark. Rasina was developed with support from growers and the Australian Government through the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).

Rasina β is a rust-resistant, ascochyta-resistant, soft-seeded vetch variety suited to low-medium rainfall areas of southern Australia. Trials prior to its release showed Rasina β was superior to any other vetch in terms of grain yield, early establishment and dry matter production.  It is also tolerant to shattering.

However, another important quality of Rasina β and other vetch varieties such as the high-rainfall Morava β is their ability to offer substantial improvements in soil fertility, structure and organic matter. Further varieties being developed in the GRDC program will be targeted at grain production in lower rainfall cropping areas (a variety which matures earlier than Rasina β) as well as a replacement for Morava β. 

One of the difficulties in using legumes to replace nitrogen and deliver other benefits has been the relatively poor yields associated with growing them in low-rainfall areas which dominate much of the Australian southern cropping belt.

However with Rasina β, growers now have access to a versatile vetch variety which is better suited to low-rainfall environments and which has considerable capacity to reduce their reliance on nitrogen fertiliser. Further funding from SA Grains Industry Fund (SAGIT) aims to assess and develop new vetch (Vicia) species for forage and grazing in low-rainfall environments.

Works have been donated by a wide range of established artists, emerging talent and celebrities to raise funds for medical research. Art fans and bargain hunters will need to be right on time to snap up canvases to add to their collections, according to Judith Turner from the Foundation, as some canvases are sold for a fraction of their real value.

“Speed is of the essence to secure your first choice,” Ms Turner said.

All works are sold for $250, with the funds raised going to support the vital work of Professor Robert Vink, Head of Medical Sciences at the University of Adelaide, and his research into brain injury, encompassing treatment of acute trauma to the brain and spinal cord from injury or acute diseases, diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and dementia, and brain pharmacology.

Tickets for the opening gala cocktail are $30, available from the Florey Medical Research  Foundation. Entertainment on the night will include door prizes.

The exhibition will remain open in Bonython Hall for three days only, from 11am to 3pm each day.

Becky Blake, from Cocktail Hour, will perform at Florey Art Exhibition Opening party on October 8th.

Growers are being reminded to monitor crops for outbreaks of diamondback moth (DBM). Ian McMaster, Practices Project Manager at the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), said it was vital for growers to stay on top of their mid-season monitoring programs. “DBM outbreaks can be devastating to canola crops so growers must keep their monitoring programs going at this time of the year,” Mr McMaster said. “The adults are active at dusk and throughout the night, but usually do not move far within a crop. However, they are capable of long distance migration on prevailing winds, especially when host plant material has died off and the moths have to disperse to survive. Larvae cause crop damage and wriggle when disturbed, often dropping from the plant on a silken thread. Changing weather conditions can impact dramatically on DBM populations and abundance so growers must keep watch.” A factsheet with more details about managing DBM outbreaks can be found at www.grdc.com.au/pestlinks.

The Blue Ribbon Cookbook features recipes from more than 50 prize-winning cooks at country shows across South Australia, and provides a unique snapshot of the State’s rich country show heritage. It was officially launched today by ABC Radio personality Peter Goers.

Porter Novelli managing director Janice Hoad said the quality of The Blue Ribbon Cookbook was testament to Liz’s dedication to the project.“This book is the culmination of many months of enthusiastic hard work by Liz, who has captured the diversity and character of rural South Australia in a novel and unique way,” Ms Hoad said.

“This would come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Liz and her award-winning work in public relations at Porter Novelli. Liz is also an accomplished cook herself, and it is always a special treat for our office when she brings in a warm fresh batch of her famous scones.”

Founding director Richard Fewster said agricultural shows were an important part of life in country South Australia.

“As Liz notes in The Blue Ribbon Cookbook, for many individuals country shows represent much more than an opportunity to relax and have fun,” Mr Fewster said.

“They are about the serious business of rewarding effort and enterprise. Most of Australia’s shows were founded by pioneers keen to see their colony prosper by encouraging settlers to adopt the latest agricultural practices, nurture productive gardens and develop their homemaking skills.

“Liz’s book doesn’t stop at recipes. It begins with them. The Blue Ribbon Cookbook provides insights into the lives of South Australia’s prize-winning cooks and a fascinating window on rural life.”

The Blue Ribbon Cookbook is published by Wakefield Press and supported by the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia and the Agricultural Societies Council of South Australia.

Liz Harfull and Peter Goers at the launch of her first book, The Blue Ribbon Cookbook, in the new Goyder Pavilion at the Wayville Showgrounds.

More than 1,200 business people, athletes and guests attended the dinner – making it the most successful yet. Geoffrey Pitt, Chairman of the Games Appeal Dinner Committee, said this year’s fundraising efforts had set a new record.

Porter Novelli has been involved in the Premier’s Games Appeal Dinner Committee for 3 years and consultant Megan Leyson is now also a committee member of the Emerging Leaders Group. Pictured above at Porter Novelli’s table at the Appeal Dinner are, at back from left….Graeme Watt, Kylie Paulsen – Communication Manager, Grains Research and Development Corporation – and partner, Alastair Dunstan; Mark Geraghty – National Marketing Manager, Elders Rural Services – and wife, Wendy; Sharon Watt – Porter Novelli Consultant; and at front from left….Sally Venus, Simon Venus – Partner, Piper Alderman; Janice Hoad – Managing Director, Porter Novelli; John Francis – General Manager Business Banking, Elders Rural Bank 

 Pictured left at the Emerging Leaders Dinner is Porter Novelli Consultant Megan Leyson and her partner, James Rusk.                                              

“This year, we raised in excess of $300,000, and this takes our total to $1.1 million dollars raised in this Quadrennium,” Mr Pitt said.

“The Premier’s Games Appeal Dinner is underpinned by the Quarter Club – a group of 100 Corporate SA business people who are united in their passion for sport.

“The momentum is growing and this year’s event was an amazing night in support of our Aussie athletes. South Australia is the only state that raises funds through a joint appeal for Australia’s Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games athletes.”

Mr Pitt said 16 athletes attended the dinner, including Ben Wilden, who will be competing in trampoline in Beijing.

“Given that the Olympic Games is only days away, we were extremely fortunate to have athletes in attendance to see the results of our fundraising efforts,” he said. “In addition, the Chinese community has been very supportive of the event and sent several representatives to enjoy the evening.”

Mr Pitt said that along with established business people, this year’s dinner also welcomed emerging SA business leaders to the Premier’s Games Appeal Dinner through the newly formed Quarter Club Emerging Leaders Group.

“Our young Emerging Leaders contributed to the event and raised $36,320 for the Robert Gerard Athlete Development Fund,” he said. “This money will stay in South Australia to support our emerging athletes, and their contribution shows that the Emerging Leaders are going to be a very significant group within South Australia.”

For more information about the Quarter Club and its mission to support Australian Athletes, visit www.quarterclub.com.au.

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) is concerned that proponents of the proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) are rushing to finalise a treaty by the end of the year, without giving Australians much of a chance to comment on it or even see it.

In particular, ALIA is concerned that measures in the treaty may impede Australians’ access to information and ideas, and lead to a surveillance culture in which the monitoring of ordinary citizens’ information-seeking behaviour is undertaken more widely than is permitted now.

“We do not want to see an agreement that punishes ordinary consumers and hinders innovation and Australia’s digital economy”, said ALIA President, Derek Whitehead.

In alliance with the Australian Digital Alliance (ADA), CHOICE and the Internet Industry Association (IIA), ALIA urges the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to take the lead in ensuring that these six vital principles are not compromised:

1. Transparency and accountability: adequate opportunity to see and comment on text before it is concluded
2. Presumption of innocence: no enforcement, civil or criminal, without independent findings of infringement
3. Proportionality: legal enforcement must be proportionate to the infringement
4. Consideration of impact on other treaties and laws: no doubling up or inconsistency with Australia’s existing obligations
5. Avoiding the prescription of surveillance technologies for IP enforcement
6. Safeguards against liability for intermediaries such as educational
   institutions, libraries and Internet Service Providers.

Next week, Australian negotiators will head to Washington DC for the next round of discussions. The ADA urges negotiators to demand a realistic timetable for the ACTA, to allow time for real consultation, and to ensure these principles are not compromised. 

ALIA represents Australia’s thousands of libraries, and therefore has a particular concern that intermediaries (such as libraries) not be made more liable for their customers’ actions than they are currently. Libraries are seen by Australians as even-handed, neutral information providers. ALIA does not want to see the current careful balance in the flow of communications and information in Australia upset by ill-considered and heavy-handed changes to our laws.

Full text of principles available at: http://www.digital.org.au/submission/ACTA.htm