Western Australia Country Hour

Western Australia Country Hour

The amount of interest a Queensland beef business pays on its bank loan will vary according to how well it treats its animals, staff and the environment. It's been been described as a first for Australian agriculture. A sustainability linked loan signed by a company called the Stockyard Group which runs a 20, 000 head feedlot on the Darling Downs. While many of the specific details are confidential, managing director Lachie Hart says meeting new sustainability targets will save the Stockyard Group tens of thousands of dollars. The Federal Government has just handed over nearly $700, 000 to help Australia's cotton industry find new markets. One regional council is trying to address the worker shortage and find ways to bring more foreign workers into Australia.