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Kath Sullivan
Canberra, ACT
As national rural reporter, Kath reports for the ABC across television, radio and online from Parliament House in Canberra. Kath has spent more than a decade reporting on rural and regional affairs across Australia. After a four-year stint working for rural newspaper The Weekly Times, Kath returned to the ABC in 2018 where she first began her career as a rural reporter in Victoria’s Gippsland. Twitter: @KathSully
Latest by Kath Sullivan
Australia's sheep industry is in downturn, so when will chops get cheaper?
Too many sheep is bad news for farmers but the oversupply should drive down costs for customers.
Farmers call on government to walk away from 'dud' EU trade deal
Farmers' groups say a proposed trade deal with the European Union would send some commodities backwards and is a bad deal for "every sector of Australian agriculture".
Farmers say live export ban will jeopardise trade relationship as prices continue to fall
As sheep prices continue to plummet across the country, more than 20 agricultural organisations have co-signed a letter to the prime minister, urging the government not to ban live exports of the animal.
Drought looms after record-low rainfall, but this extreme turn in the weather is not unusual
El Niño is back and drought is on the doorstep. Some farmers have been feeding livestock for months. Here's what it might mean for the economy and food prices.
Indonesia poised to resume live cattle imports from Australia
While no formal agreement has been reached, the government says recent discussions have been positive, after the prime minister raised the matter with Indonesia's President Joko Widodo.
For Sally it's a simple prospect yet governments globally are taking steps to curb what she's doing
Minerals mined deep under Canadian soil are turned into fertilisers that are used on Australian farms to produce the food that feeds the world. But as some countries take steps to curb fertiliser use, farmers fear they too could be faced with restrictions.
Canada, USA, China and UK the largest foreign owners of Australian water
A new report, released by the Australian Tax Office today, will show that foreign ownership of water increased by 0.3 per cent in the year to June 2022.
Australia drops perjury case against Amber Heard over importation of Pistol and Boo
The Australian government drops a case against actor Amber Heard, after her former partner Johnny Depp claimed she lied over the illegal importation of her two dogs, Pistol and Boo, in 2015.
Plibersek brokers new Murray-Darling Basin deal without Victoria, buybacks could cost billions
Water Minister Tanya Plibersek says the government has brokered a deal to rewrite the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, but leaves Victoria out of the new agreement.
Government begins consulting on new flood and fire response that won't rely on armed forces
Agreeing that Australia must be able to respond to disasters without leaning on the Australian Defence Force, the government begins consulting on a new way to manage floods and fires.
China ditches Australian barley tariffs after long-running trade war
China has dropped its 80 per cent tariffs on Australian barley, after a long-running and high-profile trade war between the two nations.
Indonesia says cattle that arrived from Australia have lumpy skin disease. So what is it and why does it matter?
In recent days, Indonesia has stopped importing live cattle from four Australian export facilities over fears relating to lumpy skin disease.
Indonesia suspends live cattle imports from four Australian facilities after lumpy skin disease found
Indonesia stops importing live cattle from four Australian exporters following the detection of lumpy skin disease in livestock.
Analysis
analysis:Tanya Plibersek made a public confession. But it was another quiet comment that's more shocking
The federal water minister has a dilemma. She's got a whole lot of water to find and not a whole lot of time, writes Kath Sullivan.
$13b Murray-Darling Basin plan won't be delivered on time, Plibersek concedes
The $13 billion Murray-Darling Basin Plan will not be completed on time, according to official advice from the basin authority, prompting federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek to conclude, "we have to extend the time frame."
Following claims a public servant urinated on colleagues, pesticides authority CEO and board chair resign
The pesticides authority CEO and board chair resign, after a review triggered by allegations one of the agency's workers urinated on his colleagues.
Farmers call for rethink on Pacific worker scheme as union warns against 'hysteria'
Fruit and vegetable growers say they'll be forced to employ fewer workers from the Pacific when the Australian government introduces changes to its foreign labour scheme.
Travellers fined thousands for trying to sneak plant cuttings into Australia
Plant cuttings disguised as botox, tea, and seafood have cost four travellers entering Australia $22,000 for biosecurity breaches.
Trade Minister Don Farrell to visit China in push to end trade bans on barley, meat and wine
Australia's Trade Minister Don Farrell will hold a meeting with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing this week, with hopes it could signal the trade turmoil between China and Australia will soon be over.
Honeymoon over as farmers lash out at federal Labor government's biosecurity plan
The post-election honeymoon between the new federal government and the nation’s peak farm lobby is over, as Labor is set to unveil new charges on exports.
Farmers say taxpayers, importers should pay cost of keeping pests and diseases out
A storm is brewing over who should pay for Australia's biosecurity, with details to be announced on budget night and farmers saying they "are already paying their fair share".
Importers, exporters tipped to face price hikes to help fund biosecurity services
Importers and farmers are being warned to expect changes to the cost of importing and exporting from Australia, as the government seeks a new way to fund biosecurity services to keep pests and diseases out.
Milk prices surge in Australia, prompting consumer shift to more affordable options
Some of the main staples in Australian grocery baskets have had their sharpest price increases in decades over the past year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Australia's 20 richest electorates will soon pay $4.8bn less in tax. So why will country Australians miss out?
Country Australians will benefit the least from the stage 3 tax cuts, a new analysis based on tax data shows.
No guarantee Australian barley is bound for China, but halt to WTO action is a welcome step
While barley farmers and exporters have broadly welcomed the WTO appeal suspension, it is unclear whether it will be a turn for the better.