European buyers have ordered Australian farmers to stop using the insecticide omethoate on their crops if they want to keep selling into the market.

Black rice is widely promoted as a superfood and now researchers are trying to find out if it can be adapted to local environments for growers.

For the past few years, the drought has hit grain volumes so hard that Newcastle's terminal operators have been importing, rather than exporting, products, but now they are hoping for a dramatic change in fortunes.

Farmers say the Federal Government has underestimated the cost of China's decision to place an 80 per cent tariff on Australian-grown barley.

Crop was grown in 80,000 hectares in district this year

Australia's cotton crop will be the smallest in 40 years, but the tough times are forging a new generation of growers who are determined to change negative perceptions of the industry.