MANSFIELD snowboarder Alex Pullin will carry country Victoria's hopes for glory at this year's Winter Olympic Games.
The 22-year-old, whose family runs Pullins Ski Hire at Mansfield, will compete in the snowboard cross competition at the Games, which begin in Vancouver, Canada, on Friday.
He was placed fifth in last month's World Cup meet in Switzerland.
Solar plan
PLANS for a $420 million solar power station in Mildura may be back on track.
Research and development company Silex Systems said yesterday it would pay $20 million for the assets of the Solar Systems Group, the company that planned to build the station before collapsing under a mountain of debt last year.
Stud dispersal
WELL-known Poll Dorset stud, Wyndamah, at Swan Hill, will be dispersed this year. Graeme and Andrew Oxley will hold a dispersal sale for their 600 stud ewes next month.
Their rams will be sold at the stud's annual ram sale in October.
Historic farm sale
WATER for Rivers is reported to have sold its historic Madowla Park property in Echuca for about $10 million.
Water for Rivers took over the former rice operation in 2008 and is believed to have returned 7000 megalitres of waterflows to the Murray River system.
The 4400ha property is believed to have been purchased by a north Victorian farmer.
Deeper in debt
FARMERS are sinking deeper into debt, a new study has shown.
National rural debt jumped $36 billion since 2000, , according to the Kondinin Group's Toni Nugent.
The average farm business debt increased 18 per cent for broadacre farms during 2007-08, with most of the debt coming from land purchases.
