SOIL PRACTITIONER ACCREDITATION HITS THE GROUND RUNNING

Farmers and land managers can have more confdence in soil practitioner knowledge thanks to a new $1 million accreditation funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

The Registered Soil Practitioner (RSP) accreditation, which was developed by Soil Science Australia in collaboration with soil scientists, industry, government and land and natural resource managers, opened for applications on 22 May.

The RSP accreditation recognises the expertise of soil practitioners like agronomists, national resource management (Landcare) offcers, consultants and others working in the soil space.

It gives farmers and land managers confdence in the competence, ability and integrity of the practitioner they have engaged.

The department’s First Assistant Secretary of Sustainability, Climate and Strategy Division, Nick Blong, said the accreditation would help soil professionals enhance and standardise their expertise across Australia.

“RSP accreditation can be achieved through training, mentoring, workforce experience or recognition for prior learning,” he said.

“For those working in soil-related industries, the accreditation will build knowledge, enhance career pathways, and ensure professionals can provide practical and scientifcally valid advice to farmers and other land managers.

“It helps address a gap in accreditation and training between university-educated soil scientists and those who have developed their soil expertise through practical, hands-on knowledge of soil.”

The development and implementation of the accreditation is funded over two fnancial years (2021-22 to 2022-23). It is part of the National Soil Strategy and National Soil Action Plan.

For more information visit Registered Soil PractitionerSoil Management Accreditation - Soil Science Australia.

Accc Concerns About Mitsubishi Discount Offer Resolved Following Consumer Refunds

circulated as a targeted offer to QFF members.

FARMERS, TRADIES FRUSTRATED BY GOVERNMENT REFUSAL

Following ACCC concerns that Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (Mitsubishi) may have made false or misleading claims to members of the Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) about discounts available to them off the price of vehicles, Mitsubishi has provided partial refunds to affected consumers.

The ACCC received a complaint alleging that in September 2022, Mitsubishi made false or misleading representations about the discounts available on a range of its vehicles in an advertisement

Key points

The Mitsubishi fyer sent to QFF members stated that they were entitled to a 15 per cent discount off the entire range of Mitsubishi vehicles, when in fact the 15 per cent discount only applied to a specifc variant of the Mitsubishi Triton vehicle, and different lower discounts applied to other vehicles.

After the ACCC raised concerns with Mitsubishi, Mitsubishi provided partial refunds to affected consumers so that they received the full 15 per cent discount off the price they paid for their vehicle. Mitsubishi has also committed to updating its compliance handbook and implementing a formal Australian Consumer Law compliance program.

“We welcome Mitsubishi’s cooperation and the steps it has taken to provide consumer redress, as well as its commitment to implement a compliance program that should reduce the risk of similar conduct occurring in the future,” said ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh.

“This should serve as a timely reminder to the motor vehicle industry to closely review all marketing material before it is published or distributed to ensure compliance with the Australian Consumer Law.”

“Ensuring that small businesses in the agricultural sector receive the protections of the competition and consumer laws is one of the ACCC’s current Compliance and Enforcement priorities,” Mr Keogh said.

The Federal Government has refused to consider a common-sense reversal of a Budget decision that will see thousands of farmers, tradies and small business owners worse off after July 1. Changes to the Instant Asset Write-Off in the May 9 Budget meant anyone who had ordered vehicles or equipment only had until June 30 to take delivery before the threshold dropped to just $20,000.

With many businesses still facing lengthy supply chain delivery delays, NSW Farmers joined other industry groups in calling for a “common sense extension” to the Instant Asset Write-Off.

But this week Agriculture Minister Murray Watt wrote to NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin to advise no extension would be granted. Mr Martin said the tineared decision would see farmers, tradies and small business owners thousands of dollars out of pocket.

“People have ordered expensive equipment and placed deposits or paid outright under the belief they could use the Instant Asset Write-Off, but now they’ll be caught short through no fault of their own,” Mr Martin said.

“The right thing to do would be a grace period where anyone who paid for a tractor or piece of equipment before the Budget was handed down, but whose dealer can’t get it to them by June 30, will still be able to claim the write-off.

“As it stands, this decision will leave them thousands of dollars out of pocket at the worst possible time for business with soaring infation and costs.”

Under the changes anyone who has not taken delivery of an order by

June 30 – regardless of when the order was placed or paid for – would have to depreciate the asset over many years. Some farmers had ordered expensive equipment such as tractors more than a year ago, Mr Martin said, and were still waiting to take delivery.

“This decision will leave farmers out of pocket because the government won’t do the right thing,” Mr Martin said.

“We’ve got this absurd situation where someone has paid for a tractor, but because they can’t get it by June 30 because of delays, the farmer will be left fnancially much worse off.

“It’s not fair and it will place a lot more unnecessary pressure on a lot of businesses.”

Australia’s cattle herd reaches highest level in a decade

• The national herd continues to grow, reaching 28.7m head, its highest level in a decade.

• Cattle slaughter is forecast to rise strongly from 2022 lows as processing capacity improves.

• Production forecast to increase strongly in 2023.

The growth of the Australian national cattle herd is on track to increase throughout 2023, resulting in a high supply of both young cattle and fnished weight animals to market well into 2024.

This is according to the latest Cattle Industry Projections update from Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), which notes that the national cattle herd will reach its highest level since 2014 at 28.7m head.

With the national cattle herd reaching its highest level since 2014 this year, stocking rates in southern Australia, particularly in New South Wales, are at levels well above longterm averages. Northern Australia will develop its herd rebuild on the back of a very strong wet season generally.

According to Senior Market Information Analyst at MLA, Ripley Atkinson, a continuation of female retention in northern Australia will ensure the rebuild for this region continues, while the breeding herd in southern Australia will reach levels above long term averages in 2023.

“The longer-term outlook of higher supply is ensured, with the above-average marking rates continuing despite a forecast return to average or below-average seasonal conditions,” Mr Atkinson said.

“The genetic investment producers have made in building a productive, fertile breeding herd during the past three years will contribute signifcantly to delivering continued high supplies of young cattle into 2024.”

Beef production is forecast to strongly increase this year as a result of improvements in processing capacity so far in 2023, higher slaughter volumes and historically elevated carcase weights.

Slaughter for 2023 is forecast to reach 6.95 million head, a revision upwards of 5% or 325,000 head on MLA’s January fgures. Driving the higher volume this year will be:

• Strong numbers of grassfed steer turn-off from key production regions of Queensland, including the Channel Country.

• Signifcantly higher numbers of cast-for-age cows as numbers of breeding females on-farm allow the turn-off of older stock.

“Processors are continuing to manage higher supplies of slaughter weight stock and this trend is expected to continue for the remainder of the year,” Mr Atkinson said.

“So far in 2023, the cattle market has operated as it typically does throughout the frst six months of the year,” Mr Atkinson said.

“It’s not uncommon for higher turn-off of stock leading into winter to place downward pressure on price.

“However, the previous three years have been the exception due to the rebuild following years of drought, and the impacts of COVID.

“In considering these major events, it is important to acknowledge these years were outliers when it comes to examining trends in cattle prices.”

As part of the report, MLA also collates price forecast information from industry analysts. These analysts’ forecasts to the end of the year indicate a stabilisation in prices relative to the volatile market of 2022, although with forecasted levels to be below longer-term averages for both the EYCI and the Feeder steer.

Based on current rates, analyst forecasts to 31

December are for the EYCI to be 546¢, a 10¢/ kg carcase weight (cwt) or 2% decline. If this forecast eventuates, the price would be 13.5% or 85¢ lower than the 10-year average.

The remainder of 2023 is expected to see continued improvements in both supply of cattle and beef to market as slaughter rates increase.

“This places Australia in an enviable position to take advantage of shifts in the global marketplace, including greater market access for Australian beef, supply adjustments to key competitors and a continued strong domestic market,” said Mr Atkinson.