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NEWS QueenslandFarmerToday.com.au
HEALTH AT FINGERTIPS ................ page 11 FROM THE MLA ........................... page 12 PROTEIN CONFERENCE ............... page 15 FOOD FOR THOUGHT ................... page 16 FROM THE MINISTER ................... page 17 ERLE LEVEY FEATURE ...........pages 22-24 DISTRICT SALEYARDS ROUND-UP ............................pages 25-26 ROMA RUGBY CARNIVAL ........pages 27-28
Agricultural shows are an integral part of Australian culture. They galvanise small communities and play a vital role in supporting onfarm innovation, productivity and profitability. They also help bridge the divide between country and city, with many shows incorporating an educational element. Among those elements is the junior judging competition, which is surging in interest through rural Queensland. The competitions give aspiring judges the opportunity to showcase their talents and feature a variety of categories from beef cattle and alpacas to cake decorating and photography. In what is being described as a Steven Bradbury-esqe moment, Proston has clinched the state final of the Queensland Ag Shows Cattle Young Judges’ and Paraders’ competition. After the Ekka was cancelled and Stanthorpe’s show was postponed, Proston stood tall and offered to host the contest, giving winners time to qualify for “nationals” at the Sydney Royal Show. According to Proston Show Society president Mortimer Duff, the entire town in the South Burnett region is buzzing with excitement. And, good for them. Thank goodness there is one winner to emerge from this continuing Covid-induced chaos!
DAM LEVELS Beardmore................................... 99.37% Bjelke Petersen ............................ 99.51% Borumba ..................................... 100.2% Boondoomba ................................. 98.19 Cedar Pocket ............................... 100.6% Chinchilla Weir ................................ 100% Coolmunda .................................. 99.62% Cunnamulla (Alan Tannock Weir) ....... 100% Leslie ............................................ 99.8% Paradise ...................................... 100.1% Somerset ...................................... 79.9% Wivenhoe....................................... 56.4%
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Address: 154-156 Haly Street Kingaroy 4610 Telephone: 07 4182 0450 A new Australian beef industry App is set to improve communication and standards for both exporters and importers. 268888
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Meat goes digital Widely accepted as the international red meat industries technical manual for trade, the Handbook of Australian Meat (HAM) has gone digital. In its eighth edition, AUS-MEAT has published the Handbook of Australian Meat, an international red meat manual which facilitates the use of accurate product descriptions in domestic and international trade both as a hard copy, and as an app available from today for smart phones and tablets. AUS-MEAT has produced the app in conjunction with technical experts to ensure as many people as possible have access to the valuable information contained in the handbook including international and domestic customers of Australian red meat, exporters, processors, trainers and specialist users. “Converting the hard copy handbook into an app offers significant benefits in its immediacy, portability, ease of use, interactivity, accessibility and enhanced functionality,” said Ben Robinson, AUS-MEAT general manager – meat standards and training services who has overseen the project. The app also contains interactive 3D car-
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cass models, 3D meat products and anatomical guides. It has a searchable meat product directory and the ability to save specific meat
products for quick reference. More interactive features will be added in future. It has undergone extensive user-testing over the last three months, and its launch is widely anticipated by stakeholders. “The Handbook of Australian Meat (HAM) has always been a wonderful reference tool and now with the fantastic new HAM App we have it in the palm of our hands – just brilliant,” Nolan meats director said Terry Nolan said. Australian Country Choice group manager of research development innovation Paul Gibson said that an app would help to improve efficiency and accuracy. “The meat industry must embrace digital delivery of information across the supply chain to be more effective and economical.” The HAM app enables exporters and importers of Australian products to communicate detailed specifications and descriptions of red meat items using a common language. From today, the HAM app can be easily downloaded via the Apple app store and the Google Play store, available for free for download on both Android and Apple devices.
QFF welcomes new CEO Jo Sheppard has been appointed chief executive officer (CEO) of Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF). The former Paroo Shire council mayor most recently served as director of stakeholder engagement at the University of Southern Queensland. Ms Sheppard’s previous roles also include CEO of the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce and director on the Sunwater board. “Advocating on behalf of Queensland’s farmers is a significant responsibility and, given the importance of the agriculture sector to the state’s economy and regional communities, effective representation is critical,” she said. “Despite facing ongoing challenges including the Covid-19 pandemic, rising input prices, biosecurity incursions and climate change, Queensland farmers continue to produce world-class food, fibre and foliage.
“I look forward to supporting and striving for a better deal for Queensland’s farmers to strengthen their productivity and profitability into the future.” QFF president Allan Dingle thanked outgoing CEO Dr Georgina Davis who has moved on to new challenges and welcomed Ms Sheppard to her new role. “Jo has demonstrated clear leadership and advocacy skills throughout her career and her organisational and stakeholder engagement experience will be crucial assets for QFF our industry members and the state’s farmers. “Under her direction, QFF will continue to progress a broad range of economic, social, environmental and regional issues of strategic importance to improve the operating environment for Queensland’s farmers.” Ms Sheppard began working with QFF on 14 February.
