TFGA voice magazine

VOICE Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association

EDITION T S E F G BUMPER A

your future, our future

TFGA major policy forum

Toxoplasmosis in cats - why is this an issue?

registrations now open!

Paying allowances, penalties and overtime and Award Flexibility Agreements

How efficiently are you fertigating?

Agfest - TFGA to repeat carve and serve hit on Fifth Avenue

e ur

Ag r

ure’s F ut ult ic

F

ure

Fu

tur

e

Yo u r

ut

Ou

r

36 page bumper edition • our biggest issue yet!

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association

Ag r

e ur

tur

ure

Fu

F

ut

e

Yo u r

Policy Forum, Dinner, AGM and Field Trip

ure’s F ut ult ic

Ou

r

11th - 12th july 2013 country club tasmania, launceston

registrations now open

in agriculture

book your spot today!

You'll find your registration brochure accompanying this issue of VOICE Magazine!

Presenters include:

Tim Longhurst

Matt Levey

Trendspotter and Futurist

Campaign Manager, CHOICE

Charlie Arnot

Matt Linnegar

CEO, Centre for Food Integrity U.S.

CEO, National Farmers Federation

Jeanine Sciacca Business Development, The Nielsen Company

bookings are essential! don't miss out!

Our sponsors

r at the TFGA Conference Dinne

11th Julyn2013, Thursday,ma nia, Launcesto Country Club Tas

register now!

For more information, contact Nardia Deverell at TFGA on 6332 1800 or visit www.tfga.com.au Scan the QR code to find out more!

See pages 8 and 9 inside for details

VOICE

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association

T EDITION BUMPER AGFES

your future, our future

36 page bumper edition • our biggest issue yet!

18

16 26

Ag r

e ur

F

ure

Fu

tur

e

Yo u r

ut

Ou

r

6 8

10

ure’s F ut ult ic

4

FGA House, PO Box 193 T Cnr Charles & Cimitiere Sts, Launceston 7250 Tel: (03) 6332 1800 Fax: (03) 6331 4344 Freecall 1800 154 111 (in Tas) Email: voice@tfga.com.au www.tfga.com.au

Introduction • President’s Report.

• From the desk of the CEO. Features • We grow it... now we need to sell it.

• Julian Cribb’s response to feeding the nation.

Industry update • TFGA’s major Policy Forum.

• TFGA to repeat Agfest carve and serve hit on Fifth Avenue.

• I nternational recognition of ausvetplan.

• P ublic-sector agricultural extension: what should it look like in 10 years?

• ABARES suggests 10% decline in cattle prices.

•M LA: - Lifting the lid on ill-thrift.

- Beef volumes to expand.

• Animal welfare and the Tasmanian bushfires.

• Kid rearing plan helps raise healthy goats.

• Smart phone wallet trial launched at Coles.

• Toxoplasmosis in cats – why is this an issue?

• Preventing the weed spread after bushfire.

• F uture Australian food supply not so ‘problematic’.

• How efficiently are you fertigating?

•E ating weird and wonky fruit and veg could cut food waste, survey finds.

28

Policy • Forests have a major role to play in green economy.

• Your organisation at work – some recent highlights of our advocacy program.

• Gunns Limited placed into liquidation.

• Paying allowances, penalties and overtime and Award Flexibility Agreements.

32

People • Fresh thinking important to grasp opportunities.

• Blogspot.

Editor Nardia Deverell, TFGA. Tel: (03) 6332 1818 Email: Nardia@tfga.com.au Layout & Design/ Advertising enquiries zest. advertising. design. web.

41 Cameron Street, Launceston 7250 Tel: (03) 6334 3319 Fax: (03) 6331 3176 Email: info@zesttas.com.au www.zesttas.com.au The views expressed in Voice are not necessarily endorsed by the Tasmanian Farmers & Graziers Association. No responsibility is accepted for the accuracy of information contained in the text or advertisements. Advertisements must comply with the relevant provisions of the Trade Practices Act 1974. Responsibility for compliance with the Act rests with the person, company or advertising agency submitting the advertisement. Voice editorial policy: contributions must be relevant and suitable for Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers and will be used at the discretion of the editor, in whole or part, or not at all, in the next scheduled issue or subsequent issues. The publishers do not pay for editorial submitted.

Issue 33, April 2013

ISSN 1838-384X

did you know?

• Goat meat is the most widely consumed meat in the world.

• China, India and Pakistan are the largest producers and consumers of goat meat.

Source: http://www.mla.com.au/About-the-red-meat-industry/Industry-overview/Goats

It’s that time of year again when town meets country at Agfest, our showcase to the world. We are all ready to put our boots on and put in the laps at Quercus Park.

David Gatenby, TFGA President

Does anybody do it better, anywhere? I don’t think so. Rural Youth is amazing.

Probably like you, I thought the young farmers were responsible for everything. You drive to the Agfest site and there’s an official at every turn, even before you arrive at the car park, then there’s someone every 10 metres to tell you where to go.

Where would you find these people normally? I went onto the Agfest website to find out more and learned a thing or two.

These are some of the other heroes of Agfest, the people who ensure it always runs smoothly:

...many of our members and our staff will be on hand to chat to the informed and the uninformed about our industry, one of the great white hopes of the Tasmanian economy.

• Gatekeepers – Rotary Club of Tamar Sunrise, Rotary Club of Westbury, Birralee Pony Club; • Parcel parking – Tasmanian Sporting Volunteers; • Toilet monitoring – Riverside Aquatic; • Site clean-up – Tamar Sea Scouts, St. Patrick's College Friends of Music; • First aid – St John Ambulance; • Boundary security – Tas Mounted Search and Rescue; • Car park security – Bush Watch and Neighbourhood Watch; • Baby feed and change – Breastfeeding Association of Australia; • Lost children – Girl Guides Association • Emergency response – Tasmania Fire Service.

This is literally an army of volunteers, people who are highly organised into their various battalions. If they ever decided to march to war or vote as a bloc, no government would be safe.

As you will see elsewhere in this edition VOICE Magazine, the TFGA will be back at 507 Fifth Avenue. This year we have to live up to the reputation we established last year when we were voted the best double site at Agfest.

More than anything else, Agfest, for us, is a huge communications exercise. Once again, many of our members and our staff will be on hand to chat to the informed and the uninformed about our industry, one of the great white hopes of the Tasmanian economy.

With us will be the Skills Institute, the National Broadband Network, SheepConnect, the TFGA Weeds Committee, the National Harvest Labour Information Service and PASS (Proactive Agricultural Safety and Support).

The other big news for May is the visit to Launceston by the seven-person board of our peak organisation, the National Farmers’ Federation, led by president Duncan Fraser and CEO Matt Linnegar.

The board will meet in Launceston on Wednesday May 1 before heading out to Agfest the next day.

It’s not the first time the NFF board has met here, but a lot of water has passed under the bridge since the last time.

It is a really good opportunity for us to talk about the challenges and the successes of Tasmanian agriculture and for the board to see for themselves exactly what we are capable of producing, particularly with the new era of irrigated farmland throughout the state.

So it’s a busy time for all of us, but also a time when we are all in one spot, at the one time at Agfest, penned up, captive to the passing parade of new and familiar faces who will want to chew our ear about, if nothing else, prices and the weather.

Julian Cribb is up there in the running to claim the title of 'Conscience of the Nation'. For decades, he has been raising the profile of science in the national psyche through his articles in The Australian; and he has asked the hard questions about how we do what we do and where it is all leading.

Professor Cribb, who was a keynote speaker at the TFGA’s 2011 annual conference, has long been warning about our sense of priorities, the theme of his book The Coming Famine: the global food crisis and what we can do to avoid it.

He says that the central issue for human destiny in the next 50 years is not climate change or another global financial crisis: it is whether the world can feed itself.

Australian politicians, he says, are like their counterparts everywhere else, they will not address this fundamental problem we face, “a looming scarcity of just about everything necessary to produce high yields of food – water, land, nutrients, oil, technology, skills and stable climates”.

At the same time, governments are deluding themselves about the quality of the food they are allowing to dominate our diets.

Cheap, fast food is exactly what it says.

Because we can afford to waste it, we do.

For the same reason, farmers don’t get paid enough for the food they produce.

He says that our generation is the first in world history to lose respect completely for food. “Every other generation for the last 10,000 years or so did all it could to store, save and protect its food."

“Societies that do not respect food, do not respect the people or landscapes that produce it. They don’t care if the soil washes away or the water is polluted, or the farmer is pushed off their land by profit-hungry supermarket chains, as is now happening to tens of millions of farmers worldwide...”

At fault is the industrialisation of food. The TFGA has long been advocating the need to think globally and act locally, particularly in the area of agricultural research and development. It is too easy for governments, state and federal, to adopt the razor gang approach of slash and burn to research funding. The attitude is that it is intangible; it has no direct impact on voters (especially in western Sydney) so prune it. That is so short-sighted.

Cribb asserts that there is a growing consensus among scientists and global institutions that a reduction of up to 50 percent in food production is a real possibility by 2100 unless we can adapt food and farming systems to highly unstable weather conditions. That takes research and forward planning.

Now comes the scary bit.

It is said there are only seven meals between civilisation and anarchy. If people become alarmed about where their next meal is coming from, they will do anything to secure it.

Jan Davis, TFGA CEO

A recent report by Sydney University’s Centre for International Security Studies paints a dire scenario as Asia faces a long term scarcity of the vital ingredients of agriculture - land, water, fertiliser and energy.

“How governments and other actors in Asia respond to emerging food security challenges at home has far-reaching consequences for human security and peace and stability of communities and states in Asia and in other parts of the world,” it says.

This is what our politicians fail to grasp.

“We may have plenty of food, but if parts of Asia starve, we will face security problems of an entirely different order: floods of refugees and collapsing nations in our region, and the conflicts that erupt as a consequence.

Also, regardless of its sufficiency, our own food will double or triple in price,” Cribb concludes.

In actual fact, we're already facing challenges with respect to food security. There has been a huge increase in imported vegetables over recent years; so much so that there is a real risk of us no longer being self sufficient in some crops. The logical end game of the current relentless downward pressure on food prices is that our supplies will end up coming from the least cost supplier - and that won't be a local farmer. Once we lose farmers because they can no longer produce food competitive in price with imports, that capacity is likely to be lost for good.

This is scary stuff, and certainly food for thought.

www.tfga.com.au • april 2013 • agfest edition voice

5

selling our quality australian produce

We grow it... now we need to sell it In 2013, Australian farmers have to sell ourselves and our products better. We hide our light under a bushel, a bushel of imported food – when ours is so much better.

Mick Keogh of the Australian Farm Institute had a look at the reasons that US farmers talk themselves up all the time, while we sit quietly by. We ran Mick’s article on this in February VOICE Magazine.

In the article, he noted that most US citizens believe that their farmers produce the cheapest and the best food in the world, “and for that reason US consumers should be grateful and the US government should maintain current farm support policies”.

Of course, it’s a myth. American farmers just happen to sell themselves better and American consumers believe their spin.

Keogh recently made a quick comparison of US and Australian food prices.

After making adjustments for the exchange rate, local taxes, etc, he concluded that our food was 14 percent cheaper than similar American products. In his view, the quality of trim, packaging and products (particularly dairy and meat products) was generally better in Australia, too.

The problem we have in Australia is that we don’t believe in ourselves enough.

Australian farmers are underselling themselves.

Our farmers tend to be reticent about how well and efficiently they produce food. We want people to buy Australian, but we are not very good at giving them reasons to do just that.

So here is why Australian consumers should buy Australian produce...

• In Europe, the US and Asia, Australian agricultural products are prized for their quality. If they know what’s good for them, why don’t we?

• Our food is consistently safe to eat: just check the National Agricultural Residue Survey and the National Antibiotic Monitoring Program.

• Our National LivestockIdentification System (NLIS) is the best in the world.

Meat can be tracked from paddock to plate so you can be sure of its provenance. There is no such foolproof system in the US or Brazil.

• Australian agriculture has the lowest level of taxpayer support of any agriculture sector in the world, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). It means we operate efficiently despite having one of the harshest growing climates on Earth.

• We are the only sector of the Australian economy to have reduced our greenhouse gas emissions over the last two decades. Keogh calculates that, without the 30 percent reduction in emissions achieved by the agriculture sector over this period, Australia would have exceeded its Kyoto Protocol national emission target by a considerable margin.

• We operate under one of the strictest environmental regimes in the world.

Australian farmers use much lower rates of chemicals and fertilisers than farmers in virtually any other farming nation.

• Our farm animal welfare standards are some of the highest in the world, with many practices and production systems banned in Australia that are still utilised overseas. Buying Australian meat is the best way to ensure high standards of animal welfare.

• Finally, Australian farms are largely family owned, which runs against international trends.



With just a little help, this is a story that can sell itself – so make sure you share this information with everyone you know in 2013.

6

voice agfest edition • april 2013 • www.tfga.com.au

editorial response

Julian Cribb is one of Australia’s leading science journalists. Here, he comments on an article that appeared in the February edition of VOICE Magazine.

In the February 2013 edition of TFGA VOICE Magazine, Mick Keogh notes that US citizens ‘think their farmers produce the cheapest and best food in the world’.

In fact, the US produces the best and cheapest processed food in the world.

That is, food stripped of essential micronutrients, loaded with unnecessary salt, sugars, nonessential fats, dyes and other compounds made from fossil oil. Food that is essentially responsible for the world’s biggest pandemic of death and disability from preventable disease – one that is currently killing up to half of all Americans and Australians, from diet-related diseases (heart, stroke, diabetes, cancer and obesity mainly). Today food kills more people than drugs, alcohol, tobacco, road accidents and suicide together – and society is waking up to this grisly fact.

Of course, there are some great American farmers, and it isn’t their fault. The misperception in the minds of US consumers is the fault of Big Food, or Food Inc as the Americans know it. It is the result of marketing campaigns intended to persuade people to over-consume this essentially unhealthy diet of fast foods, junk foods, frozen foods, processed foods, in order to fatten profits for their shareholders. Some vocal Americans – including many farmers whom I count among my friends – are objecting, but far too few.

As an example which every farmer can appreciate, look at the graph (below) of micronutrients in vegetables, based on USDA data over the past 100 years.

Essentially, it says we now have to eat five tomatoes or cabbages to get the same micros as our grandparents gained by eating one! No wonder we are fatter than they...

The explanation is self-evident: it is the industrial farming methods which have dominated US agriculture, specifically the overuse of NPK and a lack of soil testing.

In its quest for ‘more efficient’ farming, the US has also created poorer food than it consumed a century ago. It is cheaper because it contains less nutrients and more rubbish.

How this plays out in human health is suggested by the table below (from Marler & Wallin, 2006), which shows the link between mineral deficiency and disease: In her article, Jan Davis makes a heartfelt plea for Australian farmers to take greater pride in the food they produce – and speak up for it more. She’s right, because it is far better than US food has become. And Tasmania, undoubtedly, has some of the best fresh food on Earth. American food may be cheap – but Australian food is better value for money.

The outcome of all this cheap food is painfully evident on page 7 of VOICE Magazine (February 2013 edition).

The reason the world chucks away up to a half of all food is... because it is too cheap, and we can afford to waste it. The reason

Sums of averages of calcium, magnesium and iron in cabage, lettuce, tomatoes and spinach

Milligrams

Source: Lindlahr, 1914; Hamaker, 1982; U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1963 and 1997

1914

1948

1963

Societies which do not respect food, do not respect the people or landscapes that produce it. They don’t care if the soil washes away or the water is polluted, or the farmer is pushed off their land by profit-hungry supermarket chains, as is now happening to tens of millions of farmers worldwide, in the worst episode of callousness since the Highland Clearances or the Irish Famine.

It is the industrialisation of food that has produced this nexus of bad nutrition, land degradation and cruelty to both humans and animals. Yet many people still keep on trying to import and impose the US agribusiness model on Australia. It is a bad model because it damages everyone except shareholders – consumers, farmers, workers, the farm environment, the animals. It values only money. It reached its use-by date late last century, and should now be discarded and shunned, especially by Australians but by thinking Americans too.

Henry Ford may have shown America and the world how to make cars, which are inanimate objects. But applying his thinking to agriculture, which is a far more complex human and biological process, is wrongheaded – and the proof is now clear in the mounting toll of diet-related disease and landscape degradation.

Tasmania has one of the best natural environments for food production on the planet. As a consumer and a lover of your wonderful produce, my plea to you is that you look after it – and turn your backs on the industrialised food systems that imperil it (and you). If you take Jan’s advice and promote its natural goodness, flavour, nutrition and qualities, you will have healthy consumers who respect you – and who are willing to pay you what you deserve to receive. If you churn out industrial grade stuff for the ‘global food chain’ you won’t.

Simple as that.

Average mineral content in selected vegetables, 1914-1997 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50

farmers don’t get paid enough is... the same. Our generation is the first in world history to completely lose respect for food.

Every other generation for the last 10,000 years or so did all it could to store, save and protect its food.

1997

Minerals go down, disease goes up Changes in the rates of selected reported chronic diseases, 1980-1994 (per 100,000 member of the US population) 1980

1994

% increase

Mineral deficiencies associated with disease

Heart conditions

75.40

89.47

18.67

Chromium, Copper, Magnesium, Potassium, Selenium

Chronic bronchitis

36.10

56.30

55.98

Copper, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Selenium, Zinc

Asthma

31.20

58.48

87.44

Magnesium

Tinnitus

22.60

28.24

24.98

Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc

Bone deformities

84.90

124.70

46.96

Calcium, Copper, Fluoride, Magnesium 

Mineral

Australia needs to be the first country in the world to develop eco-farming, an agriculture in tune with its landscape and other resources, with its consumers – and which uses far less soil, water, oil, fertiliser and pesticides to do so. It’s a big ask, but I think Tasmanian farmers are the ones to pioneer it. I’m confident they have what it takes.

www.tfga.com.au • april 2013 • agfest edition voice

7

TFGA POLICY FORUM - country club tasmania, launceston - july 11-12

Building trust in agriculture Agriculture has been Tasmania’s traditional and dependable economic strength, together with forestry, mining and fishing. Yet, in this new, enlightened age in which we defend the right of all to have an opinion and to express it, they are the industries that are often most under attack.

That is somewhat perverse.

The TFGA believes that, when all else may be in disarray, agriculture represents Tasmania’s long-term future because it makes so much sense. We have the best climate in the nation, the most rainfall run-off, our irrigation infrastructure improves month by month, we have the best farmers and we have a positive reputation.

Our reputation is something we have to nurture and protect. What we have to build is public trust in what we do.

That is the theme of this year’s TFGA Policy Forum at Country Club Tasmania in Launceston on July 11-12.

We have gathered together some of the brightest minds available in the field of marketing and communications to help us develop and build trust with our community, with our potential supporters and with our markets. This is a prime task in the year ahead.

It is a truism in communications and public relations that your best advocates are third parties, those without a vested interest in your business, those not paid to spruik your virtues. Therefore, we need these people on our side. They will continue to support us if they have a real understanding of all aspects of farming and producing food. Let’s face it, there is no more basic or vital industry than producing food for the world.

Most Australians have, or would like to have, an affinity with those who farm the landscape. They have a sense of ownership, quite rightly, since we help to shape the landscape in which they live.

8

There is a knowledge gap between the city and the country and it is a serious threat to the reputation of agriculture in Australia, hopefully less so in Tasmania, but it is still a threat with which we must deal.

As a farming community, we must focus on building and maintaining support and reducing concern about farming practices.

We do that by demonstrating shared values.

Recent campaigns on issues such as live exports have damaged the brand of Australian agriculture. There can be no doubt about that. It may not be that practices in Tasmania have been threatened but there is collateral damage to Tasmanian farmers. We have a duty to be vigilant about what we do, but also to create a greater public understanding of what we do.

In Tasmania, the gap between town and country is smaller than anywhere else in Australia. Tasmanian farmers have a unique opportunity to build on a platform of shared values.

There is no doubt that consumers are ready to be engaged. We are all consumers.

We want to feel comfortable in our own minds about the food we eat and how it was produced.

Building trust is the key – trust in the production systems and trust in the people behind them.

At the Policy Forum, therefore, we want to address the reality of farming, food and fibre production and look at how we better engage with the broader community.

trust and confidence in today’s food systems. It has members throughout North America. He and his team work in issues management, public relations, strategic facilitation and marketing communications.

Jeanine Sciacca is an Associate Director responsible for business development in the retail industry sector of Pacific Nielsen. She has spent 18 years in Australia and South Africa in the food and retail industry in roles ranging from catering to retail operations, marketing and sales management.

Her address to the Policy Forum is entitled “How consumers are taking hold of the conversation and demanding greater value, and as a result, how this is impacting the retail landscape”.

Matt Levey is head of head of campaigns for Choice, the consumer association. His territory covers food policy and that includes campaigning for the establishment of a supermarket ombudsman to help ensure fairness along the supermarket supply chain.

His subject is “Consumers’ expectations, behaviour and what we know so far”.

And then we have Tim Longhurst, who is described as a trendspotter and futurist.

(Readers may recall that last year we had business futurist Morris Miselowski).

Tim Longhurst is an authority on innovation and corporate strategy and accustomed to directly addressing the elephants and sacred cows in the room. His address is titled “Adapting to a changing landscape”.

Ever vigilant to new technology, the TFGA will be using Poken throughout the conference.

Premier Lara Giddings will open the Forum on July 11 before Chief Executive of the National Farmers’ Federation, Matt Linnegar talks about the nation’s perception of agriculture.

What is Poken?

Charlie Arnot will give a global perspective of our task. He is Chief Executive of the Center for Food Integrity, a US non-profit organisation dedicated to building consumer

It’s an interactive experience that takes networking between participants to a whole new level by creating an innovative, memorable and fun way to collect people

voice agfest edition • april 2013 • www.tfga.com.au



They have an inherent belief that farmers are the 'salt of the Earth'. They are people who manage their animals ethically and farm

their land sustainably. However, they do not necessarily understand how we go about farming, why we have to use sprays, how we manage transport of our livestock. It is very easy to be persuaded by someone else who wants you to think the worst.

1. E xchange your information and contact details by simply touching your Poken with someone else’s. When the Pokens glow (green is good), you’ve exchanged your details with that person.

2. T ouch your Poken to a Poken Tag (you will see a Download Wall where Commercial Exhibitors are set up), and collect other information including speaker bios, presentations, etc.

3. C onnect to the PokenHub: http://hub. pokenoz.com.au – your private on-line portal then lets you organise all the people, places, objects and information you’ve collected during the policy forum!

There you go. You can leave your business cards at home.

That should ensure sore heads and feet in the morning for the field trip!

The field trip will take the 'walking wounded' from the night before, to pyrethrum producer Botanical Resources Australia at Ulverstone, responsible for 60 percent of the world’s production of the botanical insecticide.

Then it’s back on the bus, bound for the Hellyers Road Distillery at Burnie, Australia’s largest distiller of single malt whisky.

Say no more.

Generational transition Who will succeed my business?

The field trip winds up at Gavin Clark’s property at Deloraine. Clark is undertaking various trials on potatoes and different crop varieties.

Once again the TFGA provides intellectual stimulation on the future of our industry in one breath, a bit of boot-scoot’n’ in the next, and a junket and wee dram to bring you back to Earth!

Registrations are open now and your registration brochure is included within this edition of VOICE Magazine and can also be downloaded from the TFGA website www.tfga.com.au/in-the-news/events/

Contact Nardia Deverell, TFGA Marketing & Communications Officer on 6332 1800 or Nardia@tfga.com.au



(think business cards), places, objects and information. Here’s how it works:

The Wolfe Brothers hail from southern Tasmania. They are brothers Nick and Tom Wolfe, Brodie Rainbird and Casey Kostiuk.

They are extremely popular interstate and have played with John Williamson, Wendy Matthews, Travis Collins, Liam Brew, Crakajak, Diana Corcoran and Lee Kernaghan.

In the afternoon, the tour will visit Ian and Gloria Benson’s Forest Hill Farm at Latrobe, featured last year as part of our 'The Australian Year of the Farmer' series.

The Bensons grow and pack organic vegetables for retailers throughout Australia, Asia and Europe.

Uncertain where to go from here?

Planning can begin here:

❏ Do you lay awake at night worrying about the succession of your farm? ❏ Does retirement pose uncertainty of your role in the family farm and loss of control? ❏ Want to discover how you can transition your estate to future generations?

KPMG’s Estate and Succession Planning services could help you.

Hugh McKenzie and Nigel Briggs have over fifty years combined experience in professional public practice, assisting families find answers to these questions.

Protect your family - today and tomorrow. Find out how you can make decisions.

Contact Hugh or Nigel to arrange a one-hour free, no obligation discussion, individually or with your family.

(03) 6337 3737 Level 2, 33 George Street LAUNCESTON

dhmckenzie@kpmg.com.au nbriggs@kpmg.com.au Hugh McKenzie

AUDIT TAX ■

Nigel Briggs ■

ADVISORY

www.tfga.com.au • april 2013 • agfest edition voice

2034954 jh



The dinner that night will feature the TFGA’s favourite Tasmanian country and western band, The Wolfe Brothers.

9

tfga at agfest 2013

TFGA at Agfest, bigger and better than ever!

The TFGA will be back at our second home, 507 Fifth Avenue, when Agfest celebrates its 30th birthday at Quercus Park, Carrick on May 2-4.

And we’ll be back bigger and better than ever.

Last year, Rural Youth estimated 62,000 people came through the gates, despite the drenching rain. We reckon we saw most of them at the TFGA pavilion, which was awarded the organisers’ prize for the best double site at Agfest.

The main attraction – the 'Dissect and Dish It Up' demonstration series by Bob the Butcher (Bob Dewar) will be back in 2013 and Sean Dunn, The Gourmet Sleuth, will be working alongside Bob. That will come as sensational news, especially for the Ouse woman who drove north each day to attend every one of the demonstrations in 2012!

Set up in a TV kitchen studio, Bob explains how to divide a carcass into its various cuts while Sean takes them from the butcher to the plate.

The TFGA will share our site with four of our business partners: the farm insurer WFI, ANZ, Animal Control Technologies Australia and Telstra.

Again this year, there will be two giant plasma TV screens so that everyone will be able to scrutinise Bob’s carving skills and Seans’s culinary touch with the pan.

Also within the TFGA site will be:

These are the session times: • Thursday, May 2: - 11.00 am – 12.30 pm, - 2.00 pm – 3.30 pm; • Friday, May 3: - 11.00 am – 12.30 pm, - 2.00 pm – 3.30 pm; • Saturday, May 4: - 10.00 am – 11.30 am. ...and best of all, it’s free.

• the Skills Institute, which offers specialist expertise in training for agriculture and forestry; • the National Broadband Network; • SheepConnect; • the TFGA Weeds Committee; • the National Harvest Labour Information Service, which aims to connect job seekers with growers; and • PASS (Proactive Agricultural Safety and Support), which promotes on-farm safety awareness and practices.

We take Agfest very seriously. It is one of the best opportunities we have to tell people what we do and what farmers do. At the TFGA, we may take it all for granted, but we want the community on our side: with us, not against us.

“ Last year we were really effective, prize-winningly effective, and we aim to build on that.”

The 'Dissect and Dish It Up' demonstration series by Bob the Butcher (Bob Dewar - pictured above left) will be back in 2013 and Sean Dunn, The Gourmet Sleuth, (above right) will be working alongside Bob.

NRM North – working with

you

to ensure long term, productive outcomes with a focus on the balance between production and conservation values.

We assist landholders with Sustainable Agriculture: Promoting farm productivity, prosperous farming communities and environmental stewardship.

Planning for Best Practice: Bringing together Property Management Planning (PMP) with best practice management options.

Climate Change: Providing balanced information on carbon farming and carbon offset opportunities.

NRM North - 6333 7777 www.nrmnorth.org.au

10

voice agfest edition • april 2013 • www.tfga.com.au



“ It may look like an extremely big country show, but the prime object of Agfest is communication: sharing with people from town and country what farmers do,” TFGA Chief Executive, Jan Davis says.

International recognition of

AUSVETPLAN

“These requests strongly indicate to us that AUSVETPLAN is not only well known, but is also highly regarded by government bodies and other organisations responsible for emergency animal disease preparedness and response in their countries.” said Dr Mike Bond, AHA’s Chief Executive Officer.

“Of course AHA was only too pleased to respond to the requests from New

Zealand, Mongolia and Taiwan, all seeking to use information from our AUSVETPLAN documents to assist with their own emergency animal disease preparedness and response activities”, Dr Bond said.

“This is not the first time we have provided assistance to other countries, with AHA having received similar requests over the years from other countries including Belize, Uzbekistan and Jamaica.”

organisations involved in a response to an outbreak of an emergency animal disease.

AHA manages the continued improvement of the AUSVETPLAN documents on behalf of its government and industry members.

Australia is fortunate to be free from serious livestock diseases which are experienced in many other countries around the world.

The added security of having industry and government agreed emergency animal disease response plans, plays an important role in protecting Australia’s livestock and associated industries.

AHA is a not for profit company, established by the Australian Government, state and territory governments and major national livestock industries in 1996. With a focus on national animal health and welfare issues, the company facilities sustainable partnerships between members and provides leadership in securing outcomes to position Australia as a world leader in terms of its unique animal health status.

AUSVETPLAN is a comprehensive series of manuals that sets out the recommended starting policy and guidelines for government agencies and industry

“We are very grateful to our government and industry stakeholders for their valuable contributions in helping us to revise and update the AUSVETPLAN documents, to ensure they are up to date.” Dr Bond said.

All AUSVETPLAN manuals can be accessed on the AHA website: www.animalhealthaustralia.com.au

www.tfga.com.au • april 2013 • agfest edition voice



Elements of the Australian Veterinary Emergency Plan – AUSVETPLAN – are now being applied internationally, following a series of requests received by Animal Health Australia (AHA) late last year from countries as diverse as New Zealand, Mongolia and Taiwan.

11

David J. Pennell and Sally P. Marsh - School of Agriculture and Resource Economics, University of Western Australia

Public-sector agricultural extension: what should it look like in 10 years?

To set the context, here are some predictions about the environment within which extension will operate. Agriculture will continue to change in response to technology, markets and climate.

Cutbacks we have seen in funding for the public-sector agricultural extension will not be reversed and many continue. The dismantling of extension infrastructure and capacity in the public sector has gone too far for it to be reversed without major new public investments, and we don’t foresee those occurring. Private sector capacity in extension will continue to grow- including extension provided by purchasers of agricultural products (eg. dairy, horticulture, sugar), input suppliers (eg. fertiliser, feeds) and farm management specialists. There will be continuing increases in the average size of farms, and in the number of corporate farms, with resulting growth in vertical integration of information services (= ‘extension’) into farm businesses.

There will continue to be growth in the use of advanced information and communication technologies in agriculture, providing information to farmers in novel ways. Falling numbers of graduates from agricultural programs could create a serious challenge to extension services (public and private) to obtain employees with the required knowledge and skills.

In this context, is there a need for ongoing public investment in agricultural extension?

We believe that there is. Public-sector agricultural extension can continue to play important roles that address various market failures.

12

One key role is to foster two-way information flows between researchers and farmers.

Information flow from farmers to researchers is needed to ensure that the research conducted will be beneficial to farmers and likely to be adopted by them.

Some researchers already have sufficiently strong relationships with their farmer audience not to need this sort of help from extension agents, but many other don’t. The traditional role of extension agents is promoting uptake of beneficial new research results (technologies, system and practices) should continue. We do not share the negative view of technology transfer that seems to exist among some theorists of extension. We believe that technology transfer and approaches such as participatory research and farmer-tofarmer learning are not mutually exclusive.

Indeed, these latter approaches, as part of a broad portfolio of extension methods, can make valuable contributions to the success of technology transfer in appropriate circumstances. Farmer groups and organisations such as the Grower Group Alliance (www.gga.org.au) have key roles to play in this process.

Given that public budgets for extensions are unlikely to grow, and may shrink further, it will be crucial for public extension services to take a more business-like approach to

voice agfest edition • april 2013 • www.tfga.com.au

prioritising their activities than they have commonly done in the past. Extension efforts should be focused on issues for which there would be substantial benefits to farmers from changing their practices, especially if those new practices would also generate benefits for the broader community (eg environmental benefits).

Extension would not focus on practices that farmers already have good knowledge about and have decided not to adopt, because non-adoption is a clear signal that the practices do not generate large enough private benefits. The heterogeneity of farms and farmers should be recognised when looking at reasons for non-adoption. This more sophisticated approach to planning extension effort will require greater collection and analysis of information.

As important as social media and other modern communication methods will be, public extension should not rely on them exclusively, but should maintain a level of face-to-face communication. Farming is already socially isolating for some farmers, and with declining farmer numbers, this may become a more widespread issue. It is likely that farmers will always put a high value on personal contact in extensions.

Finally, we note that, in the past 20 years, public sector extension has been prominent in supporting natural resource management (NRM) policy for agriculture. It has been the go-to policy response of most government NRM programs. Unfortunately, these programs have often funded extension efforts without asking fundamental questions, such as: are the practices we wish to promote actually adoptable by farmers?

A more thoughtful, selective and evidencebased use of extension is needed in this policy context.

David Pannell: is Winthrop Professor in Agriculture and Resource Economics at the University of Western Australia, Director of the Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy, an ARC Federation Fellow and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia.

David’s research has won awards in the US, Australia, Canada and the UK. Sally Marsh: is Assistant Professor with the School of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Western Australia, but is now largely retired. Her research interests include extension policy, theory and practice; policy review and analysis; and capacity building for regional NRM. 

Our focus is on what should happen in the public sector, on the grounds that it is not helpful to ask what ‘should‘ happen in the private sector.

The private sector will develop in response to commercial opportunities available to them, irrespective of what we might think should happen.

kim Haywood, TFGA policy advisor - commodities

ABARES suggests 10 percent decline in cattle prices Cattle prices could fall 10 percent by the middle of next year, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics suggested at its annual Outlook Conference in Canberra last month.

ABARES suggested the Australian weighted average saleyard price for cattle will fall 7 percent by July this year to 305c/kg, followed by a further 3 percent decline to 295c/kg over the following 12 months (see graph below).

However, it is hard to see how ABARES can suggest cattle prices will decline when all the factors suggest otherwise. Demand for beef, particularly high quality grass fed Australian beef, is increasing. Beef supply is tightening as the global herd is shrinking and this is coupled with an increase in the human population particularly within the middle class sector in developing countries who have a strong preference to increase their consumption of beef because it represents a status of affluence.

MLA have done a good job in repositioning its levy income and budgets to capitalise on the beneficial opportunities presented by new and emerging countries who are showing an increasing interest in the purchase of Australian beef, and lamb.

A key factor, which influences cattle prices is the weather, particularly if it stays dry and hot and producers are forced to sell

off cattle due to feed and water issues.

Another factor is cereal prices and we have already seen the implications of rising prices for our feedlots. We may see a change of demographic within the cattle industry, but prices should remain firm and possibly rise as demand increases and supply decreases and as long as we can maintain carcase balance through the sales of all components of the carcase, given the high value of the Australian dollar.

ABARES suggests a number of factors in domestic and export beef markets were likely to combine to pressure cattle prices.

Locally, lower demand for restocker cattle and increased supplies of slaughter cattle are expected to place downward pressure on prices for trade steers and heavy steers.

In export markets, average unit returns are forecast to decline because of lower demand for higher-value chilled cuts and increased demand for cheaper frozen manufacturing meat. You need solid sales of high value cuts to maintain prices or carcase balance.

Additionally, the anticipated high value of the A$ is expected to continue to make Australian beef less competitive against products from some major competitors on international markets.

Prices of light steers and heifers in northern Australia are forecast to decline further in 2013–14, reflecting the Indonesian Government’s reduction in the live cattle import quota to 267,000 head in 2013, compared with 283,000 head last year and 500,000 head in 2011.

Australian cattle slaughter and weighted average saleyard price 10

500

8

400

6

300

4

200

2

100

million head

2012-13 c/kg 2005 -06

2007 -08

2009 -10

2011 -12

2013 -14f

2015 -16z

2017 -18z

By 2018 the weighted average saleyard price for beef cattle is projected to be around 255c/kg in 2013.

Cattle slaughter and beef production to rise ABARES forecasts cattle and calf slaughter to increase by 3 percent this year to 8.1 million head, and a further 3 percent next year to 8.4 million head.

In the short-term, the increase is expected to be underpinned by higher slaughter rates of breeding females as herd rebuilding efforts wind-down. Over the first six months of 2012–13 female cattle slaughter increased by 8 percent year-on-year to 1.6 million head. During the same period male cattle slaughter increased by 2 percent to 2.2 million head.

Over the medium term cattle slaughter is projected to increase to 8.8 million head by 2017–18.

Beef and veal production is forecast to increase by 3 percent in 2012–13 to 2.19 million tonnes, and a further 3pc in 2013– 14 to 2.25 million tonnes.

In the short term, the increasing proportion of lighter females slaughtered is likely to result in beef production increasing at a slower rate than cattle slaughter.

ABARES says average carcase weights are likely to decline from the highs recorded in 2011–12 as the number of female cattle slaughtered increases, relative to male cattle slaughter.

Over the medium term production is projected to grow to around 2.3 million tonnes by 2017–18. After rising to its highest level in 30 years, the Australian cattle herd is likely to fall slightly from 2012–13 reflecting increased cattle slaughterings, particularly of breeding females. The national cattle herd is forecast to fall by 1 percent in 2013–14 to 28.6 million (including 25.9 million beef cattle).

Over the medium-term, cattle numbers

www.tfga.com.au • april 2013 • agfest edition voice



2003 -04

Slaughter Real price (2012-13 dollars) (right axis) Nominal price (right axis)

Over the medium-term, ABARES suggested saleyard beef cattle prices will decline in real terms as cattle slaughter and beef production increase. Assuming favourable seasonal conditions, cattle prices are projected to stabilise toward 2017-18 as growth in cattle slaughter and beef production slows.

13



freedom from FMD disease status with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), a requirement of Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese beef import markets.

are projected to decline gradually as cattle slaughter increases. Increased beef production is expected to lead to lower saleyard prices in real terms over the projection period.

Exports to rise In the short term, ABARES expects beef export volumes to increase by 3 percent in 2012–13 to 975,000 tonnes, and a further 3 percent in 2013–14 to 1 million tonnes.

In 2013–14 Australian beef export earnings are forecast to increase to $4.72 billion, driven by expected higher export volumes.

In the short-term, a mixed export performance is forecast in the three largest markets - Japan, the US and Korea.

In Japan, higher supplies of US beef and low growth in consumer demand is expected to contribute to a decline in demand for Australian beef. In the US and Korea, a forecast decline in domestic beef production is expected to result in increased demand for imported beef, including from Australia.

In many smaller and emerging export markets, per person beef consumption is projected to continue rising over the outlook period, underpinning increased demand for Australian exports.

However, supplies of beef from two of the world’s largest exporters, India and Brazil, are expected to increase, leading to higher competition for Australian beef. Indian beef exports have grown rapidly in recent years and are expected to stay high in the short term, reflecting increased production and competitive pricing.

India’s largest beef export markets include many of Australia’s export destinations, such as Vietnam, Malaysia, the Middle East and the Philippines.

Brazilian beef exports are also expected to rise in the short term, reflecting increased production and improved competitiveness due to a depreciating exchange rate for the Brazilian Real. India and Brazil do not hold a

Over the medium term Australian beef exports are projected to increase to 1.04 million tonnes by 2017–18, reflecting increased demand from the US and some smaller emerging markets.

Growing competition in Japan Australian beef and veal exports to Japan are forecast to fall 6 percent in 2012–13 to 305,000 tonnes and a further 5 percent next year to 290,000 tonnes. In the short term, Japanese demand for imported beef is expected to increase, but relaxation of import restrictions to US beef is expected to result in increased shipments from the US at the expense of Australian beef, particularly higher-valued chilled and grain fed cuts.

The increase in the age limit for US beef to 30 months is likely to result in increased US shipments to Japan, with more than 90 percent of US beef now eligible to be exported to Japan. Under the previous restrictions, less than 50 percent was eligible.

Demand for Australian frozen manufacturing beef, unlike chilled beef, is unlikely to be significantly affected by the changed import rules because manufacturing beef from Australia sells at a significant discount to US beef.

With the value of the A$ assumed to remain high, the composition of Japanese beef imports is forecast to be around 58 percent from Australia, 28 percent from the US and 14 percent ‘other’ in 2012–13. Australia’s share could slip to 55 percent the following year, ABARES says.

The adverse impact of increased competition from US beef, particularly chilled cuts, is likely to be partially offset over coming years by a gradual strengthening in demand for cheaper frozen beef over the projection period.

Australian beef and veal exports to the US and average US import price 500

500

400

400

300

300

200

200

100

100 2012-13 USc/kg

kt

14

2005 -06

2007 -08

2009 -10

2011 -12

voice agfest edition • april 2013 • www.tfga.com.au

2013 -14f

ABARES forecasts Australian beef exports to the US to increase by 12 percent this financial year to 230,000 tonnes, and a further 9 percent in 2013–14 to 250,000 tonnes.

In the short term, increased exports to the US reflect lower US beef production and high US import prices for manufacturing beef. US production is forecast to fall by 1 percent in 2012–13 to 11.6 million tonnes, and a further 2 percent next year to 11.4 million tonnes.

This includes falling production of both high quality grain fed cuts and lower quality manufacturing beef. In the short term a forecast decline in US cow slaughter is expected to result in lower US supplies of manufacturing beef, resulting in increased demand for imports from Australia and NZ. Prices of imported manufacturing beef in the US are forecast to rise by 4 percent this year, and a further 3 percent next year.

Higher US import prices offer Australian exporters additional incentive to divert manufacturing beef to the US from other markets where shipments have fallen, such as Russia and Indonesia.

While frozen manufacturing beef will continue to comprise most of Australia’s exports to the US, shipments of chilled beef are also forecast to rise in the short term, reflecting declining supply from other major exporters.

Over the medium term Australian exports to the US are projected to increase to 275,000 tonnes by 2017–18. Strong US demand for manufacturing beef and declining domestic supplies are expected to result in higher prices in real terms for imported beef.

The US cattle herd is currently at its lowest since 1952 and is forecast to decline further over the medium term.

Growing demand in Korea ABARES forecasts Australian beef exports to Korea to increase by 8 percent in 2012–13 to 133,000 tonnes, and a further 5 percent next year to 140,000 tonnes.

Korean beef production is forecast to fall from its recent highs, while beef consumption is expected to continue rising, resulting in increased demand for imports.

In the short term Australian beef is expected to maintain the largest share of the Korean beef import market, despite increasing competition from the US. The impact of the Korea/US Free Trade Agreement on exports of Australian beef to Korea is expected to be relatively small in the short term, but increasing over the medium term.

From 1 January 2013, the tariff on Korean imports of US beef was reduced to 34.66 percent, compared with 40 percent for Australian beef. Under the terms of the



2003 -04

Chilled Frozen 90CL import price

Increased exports to the US

Assuming Australian beef remains subject to the existing tariff of 40 percent, the difference in tariffs faced by Korean imports of Australian and US beef will rise to 18.7 percent by 2017–18.

Korean beef consumption. If Australian beef continues to be subject to a higher tariff than US beef, growth in exports to Korea is likely to slow as US beef becomes more price competitive, particularly toward the end of the projection period.

The landed price of Australian frozen beef in Korea averaged 13 percent lower per kg than US frozen beef over the first 6 months of 2012–13, while Australian chilled beef landed at an average of 6 percent below US chilled over the same period.

In the short term, it is unlikely the tariff differential of 5.34 percent will significantly affect sales of Australian frozen beef in Korea, given the large discount it sells at compared with US frozen beef. However,

China big growth prospect Australian beef exports to China are forecast to increase significantly this year to around 50,000 tonnes, with frozen beef comprising the majority of shipments. Monthly exports to China have averaged 6000 tonnes since September 2012, compared with 500 tonnes over the five years to August 2012.

Increased exports to China have been underpinned by lower Chinese beef production.

Australian beef exports to Korea are projected to increase gradually over the medium term, reflecting ongoing growth in

Australian beef and veal exports to China 60

Chilled Frozen

Lower exports to Indonesia

50

30 20

Over the medium term, the volume of exports to Indonesia depends on the trade policies employed by the Indonesian Government. Australia is likely to remain the largest supplier, ahead of NZ, Canada and the US.

10 kt 2004 -05

2006 -07

2008 -09

2010 -11

2012 -13f

Work Health and Safety Advice



ABARES forecasts Australian exports to Indonesia to fall by 32 percent in 2012–13 to 26,000 tonnes, and a further 23 percent next year to 20,000 tonnes, reflecting the Indonesian Government’s decision to reduce the allocation of beef import permits.

40

sit Agf e l es o t C Tra W catio de A1 n sE 0 xp o

on tap, on the house

and more...

c ogn

ge

t th

!

Month

o

ne

is

f Codestioce Prac To

Be

Re

ed

Safe Awards Work

cal Guidan cti

Pr a

1 Oc

Nov

ce

–3

13 20

t

a is too

al l sm

No i de



the closeness in pricing of Australian and US chilled beef could result in growth in Australian exports of chilled beef beginning to slow.

KORUS FTA, the tariff on Korean imports of US beef will fall by 2.67 percent per year until reaching zero in 2026.

e job d

Agriculture, try and Fishing s e For Ind try us

www.worksafe.tas.gov.au Helpline 1300 366 322

www.tfga.com.au • april 2013 • agfest edition voice

15

meat livestock australia

Lifting the lid on

ill-thrift

“That equates to about $25,000 for producers finishing around 300 animals.”

The observations have been supported by data from recent on-farm trials in Tasmania, with further investigations suggesting the phenomenon may be found throughout the southern temperate beef production zone.

Beef producers have also noted elevated levels of embryo mortality in Tasmania at the same time of year.

An initial investigation found some improvement could be made through applying best practice management, such

Beef volumes to expand The momentum created by more than two years of above-average rainfall across eastern Australia is expected to be reflected in turn-off rates throughout 2013, boosting beef production and export volumes, according to MLA’s recent Australian cattle industry projections.

The forecast increase in 2013 slaughter and production numbers reflect an Australian cattle herd pushing 30 million head and a return to drier conditions in the second half of 2012. The latter may lead to earlier turnoff or dispersal for some enterprises.

Given the comparatively slow rebuilding in

16

the beef industry, especially compared to the pork and chicken industries, the impact of almost 30 months of rebuilding (Jan 2010 – June 2012) will become apparent in subsequent years, starting this year.

However, the increase in throughput for 2013 should be kept in context with 2011 and 2012 seeing a significant tightening in cattle supplies. The industry is now playing catch up.

In 2013, national production is forecast to increase 3 percent, to around 2.2 million tonnes cwt. However, the continued international demand for Australian beef will see almost all this increased production heading overseas. The main market forecast to expand in 2013 will be the US, with shipments attracted by record high imported

voice agfest edition • april 2013 • www.tfga.com.au

as the correct grazing rotation and use of supplements such as silage, but liveweight gains were still below the expected level when compared to other times during the season.

Researchers are continuing to survey producers and examine management practices and existing data. If they can identify evidence of the phenomenon, they will aim to assess its economic impact.

More information: Producers who have had first-hand experience of ill-thrift are encouraged to share their observations with the researchers and can contact Basil Doonan on 6427 5300 or email bdoonan@macfrank.com.au



MLA is funding a seven-month project developed after numerous reports by southern producers that animals appear to underperform during summer and autumn.

Project leader, Basil Doonan, from Macquarie Franklin consultancy, said ill-thrift was expressed as lower-than expected weight gains given the apparent quality and quantity of feed on offer.

“A reduction in performance has shown up on many farms (measuring liveweight gain and feed intake) in the order of 0.25–0.5kg/ head/day,” Basil said.

Calves being monitored as part of an investigation into summer and autumn ill-thrift in Tasmanian beef cattle.

beef prices fuelled by a historically low US cattle herd and falling local beef production.

Other markets expected to take larger volumes of Australian beef this year include the Middle East, South-East Asia and the EU. The extra product into the EU will be largely grainfed beef under the expanded global grainfed quota.

Trading conditions are expected to remain tough for Australian exporters into North Asia, as the combination of low economic growth, increased competition from the US and high A$ will continue to affect demand for Australian beef. This outlook is symptomatic of the greater trend for advanced economies globally, with very weak consumer confidence continuing its preference for cheaper cuts of beef.

For more information, contact Tim McRae at MLA on 02 9463 9112 or email tmcrae@mla.com.au You can also read MLA’s Australian cattle industry projections at www.mla.com.au/industryprojections



Tasmanian researchers and producers are attempting to solve the mystery of ill-thrift in cattle during summer and autumn, despite an abundance of feed.

Animal welfare a priority in bushfires

Kid rearing plan helps raise healthy goats

As soon as the scale of January’s bushfires became known, the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE) established an emergency response to deal with the animal welfare issues that were clearly going to emerge in livestock, pets and wildlife.

response was impressive. The Saturday after the main firefront, TFGA was coordinating direct farm-to-farm fodder supplies, and emergency fodder depots had been set up at Sorell and the Hobart Showground. Within days of the disaster, Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary provided advice and practical assistance relating to injured wildlife, the RSPCA reunited pets with owners and various others were playing an effective animal welfare role on the ground. Social media played a role too, with many pets and other animals located through online networks.

The Goat Industry Council of Australia and AHA have jointly developed an important new biosecurity tool to help minimise the risk of disease in goats.

The first action was to ensure appropriate information on assessment and management of injured livestock and wildlife was easily available to those who needed it through the DPIPWE website.

DPIPWE vets and livestock officers went into the fire zones to assess the damage to livestock, feed supplies and infrastructure and also to provide on-thespot assistance to producers in assessment of whether animals injured in the bushfires could be saved or should be euthanized.

The role of the DIPWE emergency response was to help get things happening on the ground as quickly as possible. A key component of this was facilitating the flow of information of what to do and where assistance was available to support the various industry organisations and local community groups that were already active in establishing relief operations.

The speed with which local and industry organisations engaged in the emergency

As the emergency services got the fires under some sort of control, DPIPWE worked with the Australian Veterinary Association to set up a veterinary triage centre at Dunalley. This was open for business, staffed by volunteer private vets, as people were allowed back into the fireaffected areas and onto their properties.

Smart phone wallet trial launched at Coles Coles has launched a trial of a new Coles MasterCard Mobile Wallet that will enable a sample group of customers to pay for groceries with their credit card and earn flybuys points using their smart phone.

Similarly to technology seen overseas in the United States by Starbucks and Google, sixty Coles customers with Coles MasterCards are currently trialling the new system.

The new trial will assess the user friendliness of the technology, its capacity to increase the speed of transaction, save customers time in store and seamless integration of flybuys points before being offered to the public Accessed by way of a downloadable smart phone app, the Coles Mobile Wallet can also be used outside Coles’ stores that offer the MasterCard “Paypass” system, as it uses the same technology.

Coles General Manager of Financial Services, Richard Wormald, said that Coles was “embracing” new technology to make the shopping experience more “convenient and rewarding” for Coles’ customers.

Coles MasterCard Mobile Wallet trial is in partnership with GE Capital, MasterCard, Vodafone and Gemalto.

Source: http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2013/02/19/smart-phone-wallet-trial-launched-at-coles.html



Coles is the first Australian supermarket to a trial a smart phone payment system.

To download a copy of the National Kid Rearing Plan or to learn more about keeping your goats healthy, visit www.goathealth.com.au

www.tfga.com.au • april 2013 • agfest edition voice



Working together delivered effective and efficient outcomes on the ground and this meant DPIPWE’s formal emergency response could be wound up after just two weeks, because the industry organisations and community groups were delivering the animal welfare services so well.



TFGA appreciates the outstanding effort made by the DPIPWE team.

The National Kid Rearing Plan, publicly released at the end of 2012, chiefly targets two major debilitating diseases found in goats: Johne’s Disease (JD) and Caprine Arthritis/Encephalitis (CAE).

The Goat Industry Council’s, Peter Lauterbach, said it is well established that goats predominantly become infected with both diseases when they are young, so the plan aims to break the transmission of disease between generations by minimising the risk of kids becoming infected “By separating kids from adults, the young livestock gain increased protection from a range of diseases and conditions beyond just JD and CAE, including scouring,” Mr Lauterbach says.

The plan focuses on hygienic kid rearing practices similar to those implemented in the dairy cattle sector and emphasises the several critical actions to safeguard young goats.

Mr Lauterbach said that while the plan is useful as part of an on-farm program to minimise the risk of CAE, it is important to note that it should only be used as an adjunct to the management of the disease.

“It is beyond the scope of the National Kid Rearing Plan to deliver complete control of CAE. Additional management practices are required to eradicate CAE and a supplementary section in the plan outlines these practices.” He said.

Mr Lauterbach added that adopting the practices recommended by the plan is a sound investment in future production, but to be effective, it must be implemented thoroughly and correctly.

The plan is especially relevant to goat breeders and dairy producers as contaminated colostrums is a major avenue of transmitting JD and CAE. “It also gives added protection, credibility and commercial advantage, to goat producers who apply it fully – it can also be used to provide additional assurance points in the National Goat Health Statement.”

While participation in the plan is voluntary, all goat producers who wish to claim points from kid rearing under the Johne’s Disease assurance rating, must comply with all the elements of the plan and agreed to the required audits.

17

brigid morrison, TFGA policy advisor - environment

Toxoplasmosis in cats – why is this an issue?

What is toxoplasmosis?

Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by a single-celled parasite called Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). Toxoplasmosis is one of the most common parasitic diseases and has been found in nearly all warmblooded animals, including pets and humans. Despite the high prevalence of T. gondii infection, the parasite rarely causes significant clinical disease in cats - or any species.

The main host in Australia of toxoplasmosis is the domestic cat. Cats acquire the infection mainly through eating small infected mammals including rodents and birds and, rarely, from the ingestion of infected cat faeces. Only young felines harbour the parasite in the intestinal tract, where the sexual stage of the life-cycle takes place resulting in the excretion of oocysts in faeces for 10–20 days.

Many other intermediate hosts including sheep, goats, rodents, cattle, swine, chicken and birds may carry an infective stage of T.gondii encysted in their tissues.

This occurs more commonly in muscle and brain. Tissue cysts remain viable for long periods.

What causes toxoplasmosis?

The life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii is complex and involves two types of host-definitive and intermediate. Cats, both wild and domestic, are the only definitive hosts for Toxoplasma gondii. This means that the parasite can only produce oocysts (eggs) when infecting a cat. When a cat ingests

During the intra-intestinal infection cycle in the cat, some T. gondii organisms released from the ingested cysts penetrate more deeply into the wall of the intestine and multiply as tachyzoite forms. These forms then spread out from the intestine to other parts of the cat's body, starting the extraintestinal infection cycle. Eventually, the cat's immune system restrains this stage of the organism, which then enters a dormant or "resting" stage by forming cysts in the muscles and brain.

These cysts contain bradyzoites, or slowly multiplying organisms.

Other animals, including humans, are intermediate hosts of Toxoplasma gondii.

These hosts can become infected but do not produce oocysts.

Oocysts passed in a cat's faeces are not immediately infectious to other animals. They must first go through a process called sporulation, which takes one to five days depending on environmental conditions.

Once sporulated, oocysts are infectious to cats, people, and other intermediate hosts.

Intermediate hosts become infected through ingestion of sporulated oocysts, and this infection results in formation of tissue cysts in various tissues of the body. Tissue cysts remain in the intermediate host for life and are infectious to cats, people and other intermediate hosts if the cyst-containing tissue is eaten.

voice agfest edition • april 2013 • www.tfga.com.au

How will toxoplasmosis affect the cat?

The disease is more likely to occur in cats with suppressed immune systems, including young kittens and cats with feline leukemia virus (FELV) or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).

Most cats infected with T. gondii will not show any symptoms. However, where there are symptoms, the most common ones include fever, loss of appetite, and lethargy. Other symptoms may occur depending on whether the infection is acute or chronic, and where the parasite is found in the body. In the lungs, infection can lead to pneumonia, which will cause respiratory distress of gradually increasing severity. Toxoplasmosis can also affect the eyes and central nervous system, producing inflammation of the retina or anterior ocular chamber, abnormal pupil size and responsiveness to light, blindness, uncoordination, heightened sensitivity to touch, personality changes, circling, head pressing, twitching of the ears, difficulty in chewing and swallowing food, seizures, and loss of control over urination and defecation.

How is toxoplasmosis diagnosed in cats?

Toxoplasmosis is usually diagnosed based on the history, signs of illness, and the results of supportive laboratory tests. Measurement of antibodies in the blood can help diagnose toxoplasmosis. The presence of significant IgG antibodies to T. gondii in a healthy cat suggests that the cat has been previously infected and now is most likely immune and not excreting oocysts. The presence of significant IgM antibodies to T. gondii, however, suggests an active infection of the cat. The absence of T. gondii antibodies of both types in a healthy cat suggests that the cat is susceptible to infection and thus would shed oocysts for one to two weeks following infection.

Sometimes the oocysts can be found in the faeces, but this is not a reliable method of diagnosis because they look similar to some other parasites. Also, cats shed the oocysts for only a short period of time and often



18

an infected prey (or other infected raw meat) the parasite is released into the cat's digestive tract. The organisms then multiply in the wall of the small intestine and produce oocysts during what is known as the intra-intestinal infection cycle. These oocysts are then excreted in great numbers in the cat's faeces. Cats previously unexposed to T. gondii will usually begin shedding oocysts between three and 10 days after ingestion of infected tissue, and continue shedding for around 10 to 14 days, during which time many millions of oocysts may be produced. Oocysts are very resistant and may survive in the environment for well over a year.

Can toxoplasmosis be treated?

Most cats that have toxoplasmosis can recover with treatment. Treatment usually involves a course of an antibiotic called Clindamycin. Other drugs that are used include pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine, which act together to inhibit T. gondii reproduction. Treatment must be started as soon as possible after diagnosis and continued for several days after signs have disappeared. No vaccine is as yet available to prevent either T. gondii infection or toxoplasmosis in cats or humans.

Can I "catch" toxoplasmosis from my cat?

Because cats only shed the organism for a few days in their entire life, the chance of human exposure is small. Owning a cat does not mean you will be infected with the disease. It is unlikely that you would be exposed to the parasite by touching an infected cat, because cats usually do not carry the parasite on their fur. It is also unlikely that you can become infected through cat bites or scratches. In addition, cats kept indoors that do not hunt prey or are not fed raw meat are not likely to be infected with T. gondii.

People are much more likely to become infected through eating raw meat and unwashed fruits and vegetables than from handling cat faeces.

How are people infected with toxoplasmosis?

Contact with oocyst-contaminated soil is probably the major means by which many different species rodents, ground-feeding birds, sheep, goats, pigs, and cattle, as well

as humans living in developing countries are exposed to T. gondii. In the industrialised nations, most transmission to humans is probably due to eating undercooked infected meat, particularly lamb and pork.

People also become infected by eating unwashed fruits and vegetables. The organism can sometimes be present in some unpasteurised dairy products, such as goat's milk. T. gondii can also be transmitted directly from a pregnant woman to unborn child when the mother becomes infected during pregnancy.

There are two populations at high risk for infection with T. gondii: pregnant women; and immune-deficient individuals.

Congenital infection is of greatest concern in humans. About one-third to one-half of human infants born to mothers who have acquired toxoplasmosis during that pregnancy are infected. The vast majority of women infected during pregnancy have no symptoms of the infection themselves.

The majority of infected infants will show no symptoms of toxoplasmosis at birth, but many are likely to develop signs of infection later in life. Loss of vision, mental retardation, loss of hearing, and death in severe cases, are the symptoms of toxoplasmosis in congenitally infected children.

In immuno-deficient people - those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy (e.g. for cancer or organ transplantation) or those with an immunosuppressive disease such as AIDS - enlargement of the lymph

nodes, ocular and central nervous-system disturbances, respiratory disease, and heart disease are among the more characteristic symptoms. In these patients - especially those with AIDS - relapses of the disease are common, and the mortality rate is high.

Toxoplasmosis infection is asymptomatic in 80 percent of people. The most common sign in symptomatic patients is enlarged lymph nodes, especially around the neck.

The illness may mimic glandular fever with other symptoms of muscle pain, intermittent fever and malaise.

Toxoplasmosis in sheep T. gondii is the most successful parasite worldwide, capable of infecting all warm blooded animals - including humans. It causes abortion and barrenness in sheep, resulting in significant economic flock and abattoir losses.

Following infection, Toxoplasma will persist (alive in "tissue cysts") in the brain and muscles of sheep. Toxoplasma oocysts (eggs) are produced by cats in their faeces.

Infection in sheep in early pregnancy kills the fetus and ewes may present as barren.

Infection later in pregnancy may result in abortion, still births and weakly lambs, often accompanied by a mummified fetus.

Following infection, sheep are immune and should not abort again due to toxoplasmosis. Sheep become infected if they eat feed (pasture, concentrates) or drink water contaminated with cat faeces that contain Toxoplasma oocysts. Unlike chlamydial abortion, toxoplasmosis is not directly transmitted between sheep. There is an effective vaccine to prevent toxoplasmosis in sheep, which should be administered three weeks prior to mating.

Source: Elisabeth Innes BSc PhD and Nick Wheelhouse BSc PhD., from the Moredun Foundation news sheet Volume 5 No 8, Moredun Institute, Scotland.

The American Association of Feline Practitioners and the Cornell Feline Health Center, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853-6401.





are not shedding the oocysts when they are showing signs of disease. A definitive diagnosis requires microscopic examination of tissues or tissue impression smears for distinctive pathologic changes and the presence of tachyzoites.

Get informed.

Get involved.

Or get invaded. www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/invasivespecies www.tfga.com.au • april 2013 • agfest edition voice

19

Preventing the weed spread after bushfire

Weed hygiene checklist Key ways to limit your weed risk...

• Ensure all vehicles and equipment of agencies, contractors and advisers are clean and weed free before and after going onto a property affected by fire. Wash down guidelines are available from www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/weeds.

• Install signage at your front gate so visitors are aware of potential weed hygiene issues.

• Vehicle and equipment cleaning should occur in a designated area to contain outbreaks.

• Buy certified weed-free fodder and seed.

Keep records of where materials are purchased.

•W here possible, source locally grown feed to reduce the chance of introducing new weeds that are not already present and known in your locality.

Fire can be a useful tool in managing weeds and even a bushfire may result in a positive outcome if well planned action can follow the fire. For example a fire may remove a mass of previously inpenetrable gorse or blackberry, reduce the soil seed bank through stimulating germination and make control of regrowth more achievable through improved access and the greater susceptibility of new growth to herbicide.

However, it is equally true that bushfire can increase the spread and prevalence of a weed already present on a property. Bushfire can create an ideal bed for opportunistic weeds to establish. There is also a risk that with the movement of vehicles, machinery, stock and feed as part of the recovery work that weed species can be spread into new, previously uninfested areas.

Some of these weeds can then become major headaches for years to come.

A range of people and organisations are involved in bushfire recovery beyond the immediate landholder. Like the landholder, all need to be aware of the risks of weed spread and what actions can be taken to limit weed spread.

DPIPWE’s Invasive Species Branch are recommending a number of key points for all to consider (see weed hygiene checklist on right) whether a lifestyle block owner, farmer, feed supplier, machinery operator or recovery volunteer.

locally made COMe e see thdly FrIen at teaMest agF

•M onitor the feed areas regularly and be suspicious of unfamiliar plants.

• Quarantine new livestock in a single location for 14 days to allow time for viable seed to pass through the animal.

•C heck for weed seeds in fleece and continue to check for weeds in areas with new stock.

•M onitor stock routes and road sides for up to 12 months after fire to detect new weeds.

• Seed, mulch, soil and rock to be used for rehabilitation programs should be free of weed seed and propagules.

• I ncrease integrated weed control treatments the first two years are critical.

•B e vigilant for new weed outbreaks and identify unfamiliar plants as soon as possible.

For more information on weed spread after fire visit: http://www. dpipwe.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/KWIS-94N47Z?open 

In the days immediately following a bushfire, landholders and communities are dealing with many urgent issues.

Of less immediate concern - and less obvious in the early days after the fire - is the problem of weed spread.

• F eed out fodder in a confined area (stock containment areas), away from drainage lines to reduce the likelihood of weeds being spread.

dulverton organic compost Benefits of application include: • Improve soil structure and biology; • Increase soil carbon; • Improve water retention; and • Improve plant productivity.

Only high quality local organic ingredients are used.

Inputs in the production of our compost include: • Fish Frames; • Bio-solids; • Abattoir manure waste; • Milk factory by-products; and • Municipal Green Waste.

zest. 5848dev

Independent studies have shown that Dulverton Organic’s compost: “increase bean plant fresh weight, marketable pod weight and marketable pod number by between 90% and 140%”. For pyrethrum, studies show: “Plant biomass, of tops and roots, increased with increasing compost rate.”

For more information please visit our website www.dulverton.com.au or contact Mel on 6424 7344 Compost is made in compliance with Australian Standard 4454-2012 & is produced utilising the process controls within our Environmental Management System, which is certified under ISO 14001.

20

voice agfest edition • april 2013 • www.tfga.com.au

agfest only

specials

ite 329, 3rd ave nue

from VDL Irrigation agfest spec ial

$1400 incl. gst

6.6 hp diesel electric start.

Heavy duty 350 LPM @ 95m head.

ORDeR at aGfeSt tO ReceIVe...

12v/24v Genquip diesel transfer kit and super charge heavy duty battery!

VaLueD at $300

plus gst

Solar portable generator Stores 120 watts of power and includes an integrated 75 watt AC inverter. Charge many devices: 230V AC, 12V and USB outputs

12v/24v diesel pump kit • 12v - 40L/min • 24v - 70L/min

$199

includes: nozzle gun, hoses and filters.

Van Diemens Land Irrigation 4B Swanston Park, St Leonards, 7250 Phone 6334 5600 or call Rob Ikin 0408 131 692

www.vdlirrigation.com.au

incl. gst

ORDeR at aGfeSt tO ReceIVe...

12v/24v Genquip diesel transfer kit and super charge heavy duty battery!

VaLueD at $300

Irtec 50FBT - 170m. Efficient turbine drive.

ORD R HDPE Poly 50mm x 170m length yOuR neO fOR n w t Ideal for small Summeex R! acreage, horse

$7500

$1400

10hp electric start.

Flow 30LPS @ 31m head.

Irtec hard hose irrigator

paddocks, pasture, seed crops, market gardens.

agfest spec ial

Genquip 4” high volume diesel transfer pump

$269

*

120 watts 75 watt ac inverter

Ecoboxx 120 Kit includes: • Ecoboxx 120 Power Pack • 20 watt Solar Panel Kit (6-8hr recharge) Devices shown may have different power requirements.

Always check the power requirements of the device prior to use.

zest. 5975dev

Genquip twin impeller high pressure pump

See us at agfe st S

Future Australian food supply not so ‘problematic’ With recent news coverage focusing on the heatwave conditions affecting Australia, not unexpectedly, questions have arisen as to how Australian agriculture will cope with projected climatic conditions – and what this means for food supply.

While it is true that more extreme events such as heatwaves are projected, that droughts may intensify and that the frequency of heavy rainfall is likely to increase, these projections are not unique to Australia. Globally, significant effort is underway to develop and design step-wise and transformation adaption processes and technologies so productive agriculture can continue feeding the world. Food supply may become tighter but the danger of global food supply being compromised is weak.

Within Australia, the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is funding a large range of agricultural adaption projects through Australia’s Farming Future and its predecessor, the Climate Change research program. CSIRO, through the Sustainable Agriculture and Climate

It is highly unlikely that agricultural production will be as ‘problematic’ as suggested by this program. Future climate projections are not going to materialise overnight. Australian farmers are used to adapting to climate variability; it is a key skill requirement. Plants, farmers and agricultural systems naturally evolve to the climate variability served up to them. Managing water use efficiency is likely to be more challenging in the future and a rate-limiting step in agricultural production. However, with the volume of research underway and new technologies being developed – specifically to use less water, or be more heat, water, salt or acid tolerant – while maintaining productivity, there is a future for agricultural production. It may not be easy and change will be required, but the community should be assured that their food supply will not be threatened, at least in the short term.

Mick Keogh, Executive Director, Australian Farm Institute 

Recently, on the Network Ten program ‘The Project’, adaption in the agricultural industry to future climate projections was discussed with a representative of the Australian National University’s Climate Adaption Network. Unfortunately, a very bleak and probably unrealistic picture of the ability of Australia to produce food was painted.

Future food production in Australia was considered ‘problematic’. It was suggested that plant-based agriculture would not be able to cope with the extremes projected, leading to mass plant death, and hence a lack of food supply. It was also suggested that Australians would shift away from

meat to, interestingly, a purely vegetarian diet based on pulses and legumes. This was because it would be too expensive in terms of land, water and grain to produce meat and it would be cheaper and easier to be vegetarian.

Adaption flagship programs, also has a large body of work developing products and technologies such as climate ready crops and seasonal forecasting technology to enable productive and adaptive agricultural systems ready for future climates.

These present just a snapshot of the research currently underway to enable adaptive agriculture.

22

voice agfest edition • april 2013 • www.tfga.com.au

How efficiently are you fertigating?

There are a number of different fertigation systems commonly used including: • Venturi injectors; • Direct injection/positive displacement; • Suction injection; • Pressure differential.

An important part of fertigation is having an irrigation system that distributes water uniformly. Otherwise, the crop will not only receive different amounts of water, but also different amounts of fertiliser.

Farmers who have had their fertigation system assessed and made the necessary adjustments have seen the benefits of getting their fertigation timing right. They have seen much more even growth in the crop, which in turn has resulted in labour savings as the number of picks has been reduced and their product is of a more consistent quality.

1. Check the solubility and compatibility of the fertilisers you are using. Ensure that the fertiliser in the fertigation tank is completely dissolved before it is injected into the irrigation system.

It can be measured by placing food dye in the fertigation tank and timing how long it takes to move from the fertigation tank to the first and last emitters in the block. You can also use nitrate test strips with nitrate fertiliser, EC meters (salt), pool test kits (acid and chlorine) or molasses.

2. The fertiliser from your fertigation system should not be injected into the irrigation system until the irrigation system is fully pressurised and has been checked that it is operating correctly i.e. no leaks or blockages.

If you are using a PD (pressure differential) tank or suction with float supply, the rule of thumb is that it takes six tank flushes to draw all of the fertiliser from the tank. In these systems the injection time is the time it takes to refill the tank six times.

There are four important steps to take when fertigating:

3. How long do you need to inject the fertiliser solution in the irrigation system for? The minimum injection time is the time it takes the fertiliser solution to move from the first emitter in the block to the last emitter in the block.

4. How long do you need to flush the irrigation system for once you have finished injecting fertiliser?

The minimum flushing time is the time it takes for the fertiliser solution to move from the fertigation tank to the last emitter in the block.

Allgoods

AGFEST

SALE at Buy in store at any Allgoods branch or see us

Agfest Site M59 on Main Street

Thomas Cook All Rounder savE Boots $2

Elastic sided boots.

$129 24

0

Superior Ugg Boots Australian made short sheepskin Ugg boots.

$69

voice agfest edition • april 2013 • www.tfga.com.au

It is also beneficial to use soil moisture monitoring to monitor how the fertigation event moves through the soil profile. This will give you the ability to place the nutrients in the active root zone of the plants and minimise the risk of the nutrients being pushed below the active root zone.

Fertiliser is not getting any cheaper.

Getting your fertigation timing right will help get the best bang for your buck in this part of your operation and potentially have significant flow on effects.

Source: Fruit & Vegetable News, February 2013

Beat the cold with one of these great buys!

Men’s Caterpillar Puffer Vest

Wrangler Flash Panelled Men’s Jacket

Black vest with CAT logo.

$69

Colour black.

savE

$10

Colours; Black, Navy, Stone & Pink.

savE

$10

HOT PRICE

Ridgeline Aurora Soft Shell Jacket

R.M.Williams Wilpena Creek Women’s Vest

$69

$99

Colours; Black & Red

savE

$26

$79

savE

$50

ALLGOODS the big outdoor store!

Launceston • devonport • hobart • cambridge

www.allgoods.com.au



Many growers apply fertiliser to their crops through their irrigation systems. This practice is known as fertigation.

Eating weird and wonky fruit and veg could cut food waste, survey finds

The poll, for the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME), showed that fewer than one in five people would only buy produce that is unblemished and uniform in size and shape. In January, a report by the IME estimated that between 30 percent and 50 percent of the food produced worldwide is lost or wasted. It found vegetable and fruit crops around the world are frequently not harvested or do not leave the farm after failing to meet tough quality controls on physical appearance imposed by retailers and supermarkets.

In the poll, 45 percent of people said that the appearance of fruit and vegetables doesn't matter; 26 percent said they would buy the cheapest option, and 10 percent said they would actively seek out and choose imperfect looking produce. There are differences when it comes to gender; men are revealed to be more concerned with cosmetically-pleasing food, with 22 percent choosing only perfect-looking fruit and vegetables compared with 16 percent of women.

Tim Fox, head of energy and environment at the IME said: "This survey clearly indicates that, despite perceptions held by commercial buyers, UK consumers are willing to purchase imperfect-looking fruit and vegetables. This food, which is perfectly good to eat, is often rejected by buyers before it leaves the farm as it does not meet cosmetic requirements.

Last summer's poor UK harvest left some supermarkets struggling to keep shelves stocked with fresh produce and taking the unusual step of apologising for the fact that some fruit and vegetables are of lower quality than usual. Winter flooding and heavy rainfall made the situation even worse. Sainsbury's relaxed its rules on the cosmetic appearance of fresh produce and

allowed fruit and vegetables that would normally be ploughed back into fields to be sold in its 1,012 stores.

Fox added: "There are various reasons why a staggering amount of food produce is not being consumed around the globe each year. In less developed countries many of the losses stem from issues like poorly engineered storage and transport infrastructure, but in developed countries like the UK, food waste is largely the result of commercial practices, such as the demand for aesthetically pleasing food products, and wasteful behaviour in the home."

He said the institution wanted to encourage everybody "from the UN, government and retail business leaders through to people preparing their dinners at home, to think about the amount of food that is wasted and the land, water and energy resources involved in bringing food to the plate.

Eliminating this waste can go a long way towards meeting the food demands of our growing global population and free up water, energy and land for other human uses."

The poll questioned a nationally representative sample of 2,007 people in the UK. Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/ 2013/feb/26/british-shoppers-irregular-fruit-vegetables

seriously injured or caused injury in an off-road or farm vehicle accident?

motor accidents insurance board

26

Registration for some vehicles may not be required by law, but it’s in your interest to insure all vehicles for personal injury claims in the event of an accident.

no maib premium - no maib benefits To arrange a premium, contact Service Tasmania or for more information visit our website www.maib.tas.gov.au, or contact us toll free 1800 006 224

voice agfest edition • april 2013 • www.tfga.com.au



Recent research has shown that more than 80 percent of British shoppers would be happy to buy fruit and vegetables which are not perfect in shape or colour. The survey confirms widespread - if relatively new consumer acceptance of wonky carrots, blemished spuds and discoloured cauliflowers.

telstra in tasmania

advertorial

Telstra in Tasmania Telstra has more than 11 stores and 4 business centres across Tasmania, so the Telstra team is never far away.

" Our staff are local so they understand where our customers are from and what the unique needs of the community are,” - Michael Patterson, Telstra Area General Manager for Tasmania.

Telstra stores and business centres provide customers with state of the art access to products and services in a live environment, enabling customers to try before they buy.

Visit your local Telstra team...

Telstra Business Centre 185 Invermay Road, Launceston.

6334 4800 Tanya Pearce

Launceston Telstra Store Brisbane Street Mall, Launceston Mick Sammut 0429 036 660

“With the rate technology is changing, it can be hard to know where to start. The fact that you can pick up a mobile phone, send an SMS, make a phone call or try out the new T-Hub® 2, means you can get a sense of how the products and services work and whether it’s what you’re looking for,” Mr Patterson said.

e ur

Ag r

ure’s F ut ult ic

F

ure

Fu

tur

e

Yo u r

ut

Ou

r

Contel Telstra Store Cnr Wilson and Wilmot Street, Burnie.

6431 9666 Derrin Turley

Forests have a major role to play in green economy

“Forests and trees on farms are a direct source of food, energy and cash income for more than a billion of the world’s poorest people,” said FAO’s Assistant DirectorGeneral for Forestry, Eduardo Rojas-Briales.

“At the same time, forests trap carbon and mitigate climate change, maintain water and soil health, and prevent desertification.

The sustainable management of forests offers multiple benefits – with the right programs and policies, the sector can lead the way towards more sustainable, greener economies,” he added.

The report, The State of the World’s Forests 2012 (SOFO 2012), was officially presented at an event organised by FAO and its partners at United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), in Brazil.

SOFO 2012 makes the case that better and more sustainable use of forestry resources can make a sustainable contribution to meeting many of the core challenges discussed at Rio+20.

The report notes that investments in wood based enterprises can generate jobs, create

assets and help revitalise the lives of millions of people in rural areas. Some 350 million of the world’s poorest people, depend on forests for their daily subsistence and longterm survival.

Despite sometimes having a poor reputation due to concerns over deforestation, wood products – if sourced from well-run forestry operations – can store carbon and are easily recycled, the FAO report states. It highlights how forest-based industries around the world are innovating competitive new products and processes to substitute non-renewable materials, and by doing so are opening pathways towards low-carbon bio-economics.

The report also argues that sustainable forestry offers a renewable, alternative source of energy.

“Burning wood may be the oldest method by which humans acquire energy, but it is anything but obsolete,” said Mr RojasBriales, adding that wood energy is still the dominant source of energy for over one third of the world’s population, in particular for the poor.

“As the search for renewable energy sources intensifies, we must not overlook the considerable opportunities for forest biomass based energy to emerge as a cleaner and greener alternative,” he added.

According to SOFO 2012, deriving energy from wood can offer a climate-neural and socially equitable solution, provided wood is harvested from sustainably managed forests, burned using appropriate technologies, and undertaken in combination with reforestation and sustainable forest management programs. In addition, by both reducing deforestation and restoring lost forests on a large scale, significant amounts of carbon can be removed from the atmosphere, reducing the severity and impacts of climate change.

SOFO 2012 also notes that putting forests at the heart of a new, green economy will require, first and foremost, policies and programs that give entrepreneurs incentives to pursue the sustainable utilisation of forest resources.

It says that this includes “the removal of perverse incentives that result in deforestation and degradation and conversion of forests to other uses, as well as those promoting the use of non-renewable raw materials like steel, concrete, plastics or fossil energies that compete with wood and bamboo.”

Article source: Australian Forests & Timber News, 2012.

ª,SQI E[E] JVSQ ,SQI« 7GSXGL 3EOFYVR 'SPPIKI SJJIVW E [IPP IUYMTTIH ERH QSHIVR FSEVHMRK LSYWI JSV FS]W ERH KMVPW MR E TMGXYVIWUYI XVEHMXMSREP WIXXMRK NYWX E WLSVX [EPO JVSQ XLI 0EYRGIWXSR GMX] GIRXVI % [EVQ JVMIRHP] GEVMRK EXQSWTLIVI MW JSWXIVIH [MXL WXEJJ [LS LEZI E KIRYMRI MRXIVIWX ERH YRHIVWXERHMRK MR XLI GEVI SJ ]SYRK TISTPI ERH [LS LIPT XLI XVERWMXMSR JVSQ LSQI XS FSEVHMRK LSYWI PMJI (IXEMPW EFSYX XLI &SEVHMRK ,SYWI EVI EZEMPEFPI SR XLI 7GSXGL 3EOFYVR [IFWMXI

2014

Enrolm enqu ent welcoiries me

28

*SV IRVSPQIRX IRUYMVMIW TPIEWI GSRXEGX XLI 'SPPIKI 6IKMWXVEV 8VMWL 6IMH SR SV XVMWL VIMH$WSG XEW IHY EY

voice agfest edition • april 2013 • www.tfga.com.au

www.soc.tas.edu.au



The world’s forests have a major role to play in the transition to a greener economy, but governments need to do more to ensure they are sustainably managed, according to a new report from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Your organisation at work

nick steel, TFGA policy & advocacy manager

February • Coordination of recovery support to fire affected farmers including fodder, fencing, voluntary labour, transport logistics and matching to identified needs.

• Attended Bushfire Recovery Taskforce meetings.

• Attended Freight Logistics Council Taskforce meeting.

• TFGA Board meeting.

• Presented at LegCo Forestry Inquiry.

• Prepared submission to UNESCO on World Heritage nomination of Tasmanian forests.

• Meeting with Stephen Conway, new Tas TAFE CEO. • Submission on the Biosecurity Bill 2012 and the Inspector General of Biosecurity Bill 2012.

• Meetings with the TFGA Gunns MIS Landowners Committee to discuss issues affecting landowners.

• Submission on Establishing a Foreign Ownership Register for Agricultural Land.

• Internal TFGA meetings of: Weeds Committee, Water Committee; and Game Management Committee.

• Finalised arrangements for TFGA to manage and RTO to deliver Cert IV Agribusiness course.

• Submission on the DPIPWE Draft Macquarie River Catchment Water Management Plan.

• Meeting with Indonesia Australia Business Council representative to discuss opportunities for Tasmania.

• Meeting with consultant undertaking review of Poppy industry regulations.

• Meeting with the NLIS Traceability Advisory Committee.

March



• Presented at LegCo Poppy Inquiry.

• Presented at the NRM Carbon Farming Initiative information sessions.

• Legal review of potato supply contracts.

• Participated in National Rural Advisory Council workforce planning inquiry.

• Meeting with DPIPWE on draft Water Legislation Amendment Bill 2013.

• Participated in Biosecurity Tasmania emergency response scenario.

• Submission on Tasmanian freight issues.

• Internal TFGA meetings of: Meat Council; Vegetable Council; Dairy Council; Wool Council; Cereals and Seeds committee; Simplot Potato Committee; McCain Potato Committee; and Committee Chairs.

• Meeting with Minister David O’Byrne regarding hemp regulations.

• Meeting with Minister Wightman on the poppy industry regulation review.

• TFGA President attended the NFF Members Council meeting.

• Attended the NFF Grains Council meeting.

• Meeting with Sense-T and partners for the Ringarooma Sense-T project.

• Meeting with UTAS Rural Health regarding survey to assess health issues in Tasmanian farmers.

• Attended the Tasmanian Dairy Conference.

Gunns Limited placed into liquidation For those on the sidelines and who haven’t been directly affected by the demise of Gunns, read on for an overview of what has happened to date.

This is affecting many farmers and their families directly, and has seen a once thriving company now being placed into liquidation.

On 25 September 2012 the directors of Gunns Limited and its 35 entities, and the Responsible Entity (RE) of Gunns Plantations Limited (GPL) appointed PPB Advisory as Voluntary Administrators.

GPL, a subsidiary of Gunns Limited, acted as responsible entity/manager/trustee over a number of registered managed investment schemes (MIS). There are 48,984 grower investors who have invested into the registered MIS with an original investment totalling c. $1.6 billion across all schemes. Control of this role is now the responsibility of the Administrators (PPB Advisory).

GPL acted as RE for a number of Schemes and either GPL or Gunns entered into over 560 leases of land with over 330 different landowners, totalling over 220,000 hectares (170,000 ha in Tasmania) upon which the trees of the schemes sit (leases).

In the time from the initial announcement of the company into voluntary administrators to the second major announcement on 5th March 2013, that Gunns was placed into liquidation, landowners have been in limbo due to statutory rent free periods whereby they aren’t receiving their quarterly rent payments.

Timeline of events to date: • 25 September 2012 Gunns Limited placed into voluntary administration.

• 10 October 2012 First meeting of creditors.

• 22 October 2012 Court extension for statutory rent free period granted to 31 January 2013.

•3 0 January 2013 Court extension granted for further extension to convene second meeting of creditors to 1 March (includes rent free period).

• 5 March 2013 Second meeting of creditors • 5 March 2013 Gunns placed into liquidation PPB Advisory is now the liquidator for the Gunns Group, and they will proceed to disperse the remaining assets in their control as a matter of urgency. This does not include those assets controlled by Korda Mentha (the receivers), including joint venture agreements.

PPB Advisory has advised that it is unlikely that unsecured creditors, including the 330 landowners, will receive any return from this liquidation.

The liquidator’s role is to undertake an investigation into how Gunns came into insolvency. This includes the date they declared insolvency, checking relevant transactions and reviewing the role of the auditors of the company.

There is still a potential new RE that is looking at the feasibility to take control of the schemes.

What the TFGA are doing: The TFGA has organised two open information sessions for landowners affected by the demise of Gunns Limited, initiated a landowners committee, plus sent out a number of communiqués and emails to keep landowners updated. We have also organised a Gunns Fighting Fund whereby landowners contributed money to TFGA to organise specific legal advice, which in turn we provided to those who contributed.

As Gunns is now in liquidation we will be utilising the landowners committee to consider further steps at developing a proposed way forward, which we will then be sharing with the wider list of affected landowners.

If you have any questions please contact Nick Steel, TFGA Policy Manager at nick.steel@tfga.com.au or 6332 1800.

www.tfga.com.au • april 2013 • agfest edition voice



Some recent highlights of our advocacy program...

29

mel king, TFGA policy advisor

Paying allowances, penalties and overtime and Award Flexibility Agreements Can you agree not to pay allowances, penalties or overtime?

Generally, you cannot make an agreement not to pay overtime, penalty rates or shift allowances to an employee if the employee is entitled to those payments under a modern award.

However, you may be able to have the entitlements absorbed into an over-award payment you make to the employee.

What is an over-award payment?

An over-award payment is an amount paid to an employee that is in excess of the modern award minimum wage.

When can you absorb allowances, penalties or overtime into over-award payments?

Overtime, penalties and shift allowance entitlements may only be absorbed into an over-award payment if there is an absorption agreement between you and the employee.

What is an absorption agreement?

An absorption agreement is an agreement between an employer and an employee that the employee's wages, including the overaward payment, will cover entitlements to overtime, penalty rates or shift allowances the employee accrues.

Important things to remember: 1. A ny absorption agreement you make with an employee should be in writing.

30

3. I f the over-award payment is not enough to absorb all of the overtime, penalty rates or shift allowances to which the employee is entitled, the employee can make a claim against you for underpayment.

4. K eep records so that you can show whether the over-award payment is sufficient to absorb all of the allowances to which the employee is entitled.

Example: My Farm employs Rob as a full-time farm hand on level 3 under the Pastoral Award.

Under the applicable modern award, Rob is entitled to a gross weekly wage of $632.70 ($16.65 per hour). If Rob works more than 38 hours a week on average, the modern award entitles him to an overtime rate of $24.98 per hour (ie his $16.65 x time and a half). My Farm requires Rob to work 40 hours a week without payment of overtime.

My Farm pays Rob a gross weekly wage of $750 and includes an absorption clause in his employment contract, which makes it clear that the over-award payment of $117.30 is paid to Rob each week instead of paying him for the 2 hours' overtime at timeand-a-half rates.

Rob claims that My Farm is in breach of the modern award for non-payment of overtime. However as My Farm has kept records of the wages paid to Rob and the hours he has worked, My Farm can calculate the value of the overtime payment that Rob would have been entitled to if he was paid the award rate of $24.98 As the overtime value is less than the over-award payment amount My Farm could rely on the absorption provision in Rob’s employment contract to defend against the claim of underpayment.

An employee covered by a modern award can make an award flexibility agreement with his or her employer to vary the application of modern award terms dealing with: • working hours and rates; • overtime rates; • penalty rates; • allowances; and • leave loading.

Caution: Award flexibility agreements can only be made with existing employees. You cannot offer employment to a prospective employee on the condition that they make this agreement.

How to make an award flexibility agreement Use the following checklist to make sure you follow your obligations when drafting an award flexibility agreement with an employee: • The person signing the award flexibility agreement is a current employee (not a prospective employee).

• You have not subjected the employee to coercion or duress to make the agreement.

• The agreement provides the employee with sufficient compensation for any statutory entitlements traded off under the agreement.

• The agreement is in writing and includes the particulars outlined in the sample.

• The agreement is signed by both you and the employee (and, if the employee is under 18 years of age, the employee's parent or guardian)

Definition: Award flexibility agreement

• You provide the employee with a copy of the agreement and keep the agreement as a time and wages record.

An award flexibility agreement is an agreement that allows individual employees covered by a modern award to agree on variations to the terms of the award with their employer.

Remember: The award flexibility agreement must result in the employee being better off overall in relation to their terms and conditions of employment.

Award flexibility agreements

voice agfest edition • april 2013 • www.tfga.com.au



2. A n absorption agreement will only be effective if the over-award payment is high enough to absorb any amounts

that would otherwise be payable to the employee.



Sample Award Flexibility Agreement Date agreement made . ........................................................

(insert date agreement is made)

Employer..............................................................................

(insert name/trading name and address of employer)

Employee.............................................................................

(insert name and address of employee)

Employee position. ...............................................................

(insert employee's position title)

Commencement date of agreement.......................................

(insert date agreement will commence)

Award binding parties, which is being varied pursuant to flexibility clause. ........................................

(insert any award that binds the parties) e.g. Pastoral Award.

Award term(s) being varied How the Award term(s) is being varied...................................

(insert any terms of the award being varied)

How the Agreement results in the Employee being better off overall in relation to the Employee's terms and conditions of employment..................................................................... (Specify how the agreement results in the employee being better off overall)

We agree:

1. To vary the Award in the way outlined above;

2. That we have not been subject to coercion or duress to make this agreement;

3. That the details outlined are accurate; and

4. That we can terminate this agreement at any time by agreement, or by one of us giving the other 4 weeks written notice of termination.

Signed: On behalf of the Employer: ..........................................................................................

Signature

.......................................................................................... Name of person authorised to sign on behalf of the Employer

By the Employee: ..........................................................................................

Signature of Employee

.......................................................................................... Name of Employee

Or .......................................................................................... Signature of Employee's parent or guardian

(if the Employee is under 18 years of age) .......................................................................................... Name of parent or guardian and relationship to Employee

Note: T he Employer must give the Employee a copy of this agreement and keep the agreement as a time and wages record.

For more information, contact Mel King, TFGA Policy Advisor, on 6332 1800 or email mel.king@tfga.com.au

www.tfga.com.au • april 2013 • agfest edition voice



NOTE: This article is intended as a guide only and is not meant to be relied on as individual legal advice. It is intended as a starting point to help you develop appropriate documentation and templates appropriate for your individual business needs.

31

advertorial - ANZ

Fresh thinking important to grasp opportunities

His comments follow the release of a third report in the ANZ insight series, ‘Greener Pastures: The Global Soft Commodity Opportunity for Australia and New Zealand’, which looks at the significant global opportunity in agriculture and its implications for the Australian and New Zealand agricultural sectors.

“The population and income growth in Asia really is astounding,” Mr Sparks said.

“By 2030, up to 75% of China’s population could reach middle class status. This increasingly-wealthy population of consumers is looking to shift their diet to more sophisticated sources of dairy and protein, and Tasmania is well placed to capitalise on this shift.”

According to the ANZ insight report, Australia stands to capture an additional $0.7 - $1.7 trillion in agricultural exports by 2050. However Mr Sparks believes that to

capture the opportunities, Tasmania needs to overcome a number of challenges.

“One of the biggest challenges is attracting more young people to agriculture. We’ve seen a bit of a decline, and if we want to turn that around, we need to change the perception of farming,” Mr Sparks said.

“Today’s leading farmers are high-tech and innovative; they use sophisticated financial, marketing and risk management tools. But it’s often a stereotype of a middle aged farmer working the land that comes to mind instead.”

Mr Sparks said the best business people will always shine in any farming industry because their sound management practices ensure they stay in front of the curve, no matter what the conditions are like.

“Obviously agriculture is extremely important to Tasmania – it’s represents a significant part of what we stand for. ANZ is committed to all related agricultural industries. For example, we have sponsored the Dairy Business of the Year awards for 17 years, more recently as the naming rights sponsor of this award,” Mr Sparks said.

“We also support Agfest Field Days each year and this year we have formed a

business partner relationship with the Tasmanian Farmers & Graziers Association, who represent more than 5,000 members who live and work on farm businesses across Tasmania.

“In addition to this, is our ongoing support of the Seeds of Renewal program which has provided more than $3m in grants to 635 regional community projects across Australia since 2003.”

Mr Sparks said it all comes down to playing an active role in the communities in which the ANZ team live and work.

“Our team live in the communities they serve, so they have an intimate knowledge of our customers’ needs, the unique challenges they face and the financial solutions that will assist them.

“On top of this, ANZ’s super regional strategy puts us in a unique position to help our customers in Tasmania leverage the emerging food opportunity in Asia.”

‘Greener Pastures: The Global Soft Commodity Opportunity for Australia and New Zealand’, released in October 2012, is the third report in the ANZ insight series.

‘Greener Pastures’ was researched and completed for ANZ by Port Jackson Partners, and can be found at www.media.anz.com

... the best business people will always shine in any farming industry because their sound management practices ensure they stay in front of the curve, no matter what the conditions are like.

32

voice agfest edition • april 2013 • www.tfga.com.au



ANZ Regional Executive for Tasmania, Chris Sparks, says there’s a need for fresh thinking in agriculture, if Tasmanians are to make the most of the food opportunity in Asia.

Connect with our global industry experts.

It will make a world of difference.

ANZ has the largest Asian footprint of any Australasian Bank. We can help connect your business across Australia, Asia Pacific and to 32 global markets. Enjoy the resources of a truly regional bank with the assurance of a trusted Australian partner. To connect with an Agribusiness specialist, contact Chris Sparks, Regional Executive, Regional Business Banking, Mobile: 0411 235 791 or visit anz.com/agri.

anz.com/agri Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) ABN 11 005 357 522. ANZ’s colour blue is a trade mark of ANZ. K12989 03.13

g o l b spot

We all know that many people in cities know very little about where their food comes from.

At the same time, it is clear that there is a growing interest in what actually happens on farms.

More and more farmers and people who work in the agriculture industry are using social media channels to share their views; and to explain the things that we all take for granted.

Each month, we’ll be presenting comment from one of these authors.

Our guest blogger this month is from the UK. He is an outspoken advocate for buying local produce and supporting local farmers. His commentary here is about the horsemeat scandal that rocked European markets recently. However, this could really be about the importance of understanding what you eat and where it comes from anywhere.

http://themakingprogressblues.wordpress.com/2013/02/15/horse-meat-the-hardest-thing-to-digest-is-that-its-your-fault/

No doubt you are outraged about the horse meat scandal. You have every right to be – criminality, profiteering, potential fraud, all have led to many people eating an animal they would probably prefer to see in the 3.20 at Kempton and possibly also ingesting dangerous veterinary drugs.

However, I’m going to come at this from another angle and it’s this: it’s your own bloody fault. There you go.

I know, I know; you’re not happy. It’s not your fault is it? It’s the government, the supermarkets, criminals and goodness knows who else.

But it’s not just them, you see. It’s you.

After a week of this story my patience has finally snapped, and it’s time someone told you a few home truths.

Many of us have been banging on for years about this stuff, trying to make you care about the need for better food labelling, about fairness for farmers, about the need to support local farms to avoid all our food coming from giant, uncaring corporate agribusinesses which churn out cheap product to feed the insatiable appetite of supermarket price-cutting.

We’ve been highlighting the unfairness of UK farmers being forced to meet 73 different regulations to sell to supermarkets which don’t apply to foreign suppliers, and talking about our children growing up with no understanding of food production and, more than all of this, about the way supermarkets have driven down and down and down the cost of meat to the point where people think it’s normal to buy 3lbs of beef (in burgers) for 90p.

And you wouldn’t listen. It was like shouting into a gale.

Through the years of New Labour, when farming and the countryside were demonised, you wouldn’t listen. You cheerfully chose to believe that all farmers were Rolls Royce driving aristocrats, as painted by John Prescott. You had no sympathy. You wanted a chicken for £2 and your Sunday roast for a fiver. Well, you got them didn’t you? And hundreds of farmers went to the wall. And you still didn’t care because Turkey slices were ten for 60p.

And now you’re furious, because it turns out

34

that when you pay peanuts for something it’s actually not very good. Who knew eh?

And before you start, don’t even think about the “it’s all right for the rich who can go to local butcher’s shops but what about the poor?” line. The number of people who can’t afford adequate amounts of food is tiny – tragic and wrong, yes, but tiny. Supermarkets don’t make their billions from them hunting in the “reduced” basket, they make their money from millions of everyday folk filling a weekly trolley. You, in other words.

Until the mid 1990s, Britain was also full of good local abattoirs. They were run by people who knew the local farmers who used them, and the local butchers which sold the meat.

They were closed in their hundreds by new health and safety regulations which made it impossible for small abattoirs to compete with giant companies doing the job more cheaply.

We tried to tell you, you didn’t care.

And of course, unlike the previous generation you were “too busy” to actually cook. You were so busy that the idea of making a meal, then making two more out of the left-overs, was like something from Cider With Rosie to you. You bought a meal every night. And so it had to be cheap.

We tried to tell you. You just pointed out that Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall went to Eton and sneered at us.

Cheap rearing abroad. You didn’t care. Cheap slaughtering by machine. You didn’t care.

Cheap meat full of crap and off-cuts. You didn’t care. Frozen blocks of meat off-cuts from the abattoir floor being trucked in from Poland to ensure your pack of mince was cheap enough. You didn’t care. In fact you didn’t know, but that’s because you didn’t care.

But we cared. We kept trying to tell you. We launched campaigns, we wrote letters, we raised funds for adverts. Nobody knows what they’re eating anymore, we said. Nobody recognises how hard it is for farmers here to produce quality meat at a price they can sell because of the supermarkets.

And you didn’t care.

Well, now you know you’ve been munching on Dobbin and his various nasty drugs, possibly for years. And now you care.

And yes, you’ve been misled, cheated, lied to. But you must also take some of the responsibility. You didn’t tell supermarkets

voice agfest edition • april 2013 • www.tfga.com.au

you wanted quality, you just watched the ads which said “175 products cheaper at Asda this week than Tesco” and went to Asda. You made the market they sold in to, you set their priorities. They gave you what you wanted.

So what will you do now?

Now that you care.

How about this…

Rather than just moaning at MPs why not actually think about what you eat, what you buy, where it comes from? Why not visit a farm on an open day? Take the kids, show them where their food comes from. If it’s a good farm, why not try to use your consumer power accordingly to make more farms that way? To make them viable.

Why not have a think about how you could make meat go further without spending more, through cooking, and thus be able to buy good, British, assured quality meat?

If you do that, I’ll stop blaming you, and some good may come of all of this.

The culprits responsible for all this will be found, and no doubt tried and hopefully convicted. With luck new rules will be introduced to make a repeat harder. But the market will find a way – it always does. So long as there is a demand for vast quantities of ultra-cheap meat, people will find a way to supply it. So long as people remain uninterested in where their food comes from and how it’s made, someone will cut corners.

It’s a ravenous beast, the market. Like its customers, as it turns out.

So now that you care, I’ll tell you that we’ve been highlighting the plight of dairy farmers this year; explaining how supermarkets are paying such a pittance that they can’t stay in business and milk is increasingly coming in from abroad, where standards are lower.

Pleasingly people noticed. Some people. If you weren’t one, perhaps, given events, you might like to now?

And when you’ve done that, take a look at the video in the link below, which details the Countryside Alliance’s hard-fought campaign on country-of-origin food labelling. Whilst you were suggesting the CA was only interested in fox hunting, it was doing this, for you, and now you know why.



Horse meat – the hardest thing to digest is that it’s your fault.

Farm insurance you can shake hands with.

Insure with WFI and you’ll deal directly with a local area manager who will take the time to understand you and your needs as a farmer. So, your insurance will always be handled with a personal touch.

Plus, you have the option to tailor your own insurance package to suit your needs. WFI, good people to know for insurance since 1919.

For farm, business and strata insurance call 1300 934 934 or visit wfi.com.au To see if our product is right for you, always read the PDS from the product issuer, WFI (ABN 24 000 036 279 AFSL 241461).

WORK AND PLAY HARD IN A NEW MITSUBISHI TRITON.

COME VIST OUR STAND AT THE AGFEST FIELD DAYS THURSDAY 2nd – SATURDAY 4th May 2013

There’s never been a Triton range more ready for work or play than our 2013 model year line-up – loaded with value to give great performance.

The Triton GLX 4x4 Double Cab is tough enough to tackle anything – now featuring the added safety of side and curtain airbags – that’s six airbags in total.

Plus side steps and 16” alloy wheels – along with its high power turbo diesel engine and three tonne towing capacity - will make tough jobs and towing the weekend toys even easier.

For more information on the tough Triton range, visit the Mitsubishi stand at the 2013 Agfest Field Days.

e ur

Ag r

ure’s F ut ult ic

F

ure

Fu

tur

e

Yo u r

ut

Ou

r

LAUNCESTON MITSUBISHI Phone: 6323 0200

DEVONPORT MITSUBISHI Phone: 6424 4422

DJ MITSUBISHI Hobart.

Phone: 6213 3300

BURNIE MITSUBISHI Phone: 6435 5500 LAM0049/TAS/VOICE