voice magazine january edition

VOICE Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association

january 2012

your future, our future

Australia’s big landholdings are still in private hands

Predicting the spread of weeds

Vegie Bulletin

e ur

Ag r

ure’s F ut ult ic

F

ure

Fu

tur

e

Yo u r

ut

Ou

r

Making the most of Asian food demand not a quick fix

Happy New Year!

e ur

Ag r

ure’s F ut ult ic

F

ure

Fu

tur

e

Yo u r

ut

Ou

r

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association

Biennial Conference, Dinner & Field Trip 2012

11-13 July, 2012, Country Club Tasmania, Launceston

Year Farmer The

of the

In 2012, we celebrate the Australian Year of the Farmer...

Presenters include: • Morris Miselowski, Business Futurist

• Philip Breum,

Australian Year of the Farmer

• Jock Laurie,

NFF President

• Roma Britnell,

Nuffield Australia 2011 Winner

• Mick Keogh,

Australian Farm Institute

• Hon John Kerin AM,

Chair, Board of Directors, The Crawford Fund

For more information, please contact Nardia Deverell at the TFGA on 6332 1818

january 2012

VOICE

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association

your future, our future

4

did you know?

In Australia, 34,409,000 tonnes of grain is produced each year (i.e. cereal crops primarily including barley, grain, sorghum, maize, oats, triticale and wheat), covering 20,607,000 hectares of land.

6

Introduction

Feature

Source: ABARE, Australian Commodity Statistics, 2009

8 Editor

Ag r

e ur

F

ure

Fu

tur

e

Yo u r

ut

Ou

r

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

Issue 18, January 2012 ISSN 1838-384X

advertising. design. web.

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.

• A guide to effective weed control in Australian brassicas.

• HAL RD&E Final Reports.

• CPI horrors continue.

• Growth in online advertising.

• Fruity Faces encourage kids to play with their food.

• Spiced up broccoli boosts cancer fighting benefits.

• Scientists develop bubblegum flavoured strawberry.

• Dimethoate suspended.

• Support for farmers but lifestyle link not recognised.

• A reminder that endosulfan use is now banned.

• Serrated tussock under attack!

• Suiting Up! • The great carbon debate.

zest.

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.

• Predicting the spread of weeds.

Vegie Bulletin:

Layout & Design/ Advertising enquiries

ure’s F ut ult ic

• All in the family.

• Industry Plan to 2025.

• Making the most of Asian food demand.

• Legislative and Governance Forum on Food Regulation.

Industry update

Nardia Deverell

TFGA House, PO Box 193 Cnr Charles & Cimitiere Streets, Launceston 7250 Tel: (03) 6332 1818 Fax: (03) 6331 4344 Email: Nardia@tfga.com.au www.tfga.com.au

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

• President’s Report.

• From the desk of the CEO.

18

Policy Issues

20

People

• Harmonisation laws

• Tasmania’s Rural Financial Counselling Service.

• P.A.S.S : Achieving the balance.

• In the Spotlight: Melinda King.

President’s Report

I enter the new year with hope and optimism; although my sense of realism suggests I might be rather too optimistic.

I think 2011 was a very good year for Tasmanian farmers and, in the last issue of Voice, I went into my reasons for that.

I think if you ask most farmers what they were most disappointed about last year they will say the performance of our political leaders. Nationally, the Labor Government has looked compromised because of the necessity to appease the Greens in order to stay in office. In the last half of the year, the public perception is likely to have been that the Greens called the shots.

On the state political front, we saw a confusing set of signals coming from the Premier and her ministers. That had followed a shift of power from David Bartlett and Michael Aird to Lara Giddings. No sooner had she taken office than the chickens of the previous administration came home to roost. In political terms I think that is called being handed a poisoned chalice.

Forestry remains a notable area of confusion and, as I have said before, we feel betrayed as farmers who also have substantial private forests to manage. There are 1600 of us and more than a quarter of the state’s forests are in our hands.

First we were left out in the cold during the negotiations to broker a peace deal in the forests, then we were hung out to dry in the intergovernmental agreement in which the conservation movement virtually nominated the areas of forest that they felt should be locked up. We had no say. Then we had conditions imposed upon us in the private forest estate when we were supposed to have been exempt from the provisions of the new order. It was a double-cross.

Apart from the irrigation development program, which I think will revolutionise farming in this state, there is a lack of vision in Tasmania. No one is painting a picture of where we are heading. That is symptomatic of a lack of political leadership. That lack of vision applies to both the Government and the Opposition. If we don’t know where we are going, we begin to lose our self-confidence about the future. As farmers who would like to see our businesses passing through our families, generation by generation, that is far from ideal. If our kids are to stay in Tasmania, they have to have a sense of optimism.

Apart from agriculture, what industries are going to drive the Tasmanian economy in the next decade or two? As key stakeholders, we have to know and we should be consulted. Too often we are kept in the dark.

Tasmania is in dire need of some stabilisation in this area. We live in a globalised economy, so what is our place in that economy? What are the likely economic developments that will keep our young people here?

In 2011 the TFGA came to rely on the members of the Legislative Council to support the farmers’ case on a range of subjects and issues, not just forestry. While that is comforting, it is far from the ideal situation. Let us hope that at the end of 2012 we can say that it was a year in which we were consulted and listened to.

David 4

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

David Gatenby, TFGA President

Apart from agriculture, what industries are going to drive the Tasmanian economy in the next decade or two?

As key stakeholders, we have to know and we should be consulted. Too often we are kept in the dark.

From the desk of the CEO Regular readers will know of my ongoing battle to get straight answers from both state and federal governments on why the private forest sector has been excluded from all stages of the so-called forest resolution process; and, having been excluded, why the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) appears to impose forest certification requirements upon private forests.

own decisions about product and market mixes from time to time according to their own business imperatives. If products don’t meet a customer’s expectations and specifications – for certification or for anything else – the customer will look elsewhere.

We were always told the IGA was about the publicly owned native forest resource: we weren’t party to the discussions, so why should private foresters be impacted at all by this agreement? Sounds like a simple question, doesn’t it?

The IGA has been largely driven by the agenda of the ENGOs. In particular, they have been attempting to impose stringent requirements for forest certification on all forest products – regardless of ownership, and regardless of market destination.

Specifically, the ENGOs want to have all forest products accredited under the FSC certification program. Sure, they say this is ‘encouragement’ to voluntarily adopt certification standards. What they don’t say is that the FSC program is actually owned and run by the ENGOs – specifically, WWF and Greenpeace.

After some three months, several letters and repeated requests, we’ve now received responses to this question from both the state and federal governments.

Federal Minister Ludwig’s response clearly stated that the IGA does not impose obligations on private landholders. The response received from the Tasmanian Minister Bryan Green doesn’t actually address our query at all; so we’ll be following this up again.

Whatever the intent of the IGA, we are already seeing spill-over effects in the private forests sector. The push from the environmental non-government groups (ENGOs) for all timber products to be accredited under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification program is not distinguishing between the source of the timber.

Private forestry resources are already professionally managed on the basis of environmental sustainability and continuity.

As for any agricultural product, we understand that the market will determine the specifications for our forestry products – and different markets will have different specifications. Each farmer will make their

We get that. This is a matter between individual farmers and their customers. We don’t need anyone else getting involved in this discussion; or arbitrarily determining that our products will meet some externally imposed standard. And this is why we have been concerned about the IGA setting expectations that will interfere in these relationships.

This begs some serious questions. Most forest products in Tasmania already meet the internationally recognised Australian Forest Standards (AFS) certification requirements, so why aren’t they happy with this standard? What business is it of theirs anyway?

And the answers are very interesting.

The FSC certification program is just one example of a wider and insidious campaign being mounted by these groups across many sectors of business. The Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) recently released a study examining the modus operandi of ENGOs enforcing their supposedly voluntary certification on a range of Australian industries, including forestry. It is entitled Naked Extortion? Environmental NGOs imposing (in)voluntary regulations on Consumers and Businesses.

The report outlined a 10-step process that the ENGOs follow to convert their voluntary certification standards into government regulations. The ENGOs are quite proud about this – and make no secret of it.

The process involves good cop/bad cop scenarios. A bad cop ENGO monsters an industry to disrupt its markets; while a good cop ENGO establishes and controls its own voluntary certification scheme. The good cop then approaches the villainous producers to provide the solution to all its problems that will get the bad cop off its back.

Meanwhile, the bad cop attacks companies in the marketing chain, demanding that they meet the good cop’s standards. If they don’t, they will target consumers to boycott those products. At the same time, pressure is placed on governments to introduce regulations to mandate the adoption of the certification program as law; and the requirements in the certification program are progressively tightened to restrict the capacity of producers to comply.

That’s exactly what is playing out in the forestry industry. WWF, ACF, the Wilderness Society, Greenpeace and other ENGOs have for years been demonising the forest industry in Tasmania. FSC is the good cop, offering a ‘social licence’. Markets for Change and others of this ilk are now running active campaigns against retailers like Harvey Norman; and also in overseas markets.

However, the standards under FSC seem to vary according to the market in which they operate; and are incredibly difficult for Tasmanian private foresters to reach. At this point only one has achieved accreditation – a process that took some years and cost a six figure sum. That’s all part of the game too.

It is undemocratic for ENGOs to be able to impose their will on industries in this way; and it is unacceptable for governments to be complicit (wittingly or unwittingly) in this deliberate and cynical process of manipulation.

Jan Davis

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

5

Feature

All in the Family

Australia’s big landholdings are still in private hands

By Liz Cotton Competition for agricultural land across the country continues but the family farmer is still at the helm of agriculture in Australia.

According to Australian Farm Journal figures released last month, seven out of the 10 largest Australian landholders are families.

Topping the list with 11.15 million hectares, including 900,000ha of leased land, is Adelaide-based S. Kidman and Co, held in the Kidman family since it was founded by legendary cattle king Sidney Kidman in 1899.

SA sheep producer Tom Brinkworth and his family run the nation’s largest sheep flock, with 320,000 head. The cropping sector also remains largely a family concern; WA’s John Nicoletti is the country’s largest operator with 110,000ha of wheat, barley, lupin, canola and oats planted this year.

Ron Greentree, based in North West NSW, has 96,500ha of mostly wheat and some cotton, and the Cook family at Dirranbandi in Queensland has 22,115ha of crops planted, more than corporate heavyweights PrimeAg, Wellard Group and the Sustainable Agriculture Fund.

David Brook, speaking from his Adria Downs Station at Birdsville in South West Queensland, says the future for family farmers is stronger than ever.

“Family farmers have the edge when it comes to efficient production of quality produce,” he says. “They are often residents on the land and have intimate knowledge of it with the ability to handle challenges as they arise.”

Brook says that while for some family farmers it has been a case of shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations, “most family farming businesses today are better equipped to take the operation into the future, with better agricultural education, including business and marketing practices, better succession planning and risk strategies”. The desire to carry on the family tradition also gives the operation more personal value.

“I guess in the back of my mind I believe that if a family member has put in 70 or 80 years work on your behalf, you owe them something to try and keep the legacy going and to build on their dreams, with the knowledge that it will continue for future generations.”

Brook turned his dreams into reality 15 years ago when an opportunity to enter the small but premium organic beef market presented itself.

Along with 32 outback farming families managing 90,000 head of cattle on more than seven million hectares of certified organic channel country in South West Queensland, he founded OBE Organic, which supplies wholesale free-range, grass-fed export beef.

Andrew Fisher, David Skinner, Peter Stackhouse, Martin O’Byrne (Manager), Colin Wilson and Peter Wade

Rural Real Estate... we get results When buying or selling real estate you want results. That’s why you need the combined strength and experience of Roberts Real Estate, Tasmania’s most trusted real estate group. Roberts have 30 real estate offices throughout Tasmania and have been trading with Tasmanian farmers for over 146 years.

6

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012



Rounding out the list are: North Australian Pastoral, privately owned by descendants of the original founders and managing almost six million hectares in Queensland and the Northern Territory; McDonald Holdings, run

by Don McDonald with 11 cattle stations encompassing 3.85 million hectares in north Queensland; Western Grazing, owned by Brian Oxenford’s family, with 3.73 million hectares in the channel country, Queensland, and the Victoria River district in the Northern Territory; Jumbuck Pastoral, held in the MacLachlan family for more than 100 years with 3.54 million hectares in South Australia, NSW and Western Australia; the

Brook family, with 3.49 million hectares in Southern Queensland and South Australia; and Baldy Bay, run by Sterling Buntine with land in Western Australia, Queensland and the Top End.



“As the first generation of producers it has been challenging at times, but we have grown tenfold since we began the venture,” he says. “We are growing our export markets which currently include seven Asian countries, the Middle East and North America, as well as filling some domestic markets.”

Likening the operation to wineries that market their region, brands and families, Brook says the products can be sold at a premium and the enterprise “is a way of securing the future of the family land for future generations”.

OBE Organic is a Brook family passion, with a daughter based in Hong Kong managing the Asian export side of the business and a son managing the production side from the family’s Cordillo Downs Station at Birdsville.

But Brook says his family’s farming operation isn’t all centred on profit: “It’s about doing it well, taking pride in what is produced and passing on skills and experience to the next generation so that the land can be just as productive, if not more so, in a 1000 years.

We understand that it all takes time; we can’t go any faster than the seasons allow us.”

Brook says that in his experience, the family farming business has been attractive for financial lenders.

“Many lenders understand that family farms operate on a much longer time span. We are not buying the land as a capital investment, we are buying without the intention of selling, to pass on to the next generation, so capital profit is of little interest because there are no plans to realise it.

“The lenders, therefore, aren’t looking for a return in the same way shareholders and public companies are.

“Rather, they know the investment is a generational one.”

Brook believes, however, that there are challenges for young people keen to own their own patch of land. “It is very hard for young people starting from scratch to achieve economies of scale like those who have inherited land or like big investors,” he says. “Land values have increased across many parts of the country and so too have input costs, but returns have not increased relative to these factors.”

In the past decade, competition for farm land has increased with corporate entities

such as Macquarie’s Paraway Pastoral rapidly expanding its footprint and well on the way to becoming the nation’s most diversified farming business. It operates 18 pastoral businesses across Northern Australia, and Northern and Southern NSW, with about 240,000 sheep and 220,000 cattle. It is also growing its soft commodities production.

Other competitors for farm land include conservation groups, mining companies, managed funds, foreign investors and sovereign funds.

Colliers International Director of Rural and Agribusiness Phil Schell says family farmers need not be overly concerned with the level of offshore and corporate investment in Australia.

“There is a lot of attention around foreign investors but they have always played a part in Australian agribusiness. They come and they go. The majority are interested in agribusinesses as opposed to farm land.”

This article appears by kind permission of the Weekend Australian, in which it first appeared on November 19, 2011



It’s tIme to take a close look at your share portfolIo Bell Potter, one of Australia’s leading private client stockbroking and investment advisory firms, can help you work out an appropriate strategy for these uncertain times.

Bell Potter offers a full range of services including stockbroking – equities & derivatives, fixed interest, portfolio administration, cash management, margin lending, and superannuation.

Our Hobart team is dedicated to serving the needs of the local community. Committed to delivering outstanding service and sound advice, we visit local and rural areas to discuss our clients’ needs.

To arrange for an appointment or to review your portfolio, contact Sam Young syoung@bellpotter.com.au or Luke Rybarczyk lrybarczyk@bellpotter.com.au or call 1800 807 940 Bell Potter Securities Limited ABN 25 006 390 772 AFSL No. 243480 www.bellpotter.com.au

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

7

Industry Plan A group of leading players in agriculture in Tasmania has begun a thought-provoking exercise to design and implement an industry plan through to the year 2025.

The State Government has agreed that an agricultural plan is an important part of its overall economic development plan; and has funded TFGA to develop this.

Last month, a group of about 30 people met at St Helens in November to have a two-day brainstorming session. The group included farmers, agribusiness representatives, researchers and agricultural consultants and government representatives.

The outcomes of that meeting will soon be circulated throughout the industry as a prelude to developing the plan itself.

It was interesting to see how the meeting progressed. Animated discussions were ably facilitated by our patient and skilful strategist, Alan Cartwright. At one point on the first day, we were in grave danger of doing what farmers seem to do best: whinge about governments. Brought to order, we focussed our minds on the task at hand and adopted what we called a Team Agriculture approach to formulating that vision for the industry through to 2025. Of prime importance to us is to ensure that we can meet the standards and achieve the goals outlined in the vision.

The Team Agriculture approach was quite appropriate; since we were not only farmers, we were representing agribusiness, associated businesses and business organisations, the university and elements of the government.

It imbued a quite deliberate ethos of “all for one and one for all”; a unity of purpose; in guaranteeing that agriculture, with its diverse core businesses and associated enterprises, will continue to drive the Tasmanian economy in the years ahead.

The vision we formulated was that we would strive to identify and brand Tasmanian-grown food, fibre and other products as being synonymous with the

8

Tasmanian traits of premium quality, individuality and reliability.

We listed as priorities: • t hat agriculture will continue to be a vibrant, sustainable industry that is a leading force in the state economy and delivers prosperity to all Tasmanians; •w e will be responsible for our performance and behaviour as an industry; •w e will position and drive a positive image and view of Tasmanian agriculture; •w e will attract and develop people working in agriculture; •w e will work to improve the operating environment to conduct the business of agriculture; •w e will work to deliver infrastructure improvements to expand agriculture; and •w e will work to deliver faster industry improvements from research and technology and innovation.

To get to that position, we agreed that the strong points of Tasmanian agriculture today far outweigh what we termed the “rusty” points.

Our strengths were seen to include our people; our diversified, high quality produce; the growth potential brought by the irrigation schemes; climate change positioning us well; our strong biosecurity status; the fact that we can produce counter-seasonal commodities; and that we are well perceived by the public, that is, the non-farming public are very supportive.

On the downside, we do not always respond quickly to commercial change; our ‘sell’ message overseas is not co-ordinated;

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

small towns in Tasmania too often lack infrastructure to support farm growth; we face a duopoly of supermarkets; our planning system is often incomprehensible; and, most significantly, agriculture as an economic driver is taken for granted.

The people component is fundamental to the future of agriculture here. We have to attract people to work in agriculture and get rid of the image in the mind of many people that agriculture is about an old bloke in a battered hat leaning on a barbed wire fence.

We have to change that image and we have to change it quickly. Agriculture, in its broadest definition, is about a range of skills, trades and professions working together to achieve outcomes that are critical not only to our own economic prosperity, but also to our continued contribution to world food and fibre production.

Therefore, we have to promote agriculture as a career; and we have to look at such things as creating our own employment pool in Tasmania, where people can be mobile to build their expertise and value to the industry; and we have to look at the packages we are able to offer people to engage in that work.

In the short-term we want to sharpen the plan, test it, discuss it as widely as possible and gain support for it from the broadest industry group. Our plan is to launch the plan by June 30 next year.

We are very keen to hear what you have to say about it. Contact the TFGA for more details.

Jan Davis

Making the most of Asian food demand - not a quick fix Australian Farm Institute (AFI) recently held a Roundtable, in Melbourne. The keynote speaker was Reserve Bank Assistant Governor, Phillip Lowe, who indicated that the outlook for agriculture prices and returns looked “quite favourable”.

Lowe said he believed Australian farmers were currently beneficiaries of higher prices due to uncertainty surrounding food security, increased use of food for bio-fuel production and, that Asian demand for minerals was carrying through to increased Asian demand for food, in spite of the uncertainties and high level of the Australian dollar.

He made the point that steady growth in incomes of many hundreds of millions of Asian consumers who are living in countries relatively close to Australia, meant that consumption of foods would increase but that taking advantage of this new demand requires agriculture doing more food valueadding instead of relying on producing and exporting bulk commodities.

In the face of increasing demand for meat and grain protein over the past year or two, few would dispute this broad view.

However, it also clear that this will not be easily achieved without recognising the important supply chain linkages that make this possible and implementing long-sighted government policy that supports this understanding.

Let’s look at a few of the current impediment to this happening.

For a start, adding value to agriculture produce calls for technical skills, competitiveness and new infrastructure investment. As most value-adders know, such opportunities are built on already established market linkages and operations taking place on a scale that underpins new product development. This production scale and, in turn, competitiveness is

generally reliant on finding markets for the commodity production (as that pays the overheads), rather than an implied redirection of effort or change in attitude towards value-adding.

food shortage, Australia is falling short with productivity increasing research and development expenditure, this declining in real terms – mostly in favour of the environment.

Put another way, producing cheap food on increasingly large scale farming operations is well understood in farming circles; but the same drivers also apply to value-adding agricultural production into foods that the emerging high income Asian consumers want to buy. Many Australian processors are struggling in this role. It is difficult to see how on the one hand value-adding opportunities are emerging; while at the same time value-adders are seriously questioning their competitiveness and, in some cases, closing doors in Australia.

Andrew Inglis, Chair of the Future Farm Industries Co-operative Research Centre, also spoke at the AFI meeting. He said “Given global food security concerns, you’d expect more research to lift productivity, it is a paradox”.

Expectations need to match commercial reality. Apart from needing to attract increased foreign capital to supplement investment in infrastructure, Australian value-adders also need to be as competitive as anywhere else in the world to remain in business. Otherwise we just ship our agricultural production offshore, like the mining sector does. It seems that adding value to perishable primary products, and doing so in a relatively rigid labour market and tough regulatory environment, is not well understood – especially in terms of the competitiveness.

But the problem does not end there.

William Johnson, CEO of the US based Heinz was reported recently as saying, in relation to home brand product and retail dominance “The reality on Australia [is that it has] almost come to the point that it is .... immaterial to us going forward because it has taken such a hit. ...We are confronting a combination of weak categories, relentless promotional pressure, and growing private label , as well as executional issues”.

It is to be hoped these issues will have increased focus following the current Senate Inquiry into Food Processing in Australia.

However, there is also reason to suggest that when it comes to capacity building agriculture for what looks like emerging

The R&D funding statistics support this concern, in that expenditure on direct agriculture research has declined by more than 40% over the past five years and this already appears to be showing up in reduced annual agriculture productivity growth – to around 1.4% annually - from more than 2% in the 1990s. Certainly it cannot all be explained by the drought years alone.

Whether government will address these concerns is also in question, as there appears to be an increasing cultural belief in government that agriculture will find the resources if the public purse no longer obliges. Nowhere is this more evident than in relation to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Rural Research and Development Corporations – which recommended a substantial cut in public funds matching arrangements. Fortunately the government has ignored the recommendation – for now.

Cuts in funding (and overseas trade office closures) are also evident in relation to the Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) funding which has successfully helped prospective exporters to find export customers and undertake market research over the past 10-15 years.

The takeout message is that, if the agriculture sector is to continue to deliver productivity gains – and high quality food, fibre and other products – it cannot do it on its own. There is a need for broader support from the government and the community.

Andrew Heap

Vegetable Industry Facilitator

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

9

Legislative and Governance Forum on Food Regulation Australian and New Zealand ministers responsible for the regulation of food and beverages met in Melbourne today to consider their response to the recommendations in the Food Labelling Review Report, Labelling Logic.

Today’s meeting, chaired by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, Catherine King, was the first meeting of the Legislative and Governance Forum on Food Regulation (Forum). The Forum on Food Regulation replaces the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council.

In considering the 61 recommendations of the food labelling review to formulate an agreed, all of government response, Forum members acknowledged the challenge faced by the Review Panel as it considered issues which generated considerable debate during the Review.

“Many of the issues have been the subject of deliberation by governments in Australia and New Zealand and internationally for some time now, and it is acknowledged that some issues will continue to be a focus in the future as we strive to improve public health and maintain our food safety, security and sustainability,” Ms King said.

“In considering its response to the

10

recommendations, the Forum proposed actions and implementation over the next five years that endeavour to balance improving the information on food labelling to meet consumers’ needs, against maintaining marketing flexibility and minimizing the regulatory burden on industry and barriers to trade.

The full response will be available on the Food Regulation website.

Some of the key initiatives agreed by the Forum on Food Regulation include: • National Nutrition Policy: Ministers agreed to the development of a comprehensive National Nutrition Policy and the development of guidelines that will outline the expectations of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) in relation to the role of food standards in supporting public health objectives; • Food Labelling: Ministers agreed to a framework that will guide decision making on food labelling matters using a three tiered hierarchy consisting of food safety, followed by preventative health and consumer values issues. It was agreed that any new technology would be considered on a case by case basis against this hierarchy.

• Front of Pack Labelling: Ministers agreed to the need for an easily understood, interpretive front-of-pack labeling system for packaged foods. The Forum on

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

Food Regulation will lead a collaborative process with key industry, public health and consumer stakeholders to develop an agreed system within a year. Ministers have required officials to provide a substantial report on the development of a front of pack labelling (FoPL) scheme within six months, to be considered at the June meeting of the Forum, with a view to having a system by the end of next year.

The aim is to avoid the proliferation of different FoPL systems and the potential for consumer confusion from conflicting or inconsistent nutrition messages.

• Pregnancy warning labels on alcohol: Ministers agreed that warnings about the risks of consuming alcohol while pregnant should be pursued. Industry is to be given the opportunity to introduce appropriate labelling on a voluntary basis for a period of two years before regulating for this change.

• Health claims: Ministers considered a presentation by Food Standards Australia New Zealand on its work to develop a new standard for Nutrition, Health and Related Claims to help inform their decision on the Labelling Review recommendation on nutrition and health claims. FSANZ have now been asked to undertake broad consultation on the draft standard before a final standard is presented to Ministers.

Article reproduced with permission of Food Standards Australia New Zealand

Predicting the spread of weeds Understanding the factors that encourage the spread of weeds is crucial to predicting future invasion hotspots and limiting the damage exotic species do to the landscape.

Research conducted by the University of Melbourne and Victoria’s Department of Sustainability and Environment during Phase 1 of the National Weeds and Productivity Research Program has developed the first multi-species model for predicting weed spread.

Lead researcher Jane Catford, of the School of Botany at the University of Melbourne, said the new model was based on historical occupancy and abundance data, and took

A lesser known alien wetland plant water primrose (Ludwigia peploides) Image: Dr Jane Catford, University of Melbourne Sourced: https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/items/11-078

weed forecasting beyond single-species predictions.

“The approach is flexible and can be applied in different biomes, at multiple scales and to different groups of taxa,” Dr Catford said.

“Quantifying general processes of plant invasion and predicting invasion risk will improve the efficiency of weed surveillance and control.”

Using spatially referenced historical data on the locations of non-native plant species, the research team modelled the species’ expected cover as a function of environmental conditions and the geographic location of a site.

“This work holds out the promise that, by quantifying processes that influence the distribution and abundance of exotic plants, it is possible to predict habitats and regions that are vulnerable to invasion irrespective of geographic region,” Dr Catford said.

“Given the threat posed by increasing numbers of invaders, such a general approach to invasion risk might be an extremely valuable tool for ecologists, land managers and regulators.

Testing the model in a case study region covering Victoria’s Corangamite catchment, researchers found that weed invasion was highest near areas of human activity and near the edges of vegetation fragments where native vegetation cover was relatively low.

Mapping of weed coverage in Victoria’s Corangamite catchment.

Image: Dr Jane Catford, University of Melbourne

The other areas most vulnerable to general exotic plant invasion, for both presence and abundance, were near towns and along roads.

Sites with high vegetation cover had a greater probability of weed occupancy, but a lower proportional abundance of invaders.

“Moving beyond species-based predictions will enable more efficient management and surveillance; will ensure that the majority of species causing an exotic plant incursion are dealt with; and can suggest areas vulnerable to future invasion by functionally similar species.”

Funding for this project was provided by the National Weeds and Productivity Research Program and the Applied Environmental Decision Analysis, Commonwealth Environmental Research Facility.

PERLKA & ALZON 46- FERTILISERS FOR THE BEST GROWERS With the best growers switching; you need to ask SHOULD I BE GROWING WITH PERLKA OR ALZON??

CHECK FOR YOURSELF....

 Sick of nitrogen losses from leaching running to rivers and oceans?  Fed up with the need to side-dress constantly to increase yield?  Annoyed at weeds and diseases invading and destroying your crops?

Phone James 0414 255586

AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURAL MARKETING ORGANISATION PTY LTD AUSTRALIA/NZ DISTRIBUTOR- email JamesCathcart@bigpond.com Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

11

Vegie Bulletin

Controlling Wee ds in Broccoli, Cau liflower and Brussels Spro uts

A Guide to Effect ive Weed Control in Australian Brassi cas Background Effective weed mana gement is an essential requiremen t for reliably achie ving high quality brass Key Points ica produce. By taking a long term view of • Reduce the weed manageme seed bank prior nt and to planting adopting an integr • Transplant into ated weed mana weed free beds gement strategy, you can • Apply approp consistently contro riate pre-emergence l the herbicides before weeds that comp and/or immediately ete with brassica post transplanting crops.

In-crop weed mana • Herbicides MUST gement requires be used correct ly a long term integr • Inter-row cultivat ated approach. e OR use knockd own herbicide through Weed manageme protected sprayer nt commences s to control weeds later prior in the crop as required to planting of the • Post-harvest crop and does clean up is essenti not al stop until the crop has been harve sted and residual produ ce/weeds are destroyed or cultiva Introduction ted.

This brochure is a guide to integrate Conducting all activit d weed manage Australian broccoli ies at the right ment in , cauliflower and Brussels sprout It provides an overview time is the key to crops. of weed manage successful integr these crops based ment methods in ated on research conduct weed control. Being Australia Limited. ed for Horticulture There are 3 key too late reduces steps to effective management. weed These are: effectiveness and can lead to poor 1. Plan your rotation s weed control.

2. Identify your weeds

Fruity Faces encourage kids to play with their food

3.

Edible stickers are the latest innovation designed to get kids excited about eating fruit and vegetables. The stickers, which dissolve in the mouth, can be applied by kids to fruit and vegetables to form faces, and then eaten.

The aim of the stickers is to get young children to engage more with healthy food at a younger age.

management strategy

A Guide to Effective Weed Control in Australian Brassicas (VG09137) A guide to integrated weed management in Australian broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprout crops has recently been completed.

CPI horrors continue The September quarter Consumer Price Index numbers released by the Australian Bureau of statistics (ABS) showed a rise of 6.4 per cent for food compared to the same quarter in 2010.

Develop your weed

“The Vegetable Industry Development Program the vegetable levy is funded by HAL and matched funds using from the Australian Government”.

deflation of about 2.6 per cent.

If you are to believe both ABS and retailer numbers, food prices in all other venues such as green grocers, fast food outlets and restaurants have lifted more than 20 per cent in the past year.

Once again, this is completely different to the average price changes quoted by major grocers who posted quarterly sales updates in the same week.

Hard to imagine that fast food has been able to get away with price rises in the past year as major chains have been duelling on “value meal” credentials to attract the same frugal consumers that are opting for cheaper groceries.

The two major supermarkets, which account for about 50 – 55 per cent of all spending on all food, issued their own volume-weighted inflation numbers which are estimated to average out at an annual

What does this mean? Some food category inflation has been strong over the past year due to seasonal conditions, but it is time calculation methods take into account the reality of the overall cost of living.

Effective weed management is an essential requirement for reliably achieving high quality brassica produce. By taking a longterm view of weed management and adopting an integrated weed management strategy, you can consistently control the weeds that compete with brassica crops.

Transplanting was documented as the most critical time for obtaining good in-crop weed control. This is when most herbicides available for use in vegetable brassicas are applied. There are currently six different actives which are registered for application just before or just after transplanting, and before weeds have emerged.

To access an electronic copy go to the TFGA website.

To arrange for a hard copy to be mailed to you, please contact Stephanie Drum on 03 9882 2670 or at stephanied@rmcg.com.au.

wish you had an extra pair of hands?

Cooper’s Rural Contracting is the next best thing!

Providing reliable service and support for busy farmers and managers throughout Tasmania.

Specialising in...

• Livestock fencing • Post & rail fencing • Labour hire • Machinery hire • Pipe laying & rural plumbing • Sheep & cattle yard construction

12

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

justin cooper 0417 331 862

coopersrural@gmail.com

Growth in online advertising The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has found that the total online advertising market, which includes display, search and classified advertising, increased 20.2 per cent to $2.46 billion during 2010/11.

Spending on the subset market of online display advertising – which includes banner ads, website sponsorship, advertorials, video advertising and direct mail – climbed 12 per cent to $635 million during 2010/11.

It is estimated this will jump to $1.05 billion in five years’ time suggesting a compound annual growth rate slowing slightly to 10.6 per cent.

The fastest growth in the display ad market was spending on video advertising that come up every time you click on a news video insert. This is expected to take 30 per cent of the $1 billion online display market in five years.

The other small surge may come from spending on ads that pop up on mobiles.

While 46 per cent of Australians now own internet enabled smartphones, just $14 million was spent on mobile advertising in 2010/11. However, it is estimate it will take 8 per cent of the display market in five years.

The market for mobile advertising is held back by the lack of local mobile content websites, the sluggish acceptance of the medium by advertisers and cheaper alternatives for online advertising. However the penetration and extended use of mobile devices may change these barriers.

longford 24 Wellington Street Ph. 6391 2922

Spiced up broccoli boosts cancer fighting benefits British researchers have found that pairing raw broccoli with certain spices such as mustard and horseradish leads to greater levels of cancer fighting compounds in the human bloodstream.

The study found that reactions between the broccoli and the spices caused higher levels of a compound called sulforaphane, which has been found to assist in the prevention of cancer.

HAL RD&E Final Reports

•E ffect of using reclaimed water on soil health and crop sustainability (MT09097) - Primary Investigator: Belinda Rawnsley, South Australia Research and Development Institute (SARDI)

A number of HAL RD&E projects have recently been completed.

Final reports for the following projects are now available on the HAL website. The final reports will also be available through the R&D Insights Database on the AUSVEG website next week.

•N ational greenhouse waste-water recycling project (VG09073) - Primary Investigator: Graeme Smith, Graeme Smith Consulting

• Benchmarking soil health for improved crop health, quality and yields in the temperate Australian vegetable industries (VG07008) - Primary Investigator: Ian Porter, Victorian DPI • Workshop on precision agriculture and mechanisation in the vegetable industry (VG10108) - Primary Investigator: Richard Mulcahy, AUSVEG

montrose 10B Duncan Street. Ph. 6273 6080 www.midlandstractors.com

• I ntegrated management of soilborne pathogens (Sclerotina beans, lettuce, carrots, celery and other) (VG07126) - Primary Investigator: Oscar Villalta, Victorian DPI •D riving better vegetable irrigation through profitable practice change (VG07023) Primary Investigator: Craig Henderson, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) •D evelopment of a crop scheduling program for babyleaf spinach in the major growing regions of Australia (VG08167) Primary Investigator: Gordon Rogers, AHR Environmental.

latrobe 6 Speedway Drive Ph. 6426 1666

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

13

A reminder that endosulfan use is now banned A recent teleconference of the endosulfan working group served as a timely reminder about the chemical.

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) cancelled all uses of the insecticide ensosulfan in October 2010. The five registered products containing endosulfan are being phased out over a two year period.

This time period has been imposed because of the relatively limited amounts of endosulfan in use and is in line with phase out periods imposed by other national regulators who have similarly taken recent action against endosulfan.

Growers are reminded that the following

instructions have been issued by the APVMA for the phase out period: • P ossession and custody of existing stocks of cancelled active constituent is permitted until 11 October, 2012. Possession and custody of existing stocks of products containing endosulfan is permitted until 12 October, 2012.

• S upply of the active constituent endosulfan is permitted until 11 October, 2012. Supply of any product that contains endosulfan is permitted until 12 October, 2012 •U se of cancelled product containing endosulfan in accordance with label instructions is permitted until 12 October, 2012 Source Growcom. (2011) Dimenthoate.

Fruit & Vegetable. Pg5

Support for farmers but lifestyle link not recognised Australians have overwhelmingly thrown their support behind farmers, with new research showing 83 per cent believe the nation’s farmers deserve better recognition.

The findings were released to coincide with the launch of Australian Year of the Farmer 2012 last month.

Despite widespread support for the Australian Year of the Farmer campaign, founder Phillip Bruem said there was still a need to communicate its personal relevance to all Australians.

“Our research indicates emphatic support for the campaign, with nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) of respondents recognising the importance of the Year. But it also suggests that many Australians do not fully understand the contribution farming makes to their own lives, with a large proportion (40 per cent) saying the campaign was not relevant to them personally.

“There are many Australians who find it difficult to appreciate the intrinsic link between the food, wine, clothes and a wide range of farming products that support our lifestyles, and the farmers responsible for providing them,” said Mr Bruem.

“Every person who eats food is connected to farming. Every person who wears a wool coat is connected to farming. Every person who has timber in their house constructions or sits at a wooden table is connected to farming.

“For the first time ever, Australia will celebrate our farmers and recognise how they connect rural and urban communities.”

Source: Fruit & Vegetable News, November 2011, page 7

Scientists develop bubblegum flavoured strawberry Queensland scientists from the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) Nambour Research Station are developing a new variety of strawberry that tastes like bubblegum. Researchers are experimenting with different fruit varieties to encourage people to eat more fruit. Although the new ‘berry’ is still a couple of years away from hitting mainstream supermarkets, they predict it will be a hit with kids.

A peach flavoured strawberry has also been developed.

Source: Growcom. (2011) Fruit & Vegetable. Pg4

Kevin the Lemon A Campbelltown NSW garden centre has seen improved sales with its new product ‘Kevin the Lemon’. The dwarf lemon tree, named in honour of former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, grows to 1.5 metres tall and is said to produce up to 200 juicy lemons every year. The fruit tree retails at $49.99 per tree.

Source: Fruit & Vegetable News, November 2011, page 25

Marketing Tasmanian produce to the world.

Field Fresh Tasmania has over 30 years export experience, exporting to over 20 countries. We offer marketing, insurance, shipping, AQIS (quarantine and inspection service) and documentation expertise to make it easier for Tasmanian growers to distribute their produce into mainland and international markets. Speak to the export experts today and take

your products to the world.

Cam Wilkins on 0418 140 571 or email cameron.wilkins@fieldfresh.com.au

14

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

www.fieldfresh.com.au

©at+m44950

John Hosken on 0419 529 151 or email john.hosken@fieldfresh.com.au

Serrated Tussock

under attack!

The Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment has recently received funding through the Australian Government’s Caring For Our Country program to target Serrated Tussock across the state. Serrated Tussock is a Weed of National Significance and poses a serious threat to both Tasmania’s natural environment and grazing lands.

It has the capacity to greatly reduce the value of grazing pasture by replacing key native pasture species which are valuable for the production of fine wool.

The 2 year project will target outlier infestations in the Midlands, North-East and East-Coast, with the aim of reducing the extent of this serious weed. In the south, where some of the heaviest infestations occur, outlying infestations around the Pittwater Ramsar wetland, Dodges Ferry to Dunalley and on the Tasman Peninsula will be targeted. The worse infestations, known as “core infestations”, occur on Hobart’s Eastern shore and infestations in strategic locations will be targeted.

The project will provide funding for onground control work – using either contractors or where appropriate, landowners to undertake the work.

Serrated Tussock management plans will be developed for properties that have large or difficult infestations, providing information on how to best deal with the infestation.

Project staff will be running field days and contacting landowners over the coming 12 months encouraging them to participate in the project.

This project provides a great opportunity for landowners with a Serrated Tussock problem to start to tackle and hopefully eradicate a very serious weed.

Tasmanian Alkaloids invests significant resources into Agricultural Research and Development, to ensure we remain the world’s best alkaloid producer.

Continued investment in scientific research is the best way to stay in front of intense international competition and to ensure a prosperous future.

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

15

Suiting up!

Roberts Wool and our partner The Merino Company have been working with the largest suiting retailer in Japan for the past 18 months on a program to supply suits to the Japanese consumer with a "Balanced" CO2 footprint.

Aoyama showed interest in the initial discussions and this has resulted in a 3 year contract to supply wool growing in volume each year and totally in excess of 5000 bales over the 3 year period. This programme accounts for roughly 10% of all the suits sold by Aoyama in Japan.

Emissions generated on farm and along the transport and processing channel are offset by planting trees and if available purchasing verified CO2 offsets at the source of the fibre. This is critical as there is little marketing value if the offsets are purchased from some

second rate, 5 year old credit generated in another part of the world, most likely at a discounted value with nothing to do with the product involved or the supply chain being employed. I get a picture of the watch salesman with the great coat, "would you like to buy a Rolex for $20", sort of thing.

Last month we had 20 Japanese students from UTAS visit Peter Downie's property Dungrove at Bothwell to listen to the thoughts of a farmer involved in both wool, meat and wood production and as part of the programme plant trees on the property. This tree planting was able to be coordinated with an existing research programme being conducted by UTAS

Japanese tree planters in action

and Greening Australia.

This is brand building work for Tasmanian Agriculture and specifically Tasmanian Wool of course. It was Walt Disney that described a brand as a living thing made up of "a thousand small gestures". The value of the name Tasmania will more likely be realised if we can combine the power of individual sectors and products produced in this state.

If we do this well, the value of "whole" will be much greater than just the sum of the parts.

Eric Hutchinson

Roberts Wool

At Roberts clients come first.

Selling wool for over 175 years Roberts have been entwined in the success of many farmers, growing with them and their local communities. Our local knowledge and national strength make us a leader in Agribusiness within Australia.

• Experienced, highly regarded auctioneer service • Risk management services, including Indicator Contracts and Deliverable Forward Contracts • Access to TMC Merino and TMC X-Bred Pools • Sheep Classing and Ram Selection • Highly experienced, enthusiastic Wool Representatives • Clip preparation advice • Receival depots in Launceston and Hobart.

Roberts. Always innovating. Always marketing wool.

Always putting you first.

www.robertsltd.com.au

16

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

The Great Climate Debate Whether or not you are a sceptic when it comes to the influence of humans on climate change, it must be acknowledge that the climate is changing. Changes in climate occur over hundreds of years and are influenced by a significant number of variables; as a result it is hard to quantify the impact of humans. It would however be ignorant to think that human activities have had no influence on the climate.

There has been much discussion, research and debate regarding the influence of many industries on emission and sequestration profiles. Unlike a lot of other industries agricultural is both an emitter and sequester of carbon. This makes measuring and evaluating the role of agriculture farm more complex.

Since the increasing discussions around climate change and emissions started, agriculture has frequently come into the spotlight. There have been some that have stated that agriculture (and livestock in particular) contributes significantly to the emissions profile with some even claiming that it would be better for the environment for people to eat less red meat and that we should replant large areas of farmland to trees. Not only are these claims based on completely incorrect information, they also fail to acknowledge the massive social and economic impacts these actions would have, and disregard the fact that when compared to emissions from fossil fuels agricultural emissions are miniscule and the overall agricultural emissions have, in fact, trended downwards since 1990 The role of agriculture in emissions reduction and sequestration is one that has received much discussion. The claim has been made that agriculture stands to win from a trading scheme, what needs to be remembered is that once units have been sold into any carbon market they are not able to be utilised by a farming business to balance their own carbon ledger. As the carbon markets develop farmers should approach with caution and ensure that they carefully consider their own carbon ledger first.

The Kyoto Protocol In 1997 an international agreement created under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was created in Kyoto, Japan.

The Kyoto protocol aims to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by at least 5 per cent below 1990 levels during 2008-2012.

This is referred to as the first commitment period. Under the protocol developed countries must take domestic action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Each country’s target was negotiated and agreed internationally.

In December 2007 Australia signed the instrument of ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. Australia’s ratification came into effect on 11 March 2008.

Speaking the same language Global warming or climate change?

With the discussions around climate have come new terminology and definitions. The terms global warming and climate change tend to be used interchangeably but they are different. Climate change is a broad term that refers to long term changes in the climate. Global warming is a more specific term and refers to the gradual increase of the Earth’s average surface temperature.

Sarah Gatenby

TFGA Policy & Advocacy - Animals

Rural fencing specialists Stockyards Vermin proofing Fully Hydraulic Post Driver 25 years experience Obligation free quotes Mention this ad for a 5% discount Michael Brown 0408 107 694 943 Birralee Road, Westbury Phone 6396 6166

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

17

New model work health and safety This is an excerpt from a Workplace Issues article entitled ‘New model work health and safety laws: What that will mean for you’ which looks at the new model Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations and their provisions for workplace health and safety (WHS). At time of preparing this article (Dec 2011), these laws were anticipated to come into effect in Tasmania within 12 months.

these terms, but says a person conducts a business or undertaking: • whether it is conducted alone or together with others.

• whether or not it is conducted for profit or gain.

For a full copy of the article go to www.worksafe.tas.gov.au and choose the ‘Model WHS Act’ button.

Who is an officer?

Duty of care Who is a person conducting a business or undertaking?

The model Act deliberately does not use the term ‘employer’ – recognising that there are many different types of working relationships in the modern workplace, not just the traditional employer/employee relationship. For that reason it uses the term ‘person conducting a business or undertaking’ (PCBU).

What is a business or undertaking?

The model Act doesn’t specifically define

18

Who is a worker?

Similar to the reasoning behind using the term ‘PCBU’, the model Act doesn’t refer to ‘employees’. Instead it uses ‘workers’ — again, to convey that all contractual relationships at work are covered.

For example, a PCBU that engages labour through a labour hire service will have the same duty of care to them as they do for the people they have engaged as employees.

This is a very significant change which every PCBU needs to understand and take active steps to ensure compliance.

PCBUs are operated (governed) by individuals who can, to a high degree, influence the specific activities and behaviours that determine the success or failure of WHS initiatives, and compliance by the PCBU with WHS laws.

This requires an understanding of what is needed for WHS, making decisions about procedures and resources and ensuring that they are used.

This should include reporting incidents and emerging hazards and risks, identifying if any further action is required to remove or reduce the hazards or risks so far as is reasonably practicable, and ensuring the PCBU takes reasonably practicable steps to

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

achieve this.

Officers under the model Act are not appointed. Whether someone is an officer or not will depend on whether they make, or participate in making, decisions that affect the whole or a substantial part of the PCBU. There is no opting out of the duty.

Offences and penalties Categories of offences Unlike the current Tasmanian Act, the model Act defines three categories of duty offences according to the severity of the offence.

In contrast, the current maximum Tasmanian penalties are $195,000 for corporations or $65,000 for individuals.

The category 1 offences are similar to the current Victorian provisions (however, the maximum fines under the Victorian Act are substantially less than the maximum under the model Act). The following prosecutions from Victoria give some guidance on what might be category 1 offences under the model Act.

The regulator and inspectors Role of the regulator The model Act extensively uses the term ‘regulator’, which is expected to be a State Service officer appointed by the Head of the State Service Agency that administers the model Act (in Tasmania, the Department of Justice). The current term ‘Director of

Industry Safety’ is expected to disappear.

The functions of the regulator include (but are not limited to): - monitoring and enforcing compliance with this Act. - providing advice and information on WHS to duty holders under this Act and to the community.

- fostering a co-operative, consultative relationship between duty holders and the people they owe duties to, and their representatives for WHS matters.

- conducting and defending proceedings under this Act before a court or tribunal.

Role of inspectors Essentially there is no change to the powers, protections and accountability of inspectors. They’ll continue to have the power to enter any place they reasonably suspect to be a workplace; require people to answer questions; issue warnings about self incrimination; or seize anything if they have a reasonable belief that an offence has been committed.

Inspectors will have a wider role in issue resolution than the current Tasmanian Act. They can be explicitly called into workplaces to help resolve disputed matters.

Laws: what's it mean for you?

Notices The current broad powers to issue Section 38 notices are replaced by the three separate types of notices: improvement notices, prohibition notices and non-disturbance notices.

An improvement notice can be issued where an inspector believes someone is contravening a provision of the model Act, or has contravened a provision in circumstances that make it likely the contravention will continue or be repeated.

A prohibition notice can be issued if an inspector reasonably believes that: - an activity is occurring at a workplace that involves or will involve a serious risk to the health or safety of a person emanating from an immediate or imminent exposure to a hazard, or; - an activity may occur at a workplace that, if it occurs, will involve a serious risk to the health or safety of a person emanating from an immediate or imminent exposure to hazard.

The inspector may give the person with control over the activity a direction prohibiting the activity from being carried on

(either as it is, or in a specific way) until the inspector is satisfied that the matters that give/ will give rise to the risk have been fixed.

The inspector can issue this direction verbally and confirm it with a written prohibition notice as soon as practicable.

A non-disturbance notice is a new type of notice. It may be issued by an inspector to preserve the site where a notifiable incident (or any other circumstance deemed necessary) has occurred, for a specified period (which cannot be any more than seven days unless subsequent notices are issued).

A notice must be displayed in a prominent place at the workplace.

For more information visit the Work Safe Tasmania website www.worksafe.tas.gov.au Important Note: This information is for guidance only and is not to be taken as an expression of the law. It should be read in conjunction with the model Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations and any other relevant legislation.

Copies can be viewed at www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au Copyright State of Tasmania 2011

AGEN6842rj

Aurora Energy Pty Ltd

ABN 85 082 464 622

DON’T DIE LOOK UP LOOK OUT Powerlines are very much a part of the landscape – so much so that it’s easy to forget they’re there. Our message to farmers is: stay safe and always Look Up Look Out before you start work. It could save your life.

Here are a few hints that could save your life: • Before you start work, check the location of all overhead wires • Know the exact height of your vehicle and equipment – especially when the tray is raised or an excavator is extended • Remember that an irrigation pipe extends your reach by several metres.

Not sure what clearance is safe? Give us a call.

IN aN ELEcTrIcITy EmErgENcy caLL

13 2004 Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

19

You may have heard of Rural Financial Counselling Service Tasmania but in real terms what do we do?

This is the 2nd part of a fictional case study (written by Senior Rural Financial Counsellor, Leigh Noye who has been doing the job for ten years) In the first part of the story readers were given the background of the client and first contact. Read on to find out what actions took place and the position of the “clients” after RFCS’s assistance Part Two : Case Study – Jack and Jill Action Plan: The action plan took the following format: 1. J ack to be referred to GP to treat his mental health.

2. D airy consultant to be engaged to review operation and assess long term viability.

(The answer to that probably known but confirmation from a professional required).

3. R egistered Valuer to be engaged to complete a valuation of the land owned

by Jack and Jill and assess subdivisional prospects in relation thereto. (It was important to Jack he be able to pass over some land to their son, who worked off farm.)

4. J ack to review plant & equipment to assess what was surplus to requirements with view to sell.

5. C entrelink application to be completed

for Farm Help (a government assistance programme available at the time) to provide income support and funds to assist with costs of consultants.

6. M aintain regular contact with stock and station agents about what was being done (to encourage their support to fund ongoing essential requirements).

7. J ill to explore options re obtaining offfarm employment.

8. A rrangements to be made via accountant for ATO progressive repayment arrangement.

Outcomes 1. Jack visited G.P and via medication and counselling was in a much better frame of mind to make decisions.

2. Dairy consultant confirmed that given drought conditions and debt levels, enterprise was not viable either long term or in “normal conditions”.

It was agreed to sell half of the Dairy herd (therefore reducing requirement to purchase supplementary feed) and join the remaining cows and retain until after calving so as to maximise returns.

3. Professional valuation completed on land owned by Jack and Jill at $300,000 and there was an opportunity identified to subdivide that block in half to add value to (say) $200,000 for each block.

Jack remained extremely reluctant to sell any of the family property, all the more so because it was important for him to leave property for his children.

Jill considered that it was essential to proceed with sale of some property to alleviate their financial problems and had the support of their son and daughter. In order to resolve this impasse, it was decided to

hold a family meeting with Jack, Jill and their two adult children.

Having listened to Jack’s concerns and the family reiterating their thoughts on the matter, they all finally agreed to pursue the option of subdivision into two lots and sell both (as previously recommended by registered valuer).

With the assistance of the valuer, the subdivision was ultimately formalised and one lot was placed to market.

4. Jack identified there were items of plant and equipment surplus to requirements, including 2 tractors and miscellaneous equipment that could be sold with little affect on farm or contracting business.

5. Farm Help approved.

6. Meeting held with stock and station agents who agreed that with the RFC intervention and the action plan proposed, they would continue to support clients with a further $50,000 to cover essential expenditure pending implementation of the action plan.

7. Jill obtained a job in a retail outlet on part time basis earning $500 per week.

8. Accountant organised for repayment of ATO debt at $500 per month pending completion of a full assessment of their position within a 6 month period.

RFCS Tasmania is a statewide, confidential and free service providing financial assessment, information and support to the farming community.

The Service offers independent assistance free of charge to primary producers, fishers and small rural business people in rural areas who are experiencing the pressures of financial hardship and could use some help and support. The Service can be contacted at 1300 88 3276 (1300 88 FARM) and further information is available on the website: www.rfcstasmania.com.au.

Introducing Steve Hills to the team Steve was involved in the Banking industry for 35 years and for the last 4 Months has been with Finance Brokers of Tasmania.

He started working at the Ulverstone Branch of the Commonwealth Bank after being born and brought up in the farming district behind Ulverstone.

Steve has worked in all areas of the State and for the last 25 years has specialised in both Rural and Commercial Finance.

His most recent roles include working with Landmark, for 7 years, as the State Lending Manager, specialising in rural finance.

Steve is now able to offer all of those products and services to his old and new clients with the added advantage of sourcing the best deal, for all clients, from the many different banks and finance companies Finance Brokers of Tasmania have access to.

Steve meets with all clients on their farm or place of business which is a far more appropriate setting for a loan application or review of their financial situation to be undertaken.

At present he says:

“‘We are seeing an increase in stocking requirements, especially with the upturn in the dairy industry. At Finance Brokers of In this role he serviced a wide range of agricultural clients with farm Tasmania we have access to a great deferred stock loan facility”. development loans, equipment finance, stock loans and farmers’ off farm personal financing requirements.

Steve is available Statewide and looks forward to meeting with new clients.

He can be contacted on 6334 0883 or 0417 140 501.

20

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

Achieving the Balance Ultra violet light is a carcinogenic with symptoms appearing many years after exposure but it is also important for Vitamin D production.

Getting the balance right is very important for each person’s health.

We all know the importance of protecting our skin when working in the sun to prevent skin cancer and sun burn. But do we know the facts on Vitamin D production?

Vitamin D deficiency is common in Tasmania. The Cancer Council states that of adults and teenagers: • 33% are deficient in summer.

• 66% are deficient in winter and spring.

• 45% of those who spend a lot of time outdoors are deficient in winter.

Primary School students are less likely to be deficient.

The Facts: Our diet provides insufficient vitamin D for good health needs.

Vitamin D • Is produced when the skin is exposed to sunlight.

• Is an important nutrient for bone maintenance / growth and development.

• Deficiency is linked to various diseases such as: multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, osteoporosis, colorectal cancer, cardiovascular disease and tuberculosis.

Who is at risk of being Vitamin D deficient?

important do so in the morning & evening to prevent sunburn.

• Everyone who lives in Tasmania during the winter, as less skin is exposed and the UV level is low.

• People who spend little time outside during daylight hours.

• People who cover their skin for cultural or religious reasons.

• People who are overweight or obese.

• People with osteoporosis • People who only venture outside when UV levels are low – such as early morning or late afternoon.

• People who protect their skin from the sun all year round – use sunscreen or protective clothing.

• People with very fair skin who take extra care to protect their skin.

• People with naturally dark skin colour (e.g.

Asians, Pacific Islanders and Negros). These people require 3 to 6 times more sun to produce the same amount of vitamin D as Caucasians as their skin pigment reduces UV penetration.

• Your genes and genetic makeup.

• People with some medical conditions – such as liver or some bowel disorders.

All these people should discuss their needs with their GP

• The lower the UV index level there is a need for more exposure time and more of the body exposed but for a maximum of 30 minutes at any-one time and preferably in the middle of the day.

• The more unprotected skin that is exposed the less time is required for vitamin D production

Index

Colour

Definition

11+

Violet

Extreme

8, 9 & 10

Red

Very High

6&7

Orange

High

3, 4 & 5

Yellow

Moderate

1&2

Green

Low*

The UV Index The Bureau of Meteorology issues a UV Index forecast every day to help people to avoid overexposure to high levels of UV radiation. It is also printed in the daily papers.

When the UV Alert reaches 3 or above it is important to protect your skin.

Golden Rules:

NB use all 5 recommended protection methods at the same time, plus re-apply SPF30+ every 2 to 3 hours and more often if you are swimming or sweating.

• The higher the UV index level there is a need for less exposure time, and less of the total area of body exposed but it is

For more information visit: www.cancertas.org.au/information/publications www.bom.gov.au/tas/uv/

How to get the balance right?

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

motor accidents insurance board

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

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

21

In the spotlight...

The most important skill I bring to the job is... a thirst for knowledge and a sense of humour.

The worst job I ever had was... working as a barmaid in Foster which was mostly fun except having to clean the men’s urinals as part of the closing clean-up - YUK The greatest challenge to date has been... surviving raising teenagers – when do boys grow up?

I wish I had... willpower.

I wish I hadn’t...

In the words of Edith Piaf, “Non, je ne regrette rien”

22

I’m very bad at... writing neatly – I am still waiting on Sister Ursula to issue my pen licence!

Melinda King

At home I cook... Yep!

Research Officer

I often wonder... why I can recall facts I learned years ago but can’t remember what name I christened which child!.

My earliest memory is... dad being left in charge and getting all 5 kids ready for school on time, lunches cut and delivered before 9am – shame it was a Saturday! Also dad again left in charge and getting me and my 4 siblings lost in the Strathbogie Ranges in Victoria wearing thongs and shorts and t-shirts.

My most humiliating moment was... dropping a meal in the lap of a customer years ago when waitressing – an important lesson about balancing objects was learned!

My happiest moment was... walking on the beach in the moonlight with my husband on our honeymoon night – a perfect moment in time.

My favourite gadget is... my electronic stapler.

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association • VOICE • january 2012

The book that changed my life was... all of them, but my favourite is The Plague

by Camus.

The people I most admire are... my parents – 5 children in 5 years on a very limited budget and they survived and remained relatively sane.

My most utilised quote is... oops... was that career limiting?

The sport I love to hate is...

GOLF – the ruination of a good walk.

(However driving golf buggies is an entirely different matter and should be a sport!)

When I grow up...

I am going to do & be what I want... starting with being much taller.

H you appy r Lo New cal Are Year, f a M rom ana ger s

Meet Karen, Craig and Robyn.

They’re good people to know for insurance.

Introducing your local WFI Area Managers. They’re locals just like you, so they find it easier to understand your farm, business and strata issues. They’re able to assist you from your first enquiry right through to making a claim. That’s just one of the reasons why WFI, part of Wesfarmers Insurance, is a leading Australian farm, business and strata insurance company.

So for friendly, personal service, call your local WFI Area Manager today.

Karen Atherton 0408 954 547 | WFI Hobart, 2nd Floor, 136 Davey Street Craig Hazeldene 0418 137 669 | WFI Launceston, 93 York Street Robyn Keene 0407 563 612 | WFI Burnie, 72-74 Wilson Street visit wfi.com.au WFI is a trading name of Wesfarmers General Insurance Limited ABN 24 000 036 279 AFSL 241461. Contact WFI for a PDS to help decide if our products are right for you.

Craig Hazeldene (AR 252731) is an authorised representative of WFI.