QUEENSLAND’S regional areas will play a pivotal role at this State election, with a string of marginal electorates in the targets of both major parties.

Even in ‘safe’ seats, it will be an election where the regional areas of the State will have a very important role to play in deciding who wins government, probably moreso than in recent times, where we have witnessed a very strong focus on Brisbane and the southeast corner.

At the elections of 2001 and 2004, the ALP won all except a few of the metropolitan Brisbane seats. Even in 2009, the ALP won 34 of the 40 Brisbane seats.

While I am not suggesting that either side has entirely forgotten regional Queensland, there have been times when people living outside of the city could be forgiven for thinking that they were the poor cousins when it comes to election campaigns.

With just 89 seats in the Parliament, winning in the capital, and secondly in the Sunshine and Gold Coast, has become a major and dominating focus during elections.

However, the situation in Brisbane seems far less certain in 2012. A large number of long-term ALP Members are retiring, including several prominent Ministers, and current polling would suggest that the LNP will win substantial new ground.

LNP leader Campbell Newman is attempting to win the seat of Ashgrove in Brisbane’s inner north against a 7.1 percent margin in Labor’s favour, and he is facing a tough challenge against former Environment Minister, Kate Jones.

This margin is considerably greater than what the LNP will need to win government, which has the potential to create some confusion among voters and make the challenge even greater for Mr Newman.

While all of these issues will inevitably put some of the spotlight in Brisbane, both major parties know they need to look to regional Queensland if they hope to win government. It is this point that provides the opportunity for those in the agricultural industry.

It seems reasonable to conclude that the ALP should look to the regions to try and offset any losses it might have in Brisbane, and conversely that the LNP should be looking to win an increased number of regional seats to boost any that it might gain in Brisbane.

For example, the ALP will be looking to win seats such as Mirani, which is held by the LNP by a marginal 0.6pc, but in the past has been considered notionally Labor.

The seat has a diverse range of communities stretching in a dogleg that starts at cane growing regions near Sarina, west to mining towns like Dysart and Middlemount, and south to Mount Morgan near Rockhampton.

The ALP has nominated well-known local identity Jim Pearce, who was a popular MP in the seat of Fitzroy before it was abolished in an electoral redistribution before the 2009 poll.

In recent times, Mr Pearce has been leading a lobbying group that has been critical of mining companies and the government in relation to coal and coal seam gas (CSG), so this could be an interesting seat to watch.

The Australian published polling this week showing that public support for CSG is dwindling, so clearly there will need to be some focus on this during the campaign from the major parties.

There is no doubt that Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) and the Greens will try to make that happen, so the politics of this issue will be very important in the regions.

CSG continues to be a high priority issue for QFF, and we will be watching any policy announcements in this area very closely.

Meanwhile, the LNP will be looking to win regional seats including Toowoomba North (from the northern side of James Street to Highfields), Whitsunday (north of Mackay around Proserpine), and Barron River (north and west of Cairns).

In all, assuming the independents and KAP retain their current numbers, the LNP need to win an extra 14 seats to win government.

It will be an interesting contest and I believe that agriculture should feature prominently and in a positive light, as one of the major pillars of our economy. All of the major players have identified it as such in one form or another but we need to see how both major parties will encourage growth in the productivity and profitability of this vibrant sector of the economy. As our members and many farmers have already pointed out, investing in innovation and lifting the shackles that stifle investment in our rural businesses will be the catalyst to bring about promised new dawn in agricultural output.

WITH the first week of the State election campaign officially underway, farmers across the State will be watching all politicians and political parties to see how they will spell out a vision for driving the profitability and productivity of the agricultural sector in this State. QFF will closely monitor developments during the campaign and communicate these via our usual channels of the Weekly Bulletin, press releases, the QFF website and Twitter.

LNP ANNOUCNES ECONOMIC BLUEPRINT

ANNOUNCEMENTS relating the agricultural sector from the major parties kicked off today with the LNP announcing that it would cut payroll tax and also cut red tape and regulation. LNP Leader Campbell Newman said an LNP Government would cut payroll tax by raising the exemption threshold from $1 million to $1.6 million over six years. It is estimated to mean, when the plan is complete, more than 5000 Queensland businesses will no longer pay this tax and about 20,000 businesses would pay less payroll tax. The LNP also intends to cut government red tape and regulation by 20 per cent. “We won’t just cut payroll tax – we’ll change the culture in government from actively promoting red tape and regulation, to actively cutting red tape,” he said.

The plan to cut red-tape and regulation will be welcome news across regional Queensland, and among large agricultural enterprises that would be positively affected by the change.

MURRAY-DARLING MEETINGS HELD IN QUEENSLAND

THE Murray-Darling Basin Authority conducted consultative meetings on the draft Basin Plan in Goondiwindi and Toowoomba last week. These meetings followed up on consultations conducted in Dirranbandi and St George before Christmas. The Border Rivers Environmental Water Network (BREWN) organised their public meeting and Chairman Bruce McCollum reported that discussions were positive with the Chairman of the Authority Craig Knowles confirming his commitment to work with the Network to address their issues with the draft Plan. He also advised that the Authority is appointing a staff member to be based in the Northern Basin as a member of the Network to attend meetings. Meeting attendees also welcomed Craig Knowles’ strong expression of preference for infrastructure and management over buyback in the Border Rivers. BREWN has prepared a position statement on the draft Plan and can be contacted at www.brewn.wordpress.com.

The Toowoomba meeting was also positive but irrigators were unable to get details about how proposed cuts to groundwater entitlements would be implemented through water recovery programs. They made it clear that there had already been a managed reduction in the use of the Condamine aquifer and they wanted the implementation of the Basin Plan to fully account for proposed cutbacks to their entitlements as a basis for the implementation of the water recovery programs over the period to 2019. Craig Knowles also committed to working at the local level with irrigators and other stakeholders in the Condamine area to implement the Basin Plan once it is approved.

INDUSTRY RECOVERY OFFICERS MEET IN FNQ

INDUSTRY Recovery Officers (IROs), who have been assisting primary producers and small businesses with the Cyclone Yasi recovery, met as a collective group for the last time in Cairns last week. The meeting was an opportunity for the IROs to reflect on the hard work that farmers and industry have put in toward the recovery over the last year, and also the many successes of the program. It was also an opportunity to analysis how government and industry can improve recovery efforts when future natural disasters strike. The IROs have been working under the Cyclone Yasi Rural Recovery Initiative (CYRRI), which has been a joint venture between QFF, industry groups, and government. The IRO program will conclude at the end of March, and primary producers and small businesses are reminded that the deadline for applications for assistance measures under Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) is June 30, 2012. The ABC Rural report from last week’s IRO meeting can be found here.

ON TRACK WEBSITE TO AID IN EMOTIONAL RECOVERY FROM DISASTER

A TEAM of psychologists at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have been sponsored by the Queensland Government to create the On Track website, which was launched in 2009. The website aims to support the Australian community to achieve mental and physical health and wellbeing, and now includes a section on disaster recovery. The flood and storm recovery page is a free online program that encourages people to look at their strengths and work through practical problems. It offers quizzes, information and advice. Making services available online means that more people will be able to get help for their mental and physical health concerns.

WATER IN QUEENSLAND DOCUMENT AVAILABLE FROM DERM

THE Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) has released a Water in Queensland publication on its website here. The final product provides a useful overview for water stakeholders and partners here and abroad on the physical nature of the State’s water resources and aquatic ecosystems, water consumption trends and resource pressures, and the roles and responsibilities of key authorities in water management. The publication also highlights the range of innovative approaches being implemented in Queensland in response to national water reforms and periods of challenging water conditions associated with our extreme climatic variability and social and economic development pressures.

MEMBER NEWS

ELECTION TV ADVERTISEMENTS: CANEGROWERS

WITH an election in the wings, CANEGROWERS has kicked off a project which will take its advocacy position into homes across Queensland. The main game for sugarcane will be aired on television sets across the state, with a pointed election commercial setting out what the Queensland Government – no matter who is at the helm – must address to keep sugarcane strong for Queensland. Sugarcane is undergoing a massive resurgence, and according to CANEGROWERS, it is important that politicians and the general public are fully aware of how state policy decisions impact the industry, which is an important economic contributor to the Queensland economy. The 30-second television advertisements will be broadcast over three weeks. The first block starts on February 18 for a fortnight, and the last block will bring home the last week of the campaigning period; the last of the advertisements to air on election day. Click here to go to YouTube to see the television commercial.

STATE GOVERNMENT SLAMMED FOR FALSELY CLAIMING REEF SUCCESS AS ITS OWN

CANEGROWERS has slammed claims by the Queensland Government that increased forms, red tape and paperwork, required of just a small section of the agricultural sector, had saved growers money or the iconic Great Barrier Reef. Outrageous and ill-informed, says CANEGROWERS of the state government’s claims made last Friday that its increased regulatory pressure, in the form of legislation, had saved growers on average $6000 per grower. “At best, these claims display blatant naivety – to lay claim to some 30-years of cane growers adopting the latest practices and technology and attributing it to increased regulation and the increased paperwork on growers, bought in to buy the much needed green-vote at election time three years ago, is just plain wrong,” says Steve Greenwood, CEO of the peak group for sugarcane growers. “The state government is clearly laying claim to someone else’s victory. That battle-line has been hard fought by cane growers up and down the coast of Queensland.”

GROWCOM CALLS FOR INVESTMENT IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE JOBS

PEAK Queensland horticulture body Growcom says comments by the Australian Council of Deans (ACDA) following the closing of another University agriculture course are a timely reminder for candidates in the upcoming Queensland election of action required in this area.

Growcom CEO Alex Livingstone said ACDA’s research showing that there are more than 4000 positions a year in agricultural science and related fields going unfilled was very concerning. An incoming state government would need to address the dual causes of this shortage. “The lack of promotion of careers in agriculture has led to agricultural science being seen as a ‘poor cousin’ which does not offer interesting opportunities. This is a view that needs to be countered at an early point in the education of young people,” Mr Livingstone said. “But the other cause of low take-up of education in agricultural sciences has been the stripping of resources and funding from government primary industry agencies.

Fewer full-time permanent positions are being offered and the ‘extension’ part of rural development and extension (RD&E) is all but abolished. For students to embark on study in this area, they need to know that there will be a well-remunerated, secure and rewarding job at the end of it.”

SUNWATER is at odds with the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) over price recommendations for irrigation schemes which were put forward in a QCA draft report released late last year.

In a strongly worded letter to the QCA, SunWater’s CEO Peter Boettcher warns that QCA’s recommended prices would be inadequate to cover the costs of irrigation schemes going forward, and therefore exposing the ‘business’ to unacceptable risk.

He adds that these prices could affect SunWater’s ability to maintain the current level of services.

This letter with its attached 179 page submission was released on the QCA website last week together with many other submissions, including a submission from QFF.

Irrigator customers will get little comfort when they read the SunWater submission, and will also be very disappointed with the way SunWater, a monopoly service provider, is approaching the price review.

Apart from rejecting QCA’s assessments of costs, the SunWater CEO argues that the Authority has failed to meet the State Government’s directive to maintain prices in schemes which are already providing a return to SunWater above the level of current costs.

This submission will increase tensions between irrigators and SunWater management.

Irrigators clearly have some scepticism about SunWater’s ability to run its operations as efficiently as possible, as evidenced by their submissions.

Customer submissions to QCA unanimously question what motivation SunWater will have to strive to reduce costs when the Authority has guaranteed that SunWater is to recover over 90 percent of the costs of river schemes and over 70pc of the costs of distribution schemes as fixed charges levied at the beginning of each quarter.

Irrigators’ experience over the past five years supports this conclusion. Irrigation schemes have faced escalating overall costs coupled with reduced customer engagement as SunWater has increasingly managed the schemes from Brisbane and a few regional centres.

In addition, SunWater’s request to maintain current prices in real terms will be rejected by the bulk (river) schemes which are operating well above cost recovery.

Continued application of this approach will guarantee SunWater increasing profit with no motivation to achieve efficiencies with a guaranteed fixed return of over 90pc.

QCA faces a difficult task addressing these significantly diverging positions before it releases a draft report on prices.

The SunWater submission also introduces new additional costs for repair of flood damage and for the replacement of the inflatable bags on some weirs.

These new costs are expected to have a significant impact on prices in the affected schemes. However, it is apparent from the SunWater submission that both these matters will require more investigation and justification.

In the case of flood damage, questions are being raised about insurance arrangements and how these costs are to be recovered from affected schemes. Replacement of inflatable bags with permanent structures on weirs located near Mackay, Emerald and Mundubbera will be very costly and customers are expecting that all options be investigated including not proceeding with the replacements.

QFF will not support having these costs introduced at this late stage.

QCA is required to have a final report tabled on April 30, which must deal with the substantive issues raised in submissions by the schemes and other stakeholders on the QCA’s draft report. The irrigation schemes affected must also have the opportunity to review any new costs and make submissions to the Authority for reporting to the State Government.

QFF is also very aware that both these cost items could raise policy issues that will be difficult to address over the coming election period in time for QCA to finalise its report to the State Government.

We also consider that QCA made a significant effort to provide as comprehensive analysis as possible to prepare its draft report released last November.

This is despite the poor standard of data about current costs and cost forecasts provided by SunWater in the scheme plans released this time last year.

There is no doubt that the new State Government formed after the March election will have a number of difficult issues to address regarding the future of SunWater’s irrigation schemes.

While QCA’s final report should address some important issues, there is one issue of growing significance which is outside QCA’s brief. The distribution schemes in particular want to investigate options to move to local management of their schemes either independent of SunWater or through a negotiated local involvement in management.

They consider this is the only way to achieve change over the next five years to secure the future of these schemes with flow-on benefits to river based schemes.

The alternative is another five years of higher operating costs, growing debt in renewals funds and poor scheme consultation with the prospect of another drawn out and costly 20 month investigation to set prices from 2017.

NATURAL Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) have been escalated to Category C in areas of western Queensland impacted by recent flooding, in the regional council areas of Balonne, Barcaldine, Blackall-Tambo, Maranoa, Murweh and Paroo. The assistance, which includes grants of up to $25,000 for eligible primary producers and small businesses, will go some way to helping people recover once the flood waters recede. These type of assistance measures have been successful in helping speed up recovery after last summer’s disasters, and the same situation applies in Western Queensland now.

The NDRRA Category C grants are split into:

• Tier 1 – grants of up to $5,000 to assist primary producers, small businesses and not for profit organisations with immediate early recovery (subject to future QRAA audit)

• Tier 2 – grants of up to $20,000 to recover costs that the primary producer, small businesses and not for profit organisations have paid in order to repair direct flood damage.

Earlier announcements also provide for some freight assistance and concessional loans, plus the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment. For further information got to the Queensland Reconstruction Authority at www.qldreconstruction.org.au. The QRA website (www.qraa.qld.gov.au) has also been updated to reflect the changes.

Meanwhile, Cotton Australia has prepared a run-down of flooding impacts on its website, available here.

SUBMISSIONS ON QCA DRAFT REPORT RELEASED

ALL submissions received by the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) to their draft report on SunWater prices have been released on the Authority’s web site here. Irrigators will get little comfort when they read the 179 page submission from SunWater. In a covering letter to the submission, SunWater states that QCA’s recommended prices will be inadequate to cover the costs of running schemes going forward, and therefore exposing the business to unacceptable risk which could affect the ability of the organisation to maintain the current level of services. SunWater also wants changes to QCA’s recommended prices as they consider that the Authority has failed to meet the State Government’s directive to maintain the level of prices in schemes which are already providing a return to SunWater above the level of current costs. Customer submissions unanimously question what motivation SunWater will have to strive to reduce costs when they are guaranteed to recover over 90 percent of the costs of river schemes and over 70 percent of the costs of distribution schemes as fixed charges levied at the beginning of each quarter. Their experience over the past five years supports this conclusion as they face escalating overall costs and reduced customer engagement as the organisation progressively draws back management to Brisbane and a few regional centres. SunWater’s request to maintain current prices in real terms will be rejected by the bulk schemes as the continued application of this approach will guarantee SunWater increasing profit and no motivation to achieve efficiencies. QCA faces a difficult task addressing these significantly diverging positions.

RURAL PLANNING – KEEPING LOCAL GOVERNMENT INFORMED

AS part of its Rural Planning Project, QFF is working in conjunction with the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) to develop training materials for inclusion in the annual Elected Member Update program (EMU). This will provide important information on rural planning issues to local government councillors after the upcoming council elections. As part of the project, QFF is working with LGAQ to develop a tablet app to deliver the information.

AUSTRALIA’S WETTEST TWO YEAR PERIOD ON RECORD; 2010-2011

THE Bureau of meteorology has confirmed that frequent heavy rain events from spring 2010 to autumn 2011, and again in late 2011, lead to Australia’s wettest two year period on record. Averaged across Australia, total rainfall for 2011 was 705mm, making it the second wettest year on record (behind 1974 with 760mm), and ahead of 2010 (third wettest) with 703mm. Back-to-back La Niña events resulted in a two year rainfall total for 2010-2011 of 1409mm, surpassing the old record of 1407mm set during 1973-1974.

MEMBER NEWS

GILLARD GOVERNMENT TURNS ITS BACK ON DAIRY FARMING FAMILIES

THE Queensland Dairyfarmers’ Organisation (QDO) has slammed the Federal Government’s responses to the Senate Economics References Committee’s 2011 final report of the Inquiry into the impacts of supermarket price decisions on the dairy industry and Milking it for all it’s worth – competition and pricing in the Australian dairy industry as being pathetic. QDO President Brian Tessmann said that after more than two years of Senate Inquiries and clear evidence of mounting impacts on dairy farmers, the Federal Government is yet again avoiding the disaster, ducking for cover and taking no real action. “The Gillard Government and more disappointingly Wayne Swan, as a parliamentary representative of Queensland, have turned their back on Queensland dairy farming families being impacted directly by the ongoing milk price war,” Mr Tessmann said “They have shown complete disregard for the future sustainability of the dairy industry that supplies Australian consumers with fresh milk and dairy products every day of the year. In the Government’s response quietly issued by Wayne Swan’s parliamentary secretary last Friday afternoon, they have failed to commit to the Senate Inquiry recommendation of a review into the impacts on the Western Australia, NSW and Queensland dairy industries and have chosen to pass the buck and hide behind the ACCC, which has time and again proven itself to be ineffective and powerless against the tactics of the major supermarkets.”

OTHER NEWS

HORTICULTURE GRADUATES AVAILABLE FOR EMPLOYMENT

THE Australian College of Agriculture and Horticulture has 30 recent Diploma Graduates who are now ready for immediate employment in all States. Previous graduates are working successfully in cotton, fruit, vegetables, sugarcane, hydroponics and production nursery sectors. In addition, other sectors for placement are nuts, flowers, grapes, turf, mushrooms and berries. These are highly trained and competent people. For details phone 0411 423 803 or email Bob Ward bobw@ruralskills.com.au.

YOUR INPUT NEEDED: BLUEPRINT FOR AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURE

ALL Australians with an interest in or involvement with Australian agriculture are invited to have their say on the issues, challenges and opportunities facing the farm sector. From this week, the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) will be collecting the views of Australia’s 140,000 farmers and the wider supply chain in order to develop the Blueprint for Australian Agriculture. “The Blueprint is designed to set the future direction for the farming sector by hearing from the farmers, transporters, processors, retailers, agriculture teachers, agronomists, small business owners – in short, anyone with a stake in Australian agriculture,” NFF President Jock Laurie said. “Participating in the Blueprint is easy: simply hop on our website (www.nff.org.au/blueprint) and fill in the online survey, talk to one of the 24 NFF Member organisations, or run your own Blueprint session within your community and tell us what you want to see for the future of Australian agriculture. “Or come along to a Blueprint forum, hosted by the NFF and Westpac, in each State and Territory across Australia. Forums are taking place in Toowoomba, Perth, Darwin, Wagga Wagga, Shepparton, Adelaide and Tasmania between March and May,” Mr Laurie said.

2012 RURAL MEDIA AWARDS NOW OPEN

THE Rural Press Club of Queensland will once again reward the State’s most outstanding journalists and photographers for excellence in capturing the stories and images of rural Queensland. The 2012 Excellence in Rural Journalism Awards includes an overall prize of airfares and registration fees up to a value of $5000 to attend the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists World Congress (IFAJ) to be held in Sweden 15-19 August 2012. Congress details are online at www.ifaj2012.se. The overall winner will be selected from finalists in each of the four categories of Print, Radio, Online/Multimedia and Television. The overall runner-up will receive a cash prize of $500. The overall Photography Award winner will be selected from the three finalists in the categories of people; landscape/nature; and production – including photos of machinery or technical aspects of farming, plant and animal production. All finalists will be invited to attend the Club’s April function in Brisbane where the winners will be announced. Country journalists wishing to enter can take advantage of a special membership category costing just $20. To join the Rural Press Club, visit the website: www.ruralpressclub.com.au.

QFF CEO Dan Galligan welcomed the news from the Prime Minister and the Premier that NDRRA had been escalated to Category C for regional council areas of Balonne, Barcaldine, Blackall-Tambo, Maranoa, Murweh and Paroo.

“Clearly NDRRA assistance is much needed and this is the right decision, as the region grapples with one of its biggest floods on record, after what has unfortunately been an occurrence that has repeated several times over the past few years,” Mr Galligan.

“The assistance, which includes grants of up to $25,000 for eligible primary producers and small businesses, will go some way to helping people recover once the flood waters recede. These type of assistance measures have been successful in helping speed up recovery after last summer’s disasters, and the same situation applies in Western Queensland now.”

Mr Galligan added that it would be some time before the full extent of the damage would be known in the region.

“We are talking about flat country and very large distances – so the water moves reasonably steadily, meaning it takes time to develop a full assessment. For crops like cotton around St George and Dirranbandi, growers will be waiting to see what the rest of the season brings before they really know what the full impact has been, but clearly the immediate issue will be farm houses, damage to irrigation infrastructure and getting water off inundated fields.”

The NDRRA Category C grants are split into:

• Tier 1 – grants of up to $5,000 to assist primary producers, small businesses and not for profit organisations with immediate early recovery (subject to future QRAA audit)

• Tier 2 – grants of up to $20,000 to recover costs that the primary producer, small businesses and not for profit organisations have paid in order to repair direct flood damage.

Earlier announcements also provide for some freight assistance and concessional loans, plus the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment

For further information got to the Queensland Reconstruction Authority at www.qldreconstruction.org.au

THERE is something wrong in this country when the retail price of fresh food groceries is being slashed to unsustainably low levels at the expense of farmers and food processors, mostly because of a price war where the two major supermarkets are desperate to steal market share from each other.

Farmers are well aware of the tussle between Coles and Woolworths, and they are also frustrated that this often means that they are at the raw end of the deal when it comes to either unrealistic price cuts, or with the supermarkets deciding to imposing stringent protocols on farmers.

Last week, Coles supermarkets continued this price war and public relations campaign by stating that it was cutting the price of some fruit and vegetable products by 50 percent.

It seems to be another stunt in the price war which could have negative repercussions for farmers, following on from the last year’s widely criticised decision to cut milk prices to $1/litre.

Firstly, I describe it as a stunt because the so-called price cuts seem to be correlated with the normal seasonal variations in production of fruit and vegetables, following a summer of production that has been far better than last year.

If the result is a clearing of a glut and increased consumption, then that is a positive.

However, farmers are concerned that the marketing attached to the campaign will devalue fruit and vegetables in the minds of consumers, which could mean they become disassociated with the true value of the products.

Furthermore, it could also mean that other retailers are forced to drop their prices, and in turn pass on the price cuts down the value chain to the farm gate.

A similar pattern is already unfolding in the dairy industry each day, with supermarket brand milk devalued to 1992 prices. The repercussions for the Queensland industry are serious and this is threatening even more farm exits, as you can read in my colleague Brian Tessmann’s column also in this paper.

Yet, unfortunately, the Federal Government seems content to maintain the status quo, regardless of the long term consequences.

The Government’s response last week to the recent Senate Inquiries into the milk value chain amounted to zero action, and showed a cold lack of understanding for farmers that are being pushed toward a point where they are unviable.

I believe it’s a short-sighted approach from the Government, who, although may be considering the deflationary impact on groceries in the immediate term, is not properly considering the more serious implications in the medium and long term as farmers are continually impacted by lower prices.

That leaves farmers relying on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to protect them from the supermarket duopoly (which, as I understand it, is one of the most concentrated ownerships of the grocery retail sector for any country in the world).

This means that if there are any farmers reading this that have first-hand experience that they can relate to the ACCC, then it is important to do so.

I realise that the majority of farmers do not deal directly with the supermarkets, but it is important that industry gives the ACCC as much information as possible and continues to press for action.

In the meantime, QFF and our members continue to be very active in this area and are lobbying for fairer outcomes for farmers on the retail shelf.

WITH large areas of Queensland and NSW being hit with a week of heavy wet weather and floods over the last week, QFF extends our thoughts and well-wishes to all of those whom are being impacted by the severe weather event. In Queensland, Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangement measures have been announced in areas of the northwest and west of the State (the latest activations are available from the Queensland Reconstruction Authority). These arrangements are expected to be elevated to Category C for some of the worst impacted regions either today or tomorrow, with the Premier announcing this afternoon that she had written to the Prime Minister for such a request. The Premier has requested Category C assistance, which includes flood grants of up to $25,000 for primary producers and small businesses, for the regional council areas of Balonne, Barcaldine, Blackall-Tambo, Maranoa, Murweh, and Paroo. St George has been evacuated and as at Monday afternoon, according to the Bureau of Meteorology, the Balonne River seemed to be peaking at almost 14 metres. Horticultural and cotton producers in the region will be enduring a tense time today, with crops either inundated or hopes that levee banks will be able to hold back the floodwater. QFF is involved in the disaster control group response and will continue to be so along with our colleague industry bodies.

Meanwhile, a tropical low that had been hovering near Far North Queensland – following what was also a wet week in the north – has been named Tropical Cyclone Jasmine. The cyclone is moving away from Australia and is forecast to hit Vanuatu on February 8.

The La Nina weather pattern is once again proving its potential for extensive and extreme monsoonal wet weather. With several weeks yet to run of the wet season, farmers will be watching the weather maps carefully.

BASIN PLAN CONSULTATION MEETING IN GOONDIWINDI

WITH about 10 weeks to go before consultations close on the draft Basin Plan, the Murray Darling Basin Authority will be visiting Goondiwindi this month to hold a round table and public meeting to discuss the plan. The meeting is on February 14 and full details are available here. Submissions are due by April 16.

NEW PRICES FOR SEQ IRRIGATION SCHEMES

FOLLOWING on from current investigations into SunWater irrigation prices, the Queensland Government has directed the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) to investigate and recommend irrigation prices for SEQWater schemes in South East Queensland and the Mary Valley. The Government’s direction is very similar to the terms of reference for SunWater prices (which is nearing completion after nearly two years of investigation). The Authority has to recommend prices for the period July 2013 to June 2017. SEQWater is to develop their plans forecasting costs for each irrigation scheme released by April 30 this year. The irrigation schemes involved include the Central and Lower Lockyer, Logan River, Warrill Valley, Mary Valley, Cedar Pocket and Central Brisbane River. QCA is inviting submissions from these schemes on their pricing issues by March 16. Further details of the announcement can be obtained from the QCA website

MEMBER NEWS

GROWCOM RAISES CONCERNS ON COLES’ PRICE CUTS

GROWCOM has raised concerns about the ability of fruit and vegetable growers to remain viable in the face of Coles’ announcement of 50 percent price cuts in some fresh food lines. Growcom CEO Alex Livingstone said that while Coles has said they will maintain current levels of payment to growers, Coles’ competitors may not. “What we are likely to see is other retailers dropping their prices to compete with Coles but paying producers less, with the ultimate result of growers leaving the industry,” Mr Livingstone said. “While the lower prices are good for consumers in the short term, in the long-term Australian producers will be driven out of the industry. A new United Nations report predicts that an increase in demand for food will outstrip supply in the next 20 years. Forcing farmers off the land will only increase Australia’s reliance on imports and drive prices up as the increasing world population demands more and more food,” he said. “Growcom calls on Coles to demonstrate how this campaign is not going to impact on the farm gate prices of fruit and vegetable growers.”

SUGARCANE’S GOT TALENT – CANETUBE 2012 COMPETITION

SINGING, dancing, animations and quirky children’s segments hosted by idiosyncratic presenters are not something that you usually associate with the sugarcane industry. But that’s just what CANEGROWERS is expecting when they launched their ‘Canetube’ competition today. 2012 is Year of the Farmer, and the gauntlet has been laid down to tell the story of our farmers and regional Australia. Instead of making their own movie, peak group CANEGROWERS has thrown down the challenge to the public. “This is a sure-fire way of yielding some random and quirky takes on the sugarcane industry, which has come a long way with the help of better research and technology now on offer,” says Matt Kealley, Environment Manager for CANEGROWERS. The total prize pool is $20,000 – 1st prize is $8,500, 2nd prize $3,500, school prize $3,500, people’s choice $2,500, most viewed each month $200, and the most viewed overall $1,000. The clips must be rated G, under 2 minutes, a positive piece featuring farming relevant content including the good practices being supported by the Australian Government’s Reef Rescue program. Video entries can take any style – it could be a music video, a comedy skit, a cartoon, a documentary, to name just a few ideas. For entry information, visit www.canegrowers.com.au/thecanetube

2012 AUSTRALIAN COTTON INDUSTRY AWARDS LEAD TO GOLD

WINNERS in the 2012 Australian Cotton Industry Awards will be toasting their success on the Gold Coast later this year, during a gala presentation held as part of the Australian Cotton Conference. The awards will be a highlight event during Australian Year of the Farmer, celebrating the contributions of our cotton farmers and researchers to their regional communities and the nation. Entries for the Awards are now open, with anyone able to nominate themselves or someone else in the cotton industry they think is worthy of this very special recognition. Entry forms are being mailed to all growers and industry partners as well as being available for download from the Cotton Australia website, www.cottonaustralia.com.au. Entries close on 30 March, 2012.

HORTICULTURAL POLICY PRIORITIES ANNOUNCED FOR STATE ELECTION

GROWCOM is seeking a commitment from the political parties to provide greater support for the horticulture industry in the run-up to the state election. “In the face of strong retail market concentration for fresh produce, horticultural businesses are challenged to remain sustainable and profitable. There is strong community support for maintaining our capacity for local food production yet the figures for imported processed produce continue to grow,” CEO Alex Livingstone said. Mr Livingstone said the key areas requiring support are outlined in a public document – Priorities for Queensland Horticulture and in a summary document Stronger Horticulture Stronger Queensland. He encouraged growers to download the documents from the Growcom web site and engage their local candidates in conversation about horticulture’s needs for the future.

OTHER NEWS

QRAA CUTS INTEREST RATES

QRAA has cut its interest rates for First Start and Sustainability Loans. The new fixed interest rates on First Start and Sustainability Loans drawn down from 1 January 2012 to 30 June 2012 are: one-year fixed 5.22% (down 0.95% from 6.17% as at 1 July 2011); three-year fixed 5.06% (down 1.09% from 6.15% as at 1 July 2011); five-year fixed 5.33% (down 0.97% from 6.30% as at 1 July 2011). QRAA Chief Executive Officer, Colin Holden, said those wishing to enter into primary production and primary producers looking to achieve greater productivity and long-term sustainability should take advantage of QRAA’s low interest rates. “QRAA‟s new fixed rates will ensure our customers continue to receive the financial support they need to boost their enterprise‟s productivity, sustainability and long-term viability,” Mr Holden said. For more information visit www.qraa.qld.gov.au or contact QRAA on Freecall 1800 623 946.

ENVIRONMENT OFFICER RECEIVES NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE MEDAL

QFF congratulates senior Department of Environment and Resource Management officer, Leslie Shirreffs, for receiving a Public Service Medal of the Order of Australia at this year’s Australia Day celebrations. Environment Minister Vicky Darling said Leslie was acknowledged for her outstanding public service to environmental conservation and management in Queensland. “This award is a fitting tribute to Leslie’s dedication to achieving environmental outcomes for Queensland – she is an invaluable DERM employee,” Ms Darling said. “I would like to congratulate Leslie and thank her for the difference she has made to the department and to Queensland.”

QFF CEO Dan Galligan said the one-year anniversary later this week on February 2/3 was a chance to mark the progress that the State’s primary producers had made in rebuilding their businesses after the largest cyclone on record to cross the Queensland coast.

“There’s no denying the fact that thousands of farmers in Far North Queensland went through hell and back,” Mr Galligan said. “They had Cyclone Larry in 2006, and Yasi five years later. The eye of both cyclones hit at a similar point – near Tully – but Yasi was a bigger storm in diameter and also in terms of its ongoing strength as it continued inland.

“But the good news is that farmers have been focussed and determined to rebuild their businesses and local communities.

“So much of that work has already taken place, and aesthetically things are returning to normal.

“However, we know that a proper recovery is a longer term prospect that for many will take three years plus.”

Mr Galligan said the partnership between government and industry to put Industry Recovery Officers on the ground had been one of the success stories of the recovery.

“These IROs are known and trusted industry people and they have a rapport with farmers. They’ve been able to see that the various assistance measures, such as grants and loans and wage assistance, have been put to use. This has helped communities recover and avoid local recessions.”

Mr Galligan said that farmers still had time to access the various Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangement (NDRRA) assistance measures, with the deadline extended until the end of June 2012.

“The key point is that farmers who think they might be eligible is to not self-assess and rule themselves out. The assistance is there to get communities and farms back on track, and eligible farmers who haven’t accessed it should do so as soon as possible.”

TWELVE months ago the so-called ‘summer of sorrow’ was punctuated with Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi, in what was the largest and most destructive cyclone to cross the Queensland coast in recorded history.

My farm at Mungindi it is a long way from where the eye of Yasi hit near Tully on February 2 and 3, 2011, but I have the fullest sympathy for the farmers in its path, and admiration for how they are working tirelessly to get back on their feet.

Last summer’s cyclone was made worse by the fact that it came only five years after the last Category 5 storm, Cyclone Larry, in 2006.

Many farmers and communities were hit for a second time, while others who had escaped Larry did not experience the good fortune, as Yasi’s larger diameter and strength continued inland.

At the time, the images in the papers and on television showed destruction that I am sure must have seemed so daunting that few people would have known where to begin cleaning up and how to start their recovery process.

Twelve months later, while the north bunkers down for another week of very wet weather, the situation is aesthetically returning to normal post-Yasi at least.

The Queensland Reconstruction Authority is closing its Innisfail office this week, and memorial services are marking the hard work that has occurred over the last year.

The one-year mark is a good chance to remember what has been accomplished, and also to remind ourselves of the work yet to come. It will be a three to five year process for most farmers and their farms to fully recover.

We should acknowledge the effort that QFF, our members, and many other rural organisations have made to get the Far North Queensland farming sector back in shape, much of it through the provision of funding from State and Commonwealth governments.

QFF has partnered with government along with Growcom, CANEGROWERS, Queensland Dairyfarmers Organisation, Nursery and Garden Industry Queensland, AgForce, and Australian Banana Growers Council to put Industry Recovery Officers on the ground in the north.

These are industry people who are known and trusted by farmers, and have worked with them to obtain access to the various assistance measures that have been put in place. Some of them are even farmers themselves.

The feedback received from primary producers is that this has been a valuable and appreciated program, and I have no doubt that it has benefited not just farmers, but the regional economies also.

QFF is preparing a DVD and fact sheets for farmers in Far North Queensland to help them recover from Yasi and to implement some strategies on their farms that will enable them to be better prepared when future disasters strike.

We know that every farm is unique and disaster plans will be different across farms and regions, but there are certainly lessons from the disaster that can be put to use when planning for future shock events.

In preparing the DVD, we are speaking to farmers and the IROs as well as a range of industry experts on topics such as insurance, business planning and climate risk management. More details on the project will be available on the QFF website, www.qff.org.au.

Natural disasters cannot be prevented, but good planning and management strategies can assist our recovery from them.

We trust that all can be put to use in the future when a natural disaster hits – but we hope also that it is a very long time between drinks.

QUEENSLAND farmers will be looking for all political parties to set out visionary policies that drive productivity growth and profitability in the agricultural sector, now that the election date has been set at March 24. Last week, Premier Anna Bligh announced the election date, and also that the Local Government elections would be moved to April 28. QFF understands that there will be one more sitting of Parliament before the Government enters caretaker mode on February 19 and the formal election campaign begins. In reality, the announcement of the date means that the campaign has already begun – if it had not already.

Heading toward the election, farmers will expect a new government to deliver leadership that can support growth, and also to not throw cumbersome regulatory hurdles and red tape upon the sector. We will expect all sides of politics to outline how they will deliver positive policies that underpin the profitability of agriculture, and to do so in a way that balances it with the State’s other big industry, the resources sector. The current government set a target for the agricultural sector to be worth $40 billion by 2020, and the LNP has a target of doubling food production by 2040. This is the election where we need to see policies that spell out what each party would do to make that happen – policies, strategies and investments that go beyond targets.

FOLLOW QFF ON TWITTER DURING THE ELECTION

FARMERS, QFF members, and journalists can keep up to date with rural policy issues during the campaign via QFF’s Twitter feed, @QldFarmers. QFF will continue its regular communication channels, but Twitter will allow immediate responses to important issues as they unfold.

ELECTION TO SLOW WORK ON WATER REFORM

THE State election is expected to slow work on a number of water reforms over the first quarter of 2012, and particularly in the caretaker period. Work on water resource plans involving consultation with stakeholders such as the draft plans under preparation in the Wet Tropics and the Burnett will be delayed. While the Murray Darling plan is subject to Commonwealth direction, it is not expected that there will be much progress made involving engagement with stakeholders given that most issues will require Queensland Government input. There is no doubt that irrigators in areas like the Lower Balonne and Border Rivers would like to see more contact with the Authority to work through the implications of the draft plan in their areas. The Murray Darling Authority is seeking submissions by April 16 on the draft plan released late last year.

QCA investigations into SunWater prices will continue under existing State government directions with the final report due at the end of April. There is considerable work to be done to produce a final report and this will necessitate ongoing contact with QFF and the irrigation schemes. QCA also has a direction to report on electricity tariffs by March 30. This initiative will also require ongoing attention if stakeholders are to be in a position to adequately respond to QCA’s findings.

Progress on other policy initiatives such as coal seam gas issues and the transfer of irrigation water boards is also expected to be affected over the coming months.

EAT AUSTRALIAN ON AUSTRALIA DAY – SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH

QFF and our members last week put our support behind an initiative to ‘Eat Australian on Australia Day’, as a show of support for Queensland agricultural and the challenging year that it faced in 2011. The event was launched by deputy Prime Minister, Wayne Swan, at Primary Producer’s House in Brisbane, and attracted a sizeable crowd. Mr Swan was presented with a hamper of locally-grown produce and agreed that it was an excellent concept worthy of celebrating.

CYCLONE YASI – ONE YEAR A CHANCE TO MARK THE HARD WORK ON RECOVERY

THURSDAY and Friday this week will mark the 12 month mark since Cyclone Yasi carved a wide path of destruction across Far North Queensland. QFF and our members have been busily involved in recovery efforts in the north, and details on QFF’s and our members’ activities on the recovery will be detailed in President Joanne Grainger’s weekly column in the Queensland Country Life on Thursday.

STRATEGIC CROPPING LAND PROTECTION BEGINS TODAY

QUEENSLAND’S new strategic cropping land (SCL) laws come into effect from today, marking another important milestone in the long process negotiating the policy and the legislation in order to ensure the protection of Queensland’s best farm land from permanently destructive activities. The policy was first proposed almost two years ago, and today marks the beginning of the legislation following an extensive development process, which QFF has been heavily involved in. With the legislation now in effect, the real test will be in the weeks, months and years to come, to ensure that Queensland’s prime agricultural soils are protected now and into the future. QFF CEO Dan Galligan will today be attending an official launch at UQ Gatton to mark the SCL legislation taking effect.

MEMBER NEWS

2012 MARKS YEAR OF SUGAR RESEARCH REFORM

2012 will be a watershed year for Australia’s sugar industry as reforms to its research and development (R&D) model create a single and sustainable sugar research organisation with a larger research funding pool. Endorsed by CANEGROWERS and the Australian Sugar Milling Council (ASMC) through the Australian Sugar Industry Alliance (ASA) last October, the reforms aim to strengthen and advance sugar industry R&D. The reform package comes after a year of consultation with industry leaders, and responds to concerns that the current system is not financially sustainable, and needs strengthening and focus to deliver the research the industry needs to remain internationally competitive. Without this reform, it is estimated growers and millers would need to pay 99c/tonne of cane in 2013 (compared to 55c/tonne paid in 2009-10) to keep research, development and extension in the same form as in 2010 with the three existing industry research bodies. CANEGROWERS CEO Steve Greenwood said the reforms will focus sugar industry research to address industry priorities, including continuing strong focus on plant breeding and variety development.

MILK WARS: COUNTING THE COST ONE YEAR ON

WHILE the nation lit its barbeques and toasted Australia Day last week, dairy farmers noted the one-year anniversary of the brutal retail milk price war, and its disastrous impacts over the last 12 months, on top of the severe impacts from natural disasters which savaged all Queensland dairying regions last year. QDO President Brian Tessmann said that it was on Australia Day last year that Coles announced it was slashing its supermarket brand milk to $1/litre, delivering news that farmers saw as an ultimate un-Australian act, especially in the face of devastating flooding for dairy farming families, closely followed by Cyclone Yasi. The announcement also dragged other retailers into the battle, devaluing fresh milk overnight across the nation, with the price war still continuing one year later.

“We said it then and it remains the case now – these price cuts and marketing tactics would come at the expense of dairy farmers, especially in States such as Queensland, where the vast majority of our milk is produced specially for domestic fresh milk consumption,” Mr Tessmann said. “The resulting impact has already cost our industry many millions of dollars as processors brands have lost market share to supermarket discounted brands, as well as processors being forced to reduce price of their brands and spend more funding on promotion in an attempt to reduce the loss of market share. From this, processors’ ability to pay dairy farmers a sustainable price has been undermined. Worst of all over the last year we have seen some 30 dairy farmers exit the Queensland industry. Currently new contract negotiations between farmers and processors are under extreme pressure, with lower prices being offered to farmers, as the impacts of the milk war continue to mount.”

CANEGROWERS OUTLINES ELECTION PRIORITIES

CANEGROWERS is challenging sugarcane growers and their local communities to consider a list of election priorities and ask where their local candidate stands. CANEGROWERS has released a hard-hitting list of actions it says government must address, to rebuild regional Queensland – a re-awakening economic powerhouse. With a Queensland State election called for 24 March, CANEGROWERS has put together a robust advocacy agenda outlining how the government can play a strong role in rebuilding the strength of its second largest export commodity, sugarcane, and the strength of regional Queensland.