Weekly Bulletin

Disaster anniversaries mark a year of challenge for rural Queensland

QUEENSLAND’S regional areas have been marking the one-year anniversary of last summer’s devastating wet weather. These anniversaries will continue in coming weeks as we approach the 12-month mark post-Yasi on February 2 and 3. While farmers across the State are eager to put these natural disasters behind them, the one-year mark is a chance to recognise the mountains of hard work that so many have put in toward rebuilding their farms, businesses and communities. For many, while much work has been done, there is still plenty ahead as the recovery continues. As the summer progresses, QFF looks forward to a very positive 2012 for the agricultural sector.

GOVERNMENT PLEDGES FUNDS FOR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT POST-YASI

THE State Government last week announced about $1 million toward mental health support services for communities impacted by Cyclone Yasi. The Tully Community Support Centre received $728,000 to employ three full time staff, including an Indigenous support officer, to provide counseling and personal support to locals impacted by Yasi. $213,000 was provided to the Mental Illness Fellowship of North Queensland to establish a Cairns Mental Health Carers’ Support Hub.

QFF welcomes this commitment toward ensuring the overall health and wellbeing of communities, which is just as important as ensuring infrastructure and businesses are rebuilt. QFF is in the process of preparing a DVD for Far North Queensland farmers post-Cyclone Yasi, which will feature various aspects of the recovery, including information on mental health. More information will be available later this year through the QFF Weekly Bulletin and www.qff.org.au.

NEW REEF PROTECTION HERBICIDE LIST FOR SUGARCANE

THE Reef Protection Program has released an updated Reef Protection Herbicide List – Sugarcane, Record Keeping. Farmers growing sugarcane in the Wet Tropics, Burdekin Dry Tropics and Mackay–Whitsunday catchments will receive a copy of the list, which replaces the September 2011 version, in the mail, from the Department of Environment and Resource Management. It will also be available at www.reefwisefarming.qld.gov.au or by calling 137 468. Records must be kept on the use of all herbicides on the list. Record keeping requirements for new products on the list will commence on February 1, 2012.

LA NIÑA PERSISTS OVER PACIFIC

THE Bureau of Meteorology reported last week that the La Nina is persisting over the Pacific Ocean, although that it may be close to its peak, with a gradual decline expected over the remainder of the austral summer and early autumn. Sea surface temperatures remain less extreme (warmer) than at the same time in 2010-11. This will be welcome news for farmers as Australia heads further into the wet/cyclone season. For the cyclone season so far, three tropical cyclones have occurred in the Australian region. For detailed rainfall and temperature outlooks, please see: www.bom.gov.au/climate/ahead.

MEMBER NEWS

PICK N MATCH RIDES AGAIN

THE online matching service connecting cotton growers with picking contractors, “Pick N Match” will be back in business this year. Established by Cotton Australia and operated on the CA website, the free service was very popular last season, allowing picking contractors to post their details online, with growers then able to search by location, equipment and capacity. Using the techniques pioneered by online dating agencies, Pick N Match took the concept in a different direction, allowing very busy picking and spraying contractors to match up with growers. With possibly a record harvest ahead, this season demand for picking services will be extremely tight and making arrangements with contractors sooner rather than later will be the best approach. Contractors can send their details directly to Cotton Australia now in preparation for the relaunch of Pick N Match early in 2012. Phone (02) 9669 5222.

GROWCOM BACKS CALLS FOR CLEARER COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELLING LAWS

GROWCOM has reiterated its long-standing policy calling for reforms to misleading country of origin labeling laws in light of another food processor moving offshore and making it increasingly difficult for consumers to know which products contain local ingredients. Growcom Chief Advocate Rachel Mackenzie says that Growcom has been lobbying for over ten years to change the misleading ‘Made in Australia’ definition which means that packaged and tinned product can have little local content at all and still carry that label. “The ‘Made in Australia’ label can currently be placed on a product if 50 percent of the costs are incurred here and it undergoes ‘substantial transformation’ after being imported. Mixing, homogenisation and curing are all considered to be a substantial transformation,” Ms Mackenzie said. “With relatively low labour and other input costs in Asia and the Pacific, very little needs to be done to a product in Australia for that alteration to account for 50 per cent of costs. We think that most Australian consumers would expect that ‘Made in Australia’ refers to product content, not cost,” she said. “Growcom does not oppose the sale of imported product which passes Australian biosecurity certification, but we think that fruit and vegetable consumers should be able to make a fully informed choice when shopping and not be misled by labels which very much blur the lines as to the product’s local content.”

OTHER NEWS

OUTLOOK CONFERENCE MARCH 6 & 7

REGISTRATIONS are open for the ABARES Outlook conference in Canberra on March 6 and 7. The conference will offer market insights and other important industry information from national and international speakers. Click here for more information.

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