Weekly Bulletin

The Weekly Bulletin is now published each Monday.

If you would like to be on our distribution list, or for back editions, please contact Queensland Farmers Federation on 07 3837 4747.

04 Jan 2010 WEEKLY BULLETIN JANUARY 4, 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
On behalf of all at QFF, we hope you have enjoyed your Christmas and New Year celebrations.

THE YEAR AHEAD WILL BE NO LESS CHALLENGING
With the New Year now upon us, the Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) is starting to knuckle down and think about the big issues we will have to tackle over the next 12 months. It is not surprising that many of the policy debates that dominated 2009 will continue to be on the agenda this coming year. However, on many of these fronts, there is likely to be a number of opportunities for significant progress to be made. Irrigation water policy issues will be high on the QFF agenda. The draft Basin Wide plan to be released by the Murray Darling Basin Authority in the middle of the year, will bring about a whole new set of requirements that will have to be implemented through the State water planning process by 2014. The State also has a significant and broad role in land use planning, land and water management planning and environmental planning instruments within Government legislation and these issues will be on the table for negotiation early in the year.
A Federal election will also offer an opportunity for the agricultural sector to focus our political leaders’ attention to the policies that matter. The emissions trading scheme will dominate debate for a time, but it is clear that climate change and the associated policy responses have only just started to resonate with the general public. Climate change requires a cool headed response and farmers and farm organisations have a lot to offer in demonstrating how to deal with a highly variable climate that throws up devastating natural disasters.
A number of key pieces of legislation that affect every farming business will be considered by Government this year. National and State Biosecurity strategies will be further developed; the national and state relationship with regard to the management of agricultural and veterinary chemicals is under review as is the management of occupational health and safety legislation. National / State harmonisation has become the buzz word.
The Federal Minister for Agriculture has committed to a Productivity commission review into research and development corporations and this will be an interesting exercise. For QFF, it may be an opportunity to point out the many successes that have been delivered through some of the more effective industry and research investment relationships that many of our members have been able to forge. We hope the review will delve beyond just corporations to look at the broader investment model to identify opportunities for improvement - of which there are many.
Sitting above all of these reviews, legislative negotiations and political haggling is a couple of central themes. One is the strength of the agricultural sector to tell its story and establish effective policy. QFF will work with our members and colleague representative bodies to endeavour to do this efficiently. However, for the farming business, it remains a question of certainty in policy that should deliver investment security. The planning provisions around long term access to water and suitable soils are not set up to support farmers to grow. The world media is full of stories associated with the future demands of an expanding population. Farmers can deliver, but only with the right Government policy and supporting infrastructure. No doubt this will take more than one year to achieve, but 2010 looks as good a place to start as any.

HIGH COURT DECISION ON GROUNDWATER
The High Court has handed down its decision in the ICM Agriculture versus Commonwealth case regarding the constitutional validity of a $135 million government scheme to compensate primary producers in the Lower Lachlan Valley for reductions to groundwater licences. The High Court held that ‘the replacement of a groundwater bore licence with an aquifer access licence which reduces the licensee’s groundwater entitlement does not constitute an acquisition of property.’ The replacement of the bore licences with aquifer access licence was in accordance with the New South Wales (NSW) Water Management Act which was implementing the reduction of entitlements to achieve sustainable levels of extraction in accordance with the National Water Initiative. In so deciding, the High Court rejected the plaintiffs arguments that the replacement of the bore licences was an acquisition of property for which compensation was not paid and that it contravened the Commonwealth Constitution which requires that compensation on ‘just terms’ should be paid for the acquisition of property. The majority of Justices ruled that there was no acquisition of property as any such acquisition required that some identifiable benefit passed to the acquirer. They indicated that States have the power to limit the volume that can be taken from a natural resource such as water and the State gained ‘no greater advantage than it already had to extract or permit others to extract water from the groundwater’. This decision has wider ramifications for irrigators facing cut backs to entitlements particularly in groundwater areas that are assessed as being over allocated or overused.

ABS SURVEY EXAMINES PROTECTION OF THE GREAT BARRIER REEF
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has examined farming practices affecting water quality in the Great Barrier Reef catchment area. In a statement released last month, the ABS said that one of the environmental pressures on the reef comes from agriculture in the Great Barrier Reef catchment, an area that stretches from the Sunshine Coast to the Daintree and many hundreds of kilometres inland. This catchment area contains some of the richest farming land in Australia, and Queensland's farmers are under pressure to adopt land management practices to protect creeks and rivers flowing into the reef. Dr Michael Vardon, from the ABS Environment team said the survey found major differences across the region in the take up of land management practices. “This survey gives environmental researchers a baseline to work with - they can see what is happening in different areas all across the catchment,” he said. The survey was funded under the Australian Governments Reef Rescue Program, and will help target areas where the major investments are needed to change farming practices. Further details can be found in Land Management Practices in the Great Barrier Reef Catchments, Preliminary, 2008-09 (cat. no. 4619.0) available for free download from the ABS website. 

NEW COUNCIL TO HELP PROTECT AUSTRALIA'S BIOSECURITY
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke has recently announced appointments to the newly created Biosecurity Advisory Council. The establishment of the council is a key recommendation of the Beale Review, and will provide independent advice on Australia’s biosecurity systems. Mr Burke said creating the council was an important step in the overall biosecurity reform process. The membership, said Mr Burke, reflects a broad range of expertise in the fields of agriculture, environment, health sciences, risk assessment, business management and operational aspects of biosecurity. The council—as recommended by the Beale Review—will replace the Quarantine and Exports Advisory Council (QEAC). Reflecting a move from quarantine to biosecurity, the council will have a broader role in providing advice across the biosecurity continuum. The council chair and members are: Chair Andrew Inglis, Research and development consultant Dr Lisa Adams, Group Executive of CSIRO’s Agribusiness portfolio Dr Joanne Daly, former AgForce President Mr Peter Kenny, former Australian Heritage Commissioner Dr Elizabeth Mattiske, current Director of the Goulburn Murray Water Authority Ms Claire Penniceard, current Principal Medical Adviser, Office of Health Protection, Department of Health and Ageing Dr Bernie Towler and former Chief Veterinary Officer of Tasmania Mr Dennis Witt.

ENVIRONMENTAL VOLUNTEERS RECEIVE $300,000 FUNDING
The Queensland Government has recently announced $300,000 worth of funding to Queensland Water and Land Carers (QWaLC). Minister for Natural Resources, Mines & Energy Stephen Robertson said it is hoped the funding will further support natural resource volunteer groups. The volunteer groups that operate under the auspices of QWaLC organise community projects such as tree planting, weed clearing and other on-ground work to protect the environment and raise awareness about the importance of the environment. The groups also help to deal with the big issues which confront state- biodiversity, climate change, water, vegetation management, erosion and soil conservation, weeds and pests.

BLIGH GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES FUNDING TO PROTECT THE REEF
The Bligh Government last week announced it will provide $1.1 million to help north Queensland landholders comply with new Great Barrier Reef regulations which took effect on January 1, 2010. Acting Climate Change and Sustainability Minister and Primary Industries and Fisheries Minister, Tim Mulherin said the funding would help sugar cane farmers and graziers adopt best practice.
QFF member organisation CANEGROWERS will manage $750,000, together with the Australian Cane Farmers Association, while broadacre farm group AgForce will manage $350,000. Mr Mulherin said the funding will enable the groups to respond to inquiries and help farmers to understand and meet their requirements under the new legislation. “Both will work with other industry organisations and regional NRM groups to deliver assistance to growers in the key Reef catchments,” he said. The new requirements will be staged in their roll-out throughout the year. From January 1 2010, farmers and graziers in the affected catchment areas must keep records and comply with regulations on the use of fertiliser and pesticides to improve the quality of water that runs off their properties onto the reef. Further, cane farmers and graziers using herbicides will need to hold qualifications in preparing and applying chemicals, controlling weeds and transporting, handling and storing chemicals.
By October 1, 2010 environmental risk management plans will need to be lodged by cattle grazing enterprises over 2000ha in the Burdekin Dry Tropics and for cane farms growing more than 70ha of cane in the Wet Tropics. For more information, can be obtained form the Governments Reef Wise Farming website at www.reefwisefarming.qld.gov.au.

MEMBER NEWS

SUGAR SHAKER – INDUSTRY OVERVIEW 2009 /10 – A BRIGHT LIGHT
In a statement released just before Christmas, peak sugar-growers organisation CANEGROWERS has said that 2009 set the scene for 2010 to be a most positive year for the Australian sugar industry. Strong international prices, access to futures pricing to secure those higher returns and the potential for increased production have set an upbeat tone within the sugar cane growing sector. Industry has emerged from a lengthy period of rationalisation and deregulation, leaner, meaner and well prepared to reap some long overdue rewards of a stronger, more stable marketplace. During the past 12 months governments have presented Jekyll and Hyde faces to industry, with the Commonwealth promoting improved production practices through partnership and incentives but the Queensland government using the heavy hand of legislation to impose a web of complex, unnecessary and largely bureaucratic regulations over cane growing practices. For more information, go to www.canegrowers.org.au.

NEW EMPLOYMENT LAWS FOR DAIRY FARMERS IN QUEENSLAND
The Queensland Dairyfarmers’ Organisation has recently mailed to all members an information pack, which includes the following;
• Queensland Dairy Pastoral Industry Award 2010 briefing note,
• NFF Fair Work Information Booklet for Agricultural Producers, including the National Employment Standards,
• NFF Fair Work Fact Sheet,
• Copy of the Pastoral Industry Award 2010,
• TPID Contractor Test Kit,
• Fair Work Information Statement.
The QDO is also working to establish an advisory service for members. For information go to www.nff.org.au and also to the Dairy Australia’s program The People in Dairy website, www.thepeopleindairy.org.au.

OTHER NEWS

RURAL SKILLS AND TRAINING NEWSLETTER WILL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE
The Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) has recently released the Rural Skills and Training Industry Advisory Group newsletter. The newsletter is designed to keep rural organisations and stakeholders up-to-date with news on skills development, training opportunities and the labour market in primary industries. For a copy of the newsletter, click here.

ENTERPRISE BASED PRODUCTIVITY PLACES PROGRAM
AgriFood Skills Australia wishes to alert all peak bodies and industry associations in the rural sector of the availability of funding under the Enterprise Based Productivity Places Program (EBPPP) from the Australian Government. In November 2009, the Australian Government announced a $25m initiative to increase the skills base of existing workers. The program will commence in 2010 and is being managed by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) through Industry Skills Councils (ISCs). Funding of up to 90 per cent of the cost of training is available to participating businesses. DEEWR is accepting proposals on the EBPPP from now until late May 2010. Applications must be through an ISC, such as AgriFood Skills Australia. Information on the EBPPP is available on the AgriFood website www.agrifoodskills.net.au or by contacting Angela Petty on 02 6163 7208 angelapetty@agrifoodskills.net.au.

CONSIDERING THOSE LESS FORTUNATE
With the impact of the Global Financial Crisis, Foodbank Queensland is currently feeding 60, 000 Queenslanders a week, half of whom are children. The not-for-profit charity supplies food to more than 300 charities. Foodbank is a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) endorsed by the Australian Tax Office. All donations of produce are a legitimate tax deduction for your farm business. To donate fruit and vegetables, growers need only provide Foodbank with an invoice for the amount donated. It is up to the grower how they price their goods as most growers have a good idea what their food is worth. Foodbank then issues a tax receipt. Foodbank will gladly pick up all donations and can also supply cardboard boxes where necessary. Foodbank will take produce considered seconds or ‘not fit for market’ that may otherwise be discarded by the farmer or packing house. As a general rule, if the food is good enough for someone to eat, Foodbank will be more than willing to take it. For more information visit www.foodbank.com.au.

Back