AgLife – June 24, 2020 edition

June 24, 2020

Recycled resource Daryl Hobbs, left, and Jai McCall at Westonvic Waste. The company is linking renewable-energy development in the region with dairy farmers in the state’s south-west. Story, page 41.

Picture: PAUL CARRACHER

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Innovative waste-recovery project 95 Nelson Street, Nhill CALL 03 5391 2106

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BY DEAN LAWSON

Wimmera waste-management company is tapping into a regional value-adding philosophy by linking renewable-energy development in the region with dairy farmers in Victoria’s south-west.

Green Edge Recycling, a subsidiary of Westonvic Waste, is transforming extensive timber packaging used to transport parts for Murra Warra Wind Farm into high-quality footing material for livestock.

The company has had a waste-management contract with the wind farm for the past 18 months that has included dealing with 250 tonnes of wooden pallets.

The pallets have undergone processing through an industrial shredder at the company’s material-recovery facility in Horsham South.

Now, as a result of the company’s exhaustive and continuous exploration into finding new recycled-commodity markets, 150 cubic-metres of the end product is now on its way to Colac district dairy farms every week.

Company owner-director Daryl Hobbs said the primary use for the chipped pallets was for footing for livestock and also groundcover for Horsham district residential properties.

“The product is subject to extensive quality-assurance protocols,” he said.

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

RECYCLED RESOURCE: Daryl Hobbs, left, and Jai McCall at Westonvic Waste with the end product of chipped-up wooden pallets from Murra Warra Wind Farm north of Horsham. The majority of chips are heading to Colac district dairy farmers.

Picture: PAUL CARRACHER

“It’s all hand-picked, all nails removed and completely free of contamination.

“We’re receiving wooden pallets all the time, from local businesses as well, and hopefully we’ll get more from the start of the proposed next stage of the wind farm – which we think might not be too far way.

“It’s a great and innovative outcome from a waste-recovery perspective.

“We can’t simply keep burying ev-

erything. This is what our business is trying to achieve.

“It’s about identifying whatever commodity we can pull out of the waste stream and finding a new use and market for it. But it is a tough process.

“There are always things to consider. For example, we can only accept ‘clean’ waste-timber packaging or pallets that are free of chemical treatment in this latest project.”

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Westonvic Waste, in running a waste-recovery centre for the past four years, collects a combination of construction and household waste.

Apart from timber, it recovers bricks and concrete, plastics, glass, steel and plasterboard.

About 80 percent of construction waste is recycled and 20 percent goes to landfill.

Mr Hobbs said society continued to face a waste-management dilemma,

especially with severely depressed recycling plastics and cardboard markets and increased Environment Protection Authority levies and other associated costs.

Potential

Mr Hobbs said placing greater emphasis on evolving energy-from-waste burning technology, already in use around the world and appropriate for a variety of applications, would be a productive step.

“In working at the coalface of the waste-recovery industry it has never been clearer to someone like me that Australia should be seriously pursuing energy-from-waste production,” he said.

“The reality is that there is all sorts of potential involving this, not only for Australia and Victoria but for regional areas such as the Wimmera.

“But at the moment, when it comes to research and development, especially in finding markets, relatively small operators like us usually have to do it all ourselves.”

Member for Lowan Emma Kealy said in December last year, while promoting a Victorian Opposition Zero to Landfill policy, that waste-management might represent regional opportunity based on a combination of energy-from-waste technology with market-driven recycling.

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Mixed bag in farmer confidence “Like” Us On Facebook

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urvey results of farmer confidence from an agribusiness banker have revealed heightened concerns about the economy and falling commodity prices as a result of COVID-19.

The latest Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey has shown that despite a strong start to the year, the number of Victorian farmers expecting business conditions to worsen has almost doubled.

But it is graingrowers who have bucked the trend, however, with seasonal conditions in cropping regions instead helping bolster business confidence for the year ahead.

While COVID-19 has created significant short-term uncertainty, longterm confidence in the sector remains strong, with the survey revealing investment intentions high among the state’s farmers.

Results show a sharp retreat in farm-

er confidence from the highs of the March quarter.

The percentage of farmers expecting business conditions to improve in the coming 12 months has dropped to 26 percent compared with 41 percent at the start of this year. A total of 29 percent now reported a negative outlook on the year ahead.

Taken at the height of coronavirus restrictions, the survey found 56 percent of Victorian farmers reported COVID-19 or related government restrictions having a negative impact on their business.

Among graingrowers, this number increased to 66 percent, while 60 percent of beef and 57 percent of sheep respondents also reported negative fall-out from the pandemic.

The range of impacts included supplies being harder or slower to obtain or more expensive, not being able to go to sales, markets and auctions, and the impact on wool prices.

Rabobank southern Victoria regional manager Hamish McAlpin said farmer confidence had fallen due mainly to concerns about commodity prices and uncertainty about markets from COVID-19.

He said the mood among Victorian farmers was still generally upbeat, particularly because drought-affected areas had good autumn rain and a positive winter cropping program.

“Farmers in the northwest are happy with the improved season and generally there is a lot of optimism about good seasonal conditions continuing,” he said.

“The negative sentiment really only comes from farmers’ uncertainty about the markets.”

The latest survey results reveal overall Victorian rural confidence was primarily dragged down by a decline in sentiment in sheep and dairy sectors.

In the state’s sheep sector, confidence fell sharply, with 48 percent of

the state’s sheep graziers expecting conditions to worsen over the next 12 months, compared with 20 percent holding the same view in the March quarterly survey.

Grain boost

A major turnaround in seasonal conditions, particularly in the Mallee and state’s northwest, has sustained graingrower confidence for the year ahead, with 39 percent expecting conditions to improve this year.

The survey found overall confidence had declined in all surveyed regions in the state, with the southwest of Victoria reporting a particularly large drop-off in confidence.

“After a run of really bad seasons, conditions have really turned around for farmers in the state’s north and northwest regions,” Mr McAlpin said.

“There is a good feeling about the year ahead and farmers are well positioned to hopefully enjoy a year

of good production supported by above-average rain.

“For the southwest the erosion in confidence would have a lot to do with the downturn in the wool market, which has been significant in recent months.”

The survey found farm viability was strong, with 96 percent of Victorian farmers reporting viability despite a significant downward revision in expectations for farm incomes.

Income sentiment has improved for graingrowers, with 28 percent now expecting a higher gross-farm income this year – up from 19 percent.

Sheep and dairy farmers have both wound back their income expectations.

The quarterly survey questions an average of 1000 primary producers across a wide range of commodities and geographical areas throughout Australia.

New opportunity Wimmera agricultural machinery dealer and business success story Emmetts has continued to expand, this time into the construction industry.

The company, with historic headquarters in Rupanyup and now with branches across Victoria and interstate, has, similar to many agricultural-based firms, strongly pushed through COVID-19 limitations.

Emmetts is now offering John Deere Compact Construction Equipment, CCE, which includes a range from skid steers and compact track loaders to mini excavators.

Company leaders are confident adding a CCE range to its suite of products will meet the needs of construction businesses, landscapers, pool installers and plumbers, as well as primary producers.

Paul Rowe of Emmetts Warracknabeal said he looked forward to the opportunity of selling products to district construction businesses as well as being a supplier of the service and parts options.

“Most of the suppliers of compact construction equipment are in the capital cities or larger regional centres,” he said.

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“This should save customers travel and downtime.”

Emmetts group marketing and strategy manager Avril Hogan said having this equipment allowed the company to reach out to an industry it had not traditionally been heavily involved with.

“Now councils, plumbers, pool contractors and electricians have new options for locally supplied equipment,” she said.

“We all know the importance of uptime in keeping parts in stock locally and for customers to know there are local mechanics available if there is a breakdown, or to provide regular maintenance.”

Ms Hogan said an interesting observation in providing the new range was the amount of interest from regional areas across South Australia as well as western Victoria.

“What we had not expected was how many regional people buy out of Melbourne or Bendigo and Ballarat, and are excited to provide a local option,” she said.

Emmetts taps into 60 years of experience and maintains its traditional catch-cry to ‘keep farmers farming’.

BRANCHING OUT: Emmetts Warracknabeal sales consultant Paul Rowe, left, sales manager Gavin Brown and service manager Karen Thomas.

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STANDING STRONG: Wimmera Mallee Ag business manager Jodie Eagle, owner Mario Plazzer and team members, below right from left, Ash Hawker, Peter Hobbs, Glenn Hobbs and Jim Reynen, continue to keep the wheels turning in the agricultural industry throughout the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pictures: PAUL CARRACHER

CALL 03 5391 2106

The road to success F

BY DYLAN DE JONG

rom the sweeping hills of northern Italy to the sparse farmland of the Wimmera – that is where fate has led Horsham entrepreneur and migrant Mario Plazzer.

Mr Plazzer, 80, believes his vast experiences and ambition to try his hand at anything is what shaped his success amid the heartland of western Victoria’s broadacre paddocks.

His business Wimmera Mallee Ag is making a profound charge this year, helping to keep the wheels turning in the agricultural industry throughout the uncertainty of COVID-19.

Demand for the farm machinery and service his workshop provides has remained high during the pandemic.

Mr Plazzer said he planned to continue to do what he and his team did best – servicing the farming community across the Wimmera.

“We’ve had a record year this year.

We’ve put ourselves into a good situation,” he said.

“Farmers have done well in the past year and as long as people need to put food on their plate, they have to rely on the land.”

From humble beginnings in 1988, suppling and servicing general farm machinery near the corner of Ham-

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

ilton and Golf Course roads in Horsham, where it remains today, the business now meets the needs of clients nationally, stocking the latest in farming technology.

The business has also employed a workforce of more than 35 since opening.

Business manager Jodie Eagle and senior mechanic Peter Hobbs have been with the business for 31 years, while ag technician Glen Hobbs has been part of the team for 24 years.

Ms Eagle said she had enjoyed working alongside Mr Plazzer and supporting him for the duration of the journey.

“Everything’s got to be on point.

We’ve had some bad years, struggling, but Mario’s always led the way,” Ms Eagle said.

“We haven’t slowed down and we haven’t stopped. We just keep thinking ahead, because we don’t know what’s going to happen with overseas trading.

“But this is a good industry to be in at the moment, because farmers are still out there.”

When Mr Plazzer caught up with The Weekly Advertiser to share his abundance of stories, it was hard for him to pinpoint the exact moment he made his transition to the Wimmera’s backbone industry.

Mr Plazzer is a builder by trade but considers his willingness to branch into other fields as key behind his entrepreneurial success.

He said he even ‘almost made it’ as a professional accordion player before he made the move to agriculture.

Mr Plazzer first cut his teeth in the industry in the 1960s, when he and his brother John built and rented buildings on land they had bought including Wimmera Mallee Ag’s site.

He said he remembered making just 10 percent commission per sale on farm machinery in the early days of Wimmera Mallee Ag. The brothers went on to run their own businesses. Mario stayed in agriculture, while John went back to his roots to start his own commercial building business, which now has his son Rob Plazzer at the wheel.

Long history

The Plazzers’ presence in the area dates back to the 1950s when the family migrated from the Trentino region in northern Italy.

Mr Plazzer was just 10 when he started to make a life in Horsham.

“I’m Italian, but of Austrian descent.

My father was Austrian, but then Italy lost the Second World War and a piece of Austria was given to Italy as war reparations so we became Italians. In

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my DNA, I’m German, but I came to Australia as an Italian,” he laughed.

From young ages, John and Mario learnt the building trade from their father, Egidio Plazzer.

Mr Plazzer said it was his father who instilled in him at an early age a drive to succeed.

He said he had worked ‘tirelessly’ to get to where he was today.

Mr Plazzer’s daughter Teresa added that a strong family had also provided powerful work-ethic foundations.

“His father pulled him out of school at 14 to work to help feed the family and put his two brothers and two sisters through school,” she said.

Mr Plazzer said he had always had

faith in the Wimmera as a prime producing area in national agriculture.

“Horsham has a lot going for it. With the south as sheep country, and north as wheat and cereals, Horsham is in a fortunate position,” he said.

“I remember in the years of former Prime Minister Robert Menzies before dollars and cents – when they still had pounds. Sheep farmers used to get up to £3 for every pound of wool and people around Hamilton and Horsham south became millionaires, establishing some prominet families in the region.

“Wimmera Mallee Ag plans to be around for another 32 years at least.”

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43

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Horsham Show entries filling inbox 95 Nelson Street, Nhill CALL 03 5391 2106

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orsham Show leaders are buoyed by a ‘better than expected’ amount of entries for this year’s ‘virtual’ show competitions.

With uncertainty surrounding public gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic, show leaders decided to run an online event for 2020.

They launched the Virtual Horsham Show in May to capture an audience looking for ways to keep busy in self-isolation.

Horsham Agricultural Society secretary Andrea Cross said a daily Facebook photo challenge, launched on May 1, was proving popular.

The challenges, for ‘bragging rights’, will run up until show eve, September 26.

Show leaders have already started receiving entries for this year’s competitions online at horshamshow. com.au.

Prizemoney is up for grabs, with entries closing on September 19.

“We are offering almost 50 competitions, many of which we traditionally find in the Home Industries and Homecraft Pavilion,” Mrs Cross said.

“We are encouraging people to make their entries and submit photos for judging.”

Competitions are based on five categories: From your kitchen; from the garden; from your photography

or art studio; from your loungeroom floor; and from our partners Art is… festival and Horsham Youth Council.

Partnership

Art is… organisers have also elected to run this year’s festival online.

“We saw an opportunity to partner with them to benefit both events in this changing world,” Mrs Cross said.

“Webinars organised by the Art is… festival have begun to teach people the art of poetry, with a rug-making workshop coming up on July 4 and a children’s picture-book illustration workshop scheduled over four Wednesdays in August.”

Lorette Broekstra will lead the illustration workshops from 6pm to 8pm.

Mrs Cross thanked major show partner Saines Lucas Solicitors for coming on board.

“Without their generous support, our virtual show would not have been possible,” she said.

“Their sponsorship covers all the prizemoney, which we’ve never offered before.

“We hope it is an incentive for people who wouldn’t normally enter the show, to have a go.”

Mrs Cross said for the first time, many of the competitions were open to people of all ages and abilities.

“If people don’t have access to

a computer to enter competitions, they can get a copy of the schedule of competitions from the show office and return with their entries on Thursdays between 1pm and 5pm, and we’ll assist them by taking a photo of their entry,” Mrs Cross said.

Virtual Horsham Show participants can also enter a $100 showbag giveaway.

“Gordon Richards from Showbag Warehouse isn’t missing the opportunity to ‘go virtual’ with us this year,” Mrs Cross said.

“As Victoria’s first virtual show, we are delighted to announce that Gordon has offered this fabulous prize to one lucky family.”

Mrs Cross said to enter, people needed to buy a showbag online from www.showbagwarehouse.com. au and take a photo of themselves or their children with the showbag once they arrive in the mail.

People can submit their entries via email to entries@horshamshow. com.au by September 19 to go in the draw. The winner will receive a $100 voucher, to be redeemed at the 2021 Horsham Show.

“Competitors are encouraged to visit the show website and Facebook page to keep up with Victoria’s first virtual show,” Mrs Cross said.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON: Horsham’s Eadie Hartigan displays a decorated biscuit she has entered in this year’s Virtual Horsham Show. Prizemoney is up for a grabs in a range of categories as show leaders look to provide something for the community throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

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hat good can come from this? It is a

question I would like you to ponder.

‘This’ is of course the COVID-19 lockdown.

Here is my list of good things, in chronological order.

• My son married his partner of many years the week – before – lockdown. It was a stunning wedding in a wonderfully bucolic setting, even though my children are really city kids, and will go down as, ‘that amazing wedding just before lockdown’ in everyone’s memory.

• My daughter who lives in London came home for the wedding and ‘bingo!’, was stuck back home for three months unable to travel. Bad for her, good for her mum.

• I’ve had a ridiculous amount of time to school my horse so I am in seventh heaven. My horse is sick of the sight of me and has been known to try to play hide and seek whenever I appear.

• And this my friend, is possibly the most interesting to you. I’ve discovered a Facebook page called ‘What do you see from your window?’

There are posts from more than 160 countries across the world and it has opened a myriad of new perspectives on other nations and how we have so much in common.

People in far flung places that I’ll probably never be able to visit seem so much closer.

I have to admit the biggest surprise so far is the beauty of Romania.

That neatly segues to my next point. This forced isolation with closed borders is forcing people to rethink where they travel.

The first weekend we were allowed ‘out’ was the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.

FARMERS: HAY SEASON IS APPROACHING!

Country Today with Libby Price

I live in northeast Victoria and went to my favourite local restaurant that is on one of the main tourist routes in the region. There was a constant stream of caravans and campervans visiting.

In the tourist town of Beechworth there were queues of people trying to get into cafes and shops. Victorians are re-discovering their own state.

It was a similar story in the Grampians. Tourism has taken a huge hit in the lockdown, but now that we are able to get out and about more, it’s bouncing back.

Ninety percent of its tourism is domestic and, to quote Grampians Tourism chief executive Marc Sleeman, it’s now ‘game on’ with visitation numbers higher this June than the same time last year.

Tourists are out of hibernation and back on the road with a renewed and re-invigorated desire to look locally.

As someone who is South Australian-born, I don’t agree with Premier Daniel Andrews’ comment, ‘who would want to go there?’ in reference to SA, but I do agree there’s more than enough for us all to see and support right here in Victoria while the border remains closed.

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KEEP ON GIVING: Landsborough West farmer Zoe Crouch shared this photo to her Ned’s Vineyard social media accounts, singing the praises of her sheep. “I love sheep, you may have noticed,” she wrote. “They are resilient, clever beings that just keep on giving. And if you look after them, they will look after you’.” Zoe and her husband, Luke, run merinos and have a small, 11-acre vineyard at the foot of the Pyrenees. Mrs Crouch said she enjoyed working with sheep, with the ‘amazing creatures growing us a magnificent fleece every year’. She also encouraged people to consider buying products made of wool, which were ‘sustainable, clean, green and diverse’. “Wool is durable, comfortable, warming, cooling and breathable,” she said. “Try it, you might learn to love it!”

Agriculture Victoria services resuming

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

She said designated fox and wild-dog bounty collection centres would open from Monday and operate in line with physical-distancing requirements including established drop off and exclusion zones.

People can submit entire fox scalps for a $10 reward and entire wild-dog body parts for a $120 reward during scheduled collection times.

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Agriculture Victoria is resuming several of its key services that were suspended in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chief executive Emily Phillips said the service had continued to work closely with the agriculture sector and farming communities during restrictions, offering levels of support, including redesigning services to be delivered online.

Ms Phillips said with the gradual easing of restrictions, Victorians should still be considered and use common sense when it came to their activities.

Further information on the bounty, including collection schedule, terms and conditions are available online at www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/bounty or by calling a customer service centre on 136 186.

15 Carine Street,Road Horsham in theDrive, BIG RED SHED Cnr Golf Course & Kendal Horsham

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Formerly

Jo Edmonds

Glenn ‘Ossie’ O’Beirne

Branch: Legacy Agritech Rural Role: Fertiliser Logistics/ Admin.

Branch: Legacy Landmark Role: Accounts Manager

A familiar and hopefully welcoming face from Legacy Agritech Rural team, I began working for the business in Fertiliser Administration and Logistics back in 2008. Over my 12 years in the business I feel I have gained respect and acceptance in a largely male dominated industry/role.

I value and enjoy the challenges that come with the Ag industry and even more so, the relationships I have built over the years. My role has evolved over time however limited as primary caretaker of my two boys.

Ossie has 18 years experience in rural sales, including instore and on-road sales and deliveries.

He can provide fencing solutions to suit all your farming needs, and discuss drench and backline programs for sheep and other livestock, as well as faecal egg counting for your sheep (worm testing).

Customer happiness and satisfaction is the key!

On the weekend, Ossie loves a round of golf, going fishing with mates and yabbying.

Going forward, I will be taking on a more Accounts and Fertiliser support role in Horsham store, and a more involved role in the Fertiliser Management, Logistics and Administration of the Nutrien Ag Solutions Dimboola Store.

I look forward to Nutrien Ag growing and continuing to support our new and existing clients to run their own businesses at the highest standard.

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NEW MOVE: Endeavour Petroleum’s Jeff Griffiths at the company’s Horsham diesel site.

Building a legacy

A

family-operated business has taken the reins from McPhee Fuel in Balmoral with a desire to establish the centre as a base for major western Victorian fuel distribution.

Endeavour Petroleum, which has been trading in Gippsland and Central Victoria for more than 28 years, has opened a site in the town.

Owner-director Jeff Griffiths said Ben McPhee, a Balmoral identity, was retiring from the fuel industry after more than 45 years to settle back into running his bus business and to spend more time farming.

“Ben has been an amazing contributor to the area, building his business interests and working with his drivers to provide many farmers and local businesses with all their fuel needs,” he said.

“We wish Ben well in his first stage of retirement and look forward to developing his business legacy.”

Mr Griffiths said Endeavour Petroleum had started as a fuel distributorship, owning and operating fuel depots, lubricant warehouses and retail sites.

“Changes by the oil majors over this period saw a lot of industry rationalisation, which meant the demise of family businesses in petroleum,” he said.

“We set out to survive this move and over this period built a network of sites now totalling more than 22 locations.

“We needed to become independent, so we purchased old fuel sites, carried out improvement works and hired locals to staff and operate the business.

“Every site is different and has a strong local focus on what each community needs with both the fuel and shop.”

Mr Griffiths said the firm now had more than 245 staff operating sites under the Endeavour as well as BP brands.

“Our business is always expanding and in the next few months we will convert the Balmoral site, open a new diesel 24-7 card site in Moama

as well as completing planning applications for new premises in Stawell, Donald and Kerang,” he said.

“In 2021 all sites will convert to the Endeavour brand, with many locations offering accounts, fuel, lubricants and an extensive shop offer.”

Mr Griffiths said Endeavour Petroleum had set a goal of becoming a major independent fuel business, running a network of sites that would also offer farm-fuel deliveries with its new fuelshifter trucks.

“Fuel depots will be established to ensure we can buy and store fuel sourced from several suppliers so we can guarantee competitive pricing,” he said.

“We will hold all our fuel suppliers to account when it comes to pricing and reliability of supply.

“We have no restrictions on site networks, fuel brands or selling offers as we look to maximise our market impact. In July we start the building of a major travel stop at Mt Gambier, which will be completed this year.”

Mr Griffiths said after buying the Balmoral property from Mr McPhee the company had started the first stage of on-site improvement work.

“Works are extensive and include replacing tanks and dispensers plus preparing foundations for additional tanks, office facilities and a lubricants shed,” he said.

“This location will also house our new fuelshifter trucks that will deliver fuel to farmers all over western Victoria.

“Our expansion has taken years of planning and the commitment of a lot of people who want to bring back the value of family businesses becoming an important part of the local community.

“You will see evidence of this commitment as we release our products and services built on fuel supply into the area. Our aim is to offer the service, price and reliability regional communities deserve.”

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Wednesday, June 24, 2020

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Barley growers look for alternatives “Like” Us On Facebook

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BY DYLAN DE JONG

W

immera cropping market analysts are recommending farmers shore-up domestic trade deals or ensure better on-site storage for their barley crop as uncertainty looms in the international market.

NEW

Rural Bank Australia says the imposition of an 80.5 percent tariff on Australian barley imports is likely to price Australia out of the Chinese market, which accounted for 70 percent of Australian barley exports over the past five years.

Victorian Farmers Federation Warracknabeal branch president David Drage finished cropping the last of his barley, his main crop, before China announced the price hike to tariffs.

Mr Drage said despite the uncertainty he was confident there would be alternative deals farmers could secure moving forward.

“We just have to wear the market this year – it’s certainly a concern, but we’ll get by,” he said.

“China isn’t the only country that takes our barley. We’ve got our Indonesia free trade agreement and India has indicated they are happy to start buying significant quantities of grain from us.”

Mr Drage said he believed ensuring alternative trade partners was crucial for farmers.

OPTIONS: Victorian Farmers Federation Warracknabeal branch president David Drage is keeping positive despite market uncertainty.

Picture: PAUL CARRACHER “We had a similar situation around the Gulf War, Iraq was a major buyer of our barley. Overnight we lost that corner of the world to sell grain to,” he said.

“We soon found other places to sell

SA VE

50 EXK W TE RI NDTE ED-OF

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the work that the government does in keeping multiple markets open to us comes to fruition.”

Rural Bank Horsham’s senior agribusiness relationship manager Marc Thomas said many Wimmera farmers

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to. It’s just another reminder of why you can’t be too committed to having one country as your market.

“There’s a lot of facets that make up the price of what’s eventually offered to us on grain, this is when all

he worked with had changed to another commodity mid-cropping.

However, Mr Thomas said farmers who continued cropping barley were now looking at improving storage options or forward planning with their trade deals.

“The tariffs came in mid-cropping, so we’ve had a few clients swap or convert the barley over to another commodity, whereas others have kept going with their plan,” he said.

“The price will be impacted. A strategy to have an on-farm storage option if they can hold it or budgeting for lower prices is what a lot of our clients are doing now.

“A lot of clients might now be looking at forward contracting grain sales.

“If they can secure a decent price now, they could lock that in to minimise some of that risk rather than leaving it to harvest time.”

Mr Thomas said farmers were likely to look on to more trading opportunities in the domestic market.

“Domestically there might be other opportunities open up, while the possibility of other international opportunities open up as well,” he said.

“We’d like to remain optimistic about it, there’s a fair bit of water to go under the bridge before they do go ahead and sell it.

“Yes the barley price has dropped off now, but we’ve still got six months until farmers will harvest that crop.”

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To contact your local dealer, visit

mcintoshdistribution.com.au Wednesday, June 24, 2020