Wild dog anguish
The National Wild Dog Action Plan Coordination Committee chair has once again called on the State Government to return to the unprotection order system to control wild dogs in northwest Victoria.
Geoff Power said wild dog attacks continue to affect farmers in north-west Victoria. Wild dogs and dingos mostly live in the Big Desert National Park, but wander on neighbouring farms, particularly in dry conditions, looking for water and kill farmers’ livestock.
The State Government made a shock announcement in April to lift an unprotection order for dingoes and wild dogs in north-west Victoria. The unprotection zone borders state parks, where the latest Arthur Rylah Institute data indicates the dingo population is at risk of extinction with as few as 40 dingoes left.
The changes mean farmers can no longer use any wild dog control to protect livestock on private land.
“When a government brings in a law that fully protects, in this case dingoes, Victorian farmers in that vicinity can do very little about that and they just have to wear stock losses, which we believe is not good enough,” Mr Power said.
“They say it’s evidence based, we contest that. For argument’s sake in South Australia, where Ngarkat Conservation Park, which joins landholders in South Australia and also joins parks in Victoria, we did a very quick survey just inside the park and we found evidence of 21 dogs in a very small area in the Ngarkat park.
“So we question the fact the Victorian gov-
“I’d like to see the status quo come in again, where they had an order in council where landholders could protect their livestock”
– Geoff Power
ernment believes dingos are under threat within their parks in the northwest of the state.”
Mr Power said lifting the unprotection order not only resulted in increased livestock attacks, but was affecting farmers’ mental health.
“The mental anguish that this causes is twofold. It hits your bottom line, of course, because you’re losing sheep, but the other thing is farmers really love their animals, and they really feel it when they get up in the morning and they go out and see livestock predated, and you can’t sleep at night – it’s just a terrible situation to be in,” he said.
Mr Power said the government had said farmers could apply for a permit to continue controlling wild dogs on their properties, but more than six months later, permits had not been allocated to north-west farmers.
“And if they have, it’s too late. It’s after the damage is done,” he said.
“I’d like to see the status quo come in again, where they had an order in council where landholders could protect their livestock.
“In the northeast of the state, we’re pleased to see that an order in council was continued.
“So in the northeast of the state, there’s a three-kilometre buffer zone between the parks and private landholders – and that’s worked for years. So what we want to see, as a National Wild Dog Action Plan Coordination Committee, is that reinstated.”
Glenlofty wins gold at royal awards
Glenlofty Estate’s 2023 Marsanne Roussanne won the prestigious gold medal and coveted trophy for Best White Blend of the Show at this year’s Melbourne Royal Wine Awards.
The winery, east of Crowlands, was originally planted in 1994 and lies across the western foothills of the Pyrenees.
The awards bring further acclaim to the vineyard for its dedication to quality and excellence in winemaking.
Glenlofty vineyard manager Scott Gerrard and senior winemaker Eden Walpole at Blue Pyrenees, also part of the Vinesmith Wine Group, accepted the trophy on behalf of Glenlofty Estate.
“Glenlofty Estate has always been a very difficult site because of frost and drought. It’s a joy when the team and I can get outstanding fruit into the winery, whether it’s our wellknown Northern Rhone varietals or our Nebbiolo or Cabernet reds,” Mr Gerard said.
“Eden Walpole keeps the winemaking simple and lets the fruit do the talking. A great team effort.”
Earlier in the day, the Glenlofty team joined other exhibitors at a morning tasting, where its 2023 Marsanne Roussanne
stood out for its unique Northern Rhône-inspired aromatics and elegant structure.
The 2023 Marsanne Roussanne is a blend of two celebrated Northern Rhône varietals that thrive in the cool-climate Pyrenees region of Victoria.
Mr Gerard said with Marsanne’s pear, melon, and mineral notes adding depth and texture, and Roussanne’s fresh, floral aromatics enhancing structure, the wine exemplified the elegance and complexity for which Glenlofty Estate was becoming renowned.
Since its first vintage under the Glenlofty label in 2011, the estate has earned multiple awards globally, with James
Halliday’s five-star winery rating.
The vineyard’s cool-climate terroir, with granitic soils and Northern Rhône-like slopes, allows the fruit to achieve unusual intensity and finesse, very different from Australia’s warmer wine regions.
Initially supplying premium fruit for iconic labels like Seppelts and Penfolds, Glenlofty’s 140 hectares were acquired by the pioneering RichmondSmith family in 2010, beginning a successful venture in boutique winemaking for global markets.
For more information, visit www.glenloftywines.com.au.
STARS: Glenlofty vineyard manager Scott Gerrard and senior winemaker Eden Walpole at the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards.
Late rain provides a silver lining
BY BRONWYN HASTINGS
On the end of a growing season that started with a late break and ended with hailstorms and late rain in some areas, it appears this year’s harvest could be comparable to those of recent years.
Shannon Bros Horsham site manager Mick Purchase said 90 per cent of growers who had visited the grain receival and storage facility were happy with this year’s quality and yields.
“Going back a few months ago, it wasn’t looking too promising,” he said.
“But I think everyone’s pretty happy with things at the moment.
“I think last harvest’s summer rains, as much as they caused grief for all the growers and the grain receivable sites around the Wimmera and Mallee at the time, have left subsoil moisture and really helped get them through this harvest.”
Growers from a vast area bring their grain to Horsham’s Shannon Bros –from west of Nhill, to Balmoral, and Hopetoun.
“We take five commodities here –beans, lentils, wheat, barley and canola – and we’ve got all five going at the moment,” Mr Purchase said.
“We’re currently getting wheat from Hopetoun and Beulah way, as our Beulah site’s pretty much full already.
“With quality and yield at the moment we’re quite happy, but it is only the start of harvest.
“It’s going to end quickly, and the quality will back off a bit.
“I thought the quality was going to be quite average this year, especially the lentils, but surprisingly, the lentils are really good.”
Mr Purchase said the site handles an average of about 120,000 tonnes of the five commodities each year, with
beans exported to Egypt, and lentils to India and Bangladesh, and wheat both kept in Australia and exported to China.
“We thought we may only get half the average this year, but we’re thinking we’ll get three quarters of that, which is fantastic,” he said.
“All the grain receivers in the area are doing well.
“It’s not as dire as it looks out there, which has surprised us and surprised growers.”
03 5225 5225 info@ha legal harwoodandrews.com.au
Mr Purchase predicted harvest would finish at the beginning of the new year, after an early start, whereas last year’s harvest finished at the end of January this year.
He said parts of the Mallee had fared better than others, which was echoed by John Ferrier, who farms 25 kilometres north of Birchip.
Mr Ferrier said 45 millimetres of rain fell at his farm at the weekend, with more predicted this week.
“We welcome any rain prior to crop-
ping season, but with rain now, you ask what kind of damage it’s doing to the crop that’s left,” he said.
“We can expect a downgrade in quality will be the absolute major issue, and obviously a lesser price of that premium that we were getting for our wheat beforehand, too.
“But you look at the bright side –maybe it will store some moisture for next year’s crop. There’s always next year.”
Mr Ferrier said despite a ‘really
“We’re currently getting wheat from Hopeton and Beulah way, as our Beulah site’s pretty much full already. With quality and yield at the moment we’re quite happy, but it is only the start of harvest”
– Mick Purchase
tough’ season across the region and widespread low rainfall, he had grown out his crops.
“We’ve harvested every paddock so far,” he said.
“In late October we had a 60mm rainfall event when our wheat was still green.
“Most of our other crops had finished, but the wheat responded well to that rain, so we ended up with reasonable yields with good quality, for the rain we’ve had.
“People were cropping as fast as they could, knowing there could be a rainfall event, but the rain we are getting is much more than was predicted by the Bureau even on Friday.
“Some of our wheat crops have gone 2.5-tonne per hectare, and some are down to one tonne per hectare.”
Mr Ferrier said he had harvested his barley, lentils and canola, with just wheat remaining.
“Our lentils were making number one grade, so we really haven’t had any issues there, and the canola oil content has been pretty good, in that 42, 43 range,” he said.
“Grain quality depends on the wind at this stage – the humidity is still quite high, and every forecaster is saying we’ll get a light breeze.
“We needed real wind like we had before the rain event came through.”
PRETTY HAPPY: Shannon Bros Horsham site manger Mick Purchase shovels lentils – one of five commodities received at the site. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Farmer centre expansion
The National Centre for Farmer Health at Hamilton is moving into a new premises to continue its nation-leading efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of farmers and their communities.
Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Michaela Settle, representing Agriculture Minister Ros Spence, officially opened the new premises at Hamilton on Thursday, marking a milestone in the growth of the centre since its establishment in 2009.
The new site sits within the local agriculture community and reinforces its role as a vital resource for the health, wellbeing and safety of farmers, farm workers and their families.
As the south-west continues to experience drought conditions, Agriculture Victoria has been working with the NCFH to support farmers, their families and communities, and the State Government has provided a $13.53-million drought support package.
The government is directing $1.43-million towards farmer wellbeing, technical decision-making advice and a regional drought coordinator.
More than $12-million in on-farm drought infrastructure grants is also
OFFICIAL: The National Centre for Farmer Health relocated to a new premises in Hamilton last week, marking a milestone in the growth of the centre since its establishment in 2009.
available for farmers to make upgrades to equip their businesses to better withstand the current drought and future dry seasonal conditions.
Ms Settle said the government was proud of its long-term partnership with National Centre for Farmer Health.
Alongside a contribution of $900,000 in the 2024-25 State Budget, another $100,000 grant is helping fund the Shifting Gears pro-
gram, which will deliver important safety resources to the next generation of farmers.
“Congratulations to the NCFH team who continue to work tirelessly to improve the health of our farmers and their communities, I encourage farmers experiencing the impacts of drought to use the NCFH and the other services being delivered as part of the Drought Support Package,” she said.
“Victoria is incredibly proud to have a such an important and highly regarded service located in Hamilton, the incredible work you do supports our farmers, their families and communities when they need it most.”
For more information about the National Centre for Farmer Health visit, farmerhealth.org.au.
Shearers call for support
Shearers are calling on the Federal Government to impose a regulation body and subsequent licensing regime on all labour hire companies to remedy reports of widespread exploitation in shearing sheds across the country.
A new resolution passed at Australian Workers’ Union’s national conference earlier this month, asking for a new national licensing and enforcement body, which would hold powers to ensure licensing and registration, but also have powers of enforcement.
AWU was formed by unionised shearers in Ballarat in 1886, and AWU Victoria branch country team lead organiser Ross Kenna said those shearers would be ashamed to see what was now happening in shearing sheds.
“The AWU was born fighting for shearers, and we’re not backing down now,” he said.
“It’s disgraceful that some of the same exploitative attitudes that we saw prevailing in the 1890s have reemerged in 2024.
“Today we are once again seeing young shearers working for poverty wages in unsafe conditions.”
Mr Kenna said a national licensing system for shearing contractors was a must if workers’ rights and safety were to be protected.
“There’s no reason that the regulation of this industry should lag every other industry in the country,” he said.
“Shearers deserve safe jobs, fair pay, and protection from dodgy contractors just like everyone else.
“That’s why I’m so pleased that the AWU has officially committed to fighting for a licensing body that can put an end to the abuse.”
‘Threats coming thick and fast’
Member for Mallee Anne Webster used National Agriculture Day on November 15 to target energy projects as a major threat to farming in the Mallee electorate.
Dr Webster said research from Frontier Economics – consultants used by all sides of politics to analyse the impact of government policies – showed the cost of energy projects to be more than $642-billion.
“Labor’s globally unprecedented experimental transition to an exclusively renewable energy mix will cost $520-billion more than they estimated,” she said.
“At last count there are over 50 existing or proposed wind or solar projects within Mallee, with a rapidly expanding footprint into prime agricultural land. Which is unsurprising given wind and solar simply cannot carry the load for Australia.
“The NEM Dashboard shows consistently over the past 12 months that coal and gas provided 63 per cent of Australia’s energy – baseload power – not intermittent wind or solar.”
Dr Webster said nuclear energy placed on existing coal-fired power plant sites was the internationally proven solution for Australia’s energy and food security.
“All Australians will benefit from the Coalition’s balanced energy mix of renewables, gas and nuclear to replace Labor’s expensive
and failing all-eggs-in-one-basket renewables only approach,” she said.
“Shifting to nuclear will keep 24-7 baseload power in the system, on tap, to drive prices down and keep the lights on while we decarbonise.”
Dr Webster said advocacy group Farms for Food shared footage of Litchfield, Donald and Watchem farming stalwart Jim ‘Spud’ Hepworth’s call for farmers to respect their intergenerational neighbour relationships and not buy into divisive energy and mining projects.
She said project proponents had a practice of using non-disclosure agreements to secure deals with individual farmers.
Dr Webster shared Mr Heptworth’s testimony from the video in a parliamentary speech in Canberra earlier this month.
“Spud is spot on – the threats are coming thick and fast,” Dr Webster said.
“Wind turbines, solar panels, transmission lines like VNI-West and WIRES, and increasingly active mineral sands proposals are carving up Mallee to put energy and mining first and second in Mallee.
“Food production and food security is at risk. Farmers have a right to farm but Labor lords it over them as if farmers are peasants who own nothing, only farming at their feudal lord’s pleasure.
“It’s time private property rights were upheld.”
‘Spud’ shares emotional message
A fourth-generation northern Wimmera farmer has had his thoughts shared in federal Parliament.
A video of Litchfield, Donald and Watchem farming stalwart Jim ‘Spud’ Hepworth sharing his opinions on the current shift of energy projects moving into the region was shared by Member for Mallee Anne Webster.
Mr Hepworth was quite emotional in a video shared on ‘Farms for Food’ social media.
“To see something go through like a power line or a mineral sands or something that would just break your heart – to see it all smashed up,” he said.
“We’re fortunate to keep this place through droughts, floods, and just every five or six years we get a bad year and we, being a farmer, you just know how to get through those bad years.
“And so, it’s just meant everything to me. All my life, that’s all it’s been, the farm.”
Mr Hepworth said farmers were the ‘greatest naturalist people in the world’ because if they did not look after their ground, it would be gone.
“It’s the same as if you don’t look after your wife, she’ll be gone too, won’t she?” he said, with a chuckle.
Mr Hepworth acknowledged
that some landowners wanted windfarms, while others did not.
“Then they don’t tell each other what’s going on, and then they’re squabbling and fighting,” he said.
“It never happened years ago.
The farmers always went to their neighbours before they did anything, and it’s all gone out of the back window.”
Mr Hepworth said money being offered by the energy companies was driving a wedge between neighbours.
“They’re not thinking about the friendship that over the 100 years that they’ve been there. They’re not thinking about the friendship that their forefathers brought together,” he said.
“Now this family’s not talking
to family members and it’s bad. It’s bringing a big division in amongst the population.”
“And we can’t afford to have too many people not being friends in the country because that’s what it’s all about.”
Mr Hepworth said neighbours needed to get along and communicate, not avoid each other at the supermarket.
“That’s not the country way of life,” he said.
“They’re ruined them in that country way of life. But people have just got to be wary that you want to talk to your neighbours and your friends before you do anything like this because it’s going to wreck the whole community.”
Jim Hepworth
Mutton shortage predicted
BY LAUREN HENRY
Western Victorian sheep producers are being forced to cull older ewes due to a poor season.
AWN Wimmera manager Wayne Driscoll said he believed there would be a shortage of mutton next year.
“You cannot continue to sell off at these high levels without some catch up ramification at some stage,” he said.
“So our thoughts are, particularly in our area, that come the autumn next year, subject to what season conditions look like, there could be a real shortage of mutton going forward.”
Mr Driscoll said farmers were not buying extra sheep.
“There’s no one holding their hand up saying ‘I’ll go and buy 1500 or 2000 ewes extra and trade them for the year,” he said.
“A lot of the producers in the area – most of them – are downsizing, selling that extra age group of ewes, mainly due to the season.
“There was a couple, that with a little bit of a carryover from the year before, we’ve seen these enormous numbers that we haven’t seen for decades across the Wimmera.”
Right to repair
A renewed emphasis on consumers’ right to repair was welcomed by National Farmers Federation, who has formed a taskforce in a bid to include agricultural machinery in the proposed reforms. In his address to Australian Business Economists, Treasurer Jim Chalmers outlined two reforms.
“I expect we’ll start by fast-tracking the adoption of trusted international product safety standards and developing a general right to repair – both Commonwealth-led reforms,” he said.
NFF chief executive Tony Mahar said the organisation was committed to a scenario where manufacturers and farmers could work constructively on a right to repair framework for farm machinery.
“What we need is greater flexibility for farmers to repair their equipment, like what other countries have achieved for their farm sector,” he said.
“We haven’t been able to land any such arrangements so far. We’ve been pursuing the right to repair to give farmers greater flexibility to use a suitably qualified repairer of their choice without fear of voiding warranties, travelling long distances, or waiting excessive periods, to access supplier repairers.”
“They’ve been doing the same thing – downsizing as well,” he said.
“These sheep have been processed, so they’re not coming back.
“That’s something to be very clear of. You can transfer young sheep around the country via store connections, but once they’ve been processed, older ewes, they’re not coming back, are they.”
Mr Driscoll said South Australian sheep producers were in a similar situation.
Mr Driscoll said the number of prime lambs was also lower.
“Our numbers have been slower out of the gate this year than normal, and once again that’s seasonal conditions, so our window of real fresh lambs came and went,” he said.
“We’re into second drafts now that are dry, and woolly, and they’re saleable enough to be making reasonable money – 120, 30, 40, 50 dollars, so they’re moving
them, but we don’t have a lot of really good heavy processing lambs at the moment.”
Mr Driscoll said a sale at Edenhope last week had lower numbers compared with last year.
“That’s a sign of people that chose to make a transaction on new lambs earlier instead of feeding them through to take them through to these one and a half,” he said.
NFF’s right to repair taskforce, a collective of commodity councils and state farming organisations, has been pushing for policy changes to address the issue.
“We are encouraged by Treasurer Chalmers’ comments signalling a focus on right to repair, but want to see a firm commitment this will include agricultural machinery,” Mr Mahar said.
“This move would not only align with the recommendations from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Productivity Commission and right to repair academics, but would also bring Australia in line with our international competitors such as Canada and the state of Colorado in the United States, where right to repair is now law.”
ON THE JOB: AWN Wimmera manager Wayne Driscoll, right, with Pat Dunn at Horsham Regional Livestock Exchange. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
NFF delivers wishlist ahead of budget
BY COLIN MacGILLIVRAY
Investments to improve Australia’s freight network, support farm-worker accommodation and fund climate research are at the top of a National Farmers’ Federation wishlist ahead of the 2025-26 Federal Budget.
The National Farmers’ Federation, NFF, delivered a list of 20 investment priorities, aimed at increasing productivity growth, to the Federal Government as part of a pre-budget submission.
Murra Warra farmer and NFF president David Jochinke said the Australian economy was navigating complex challenges relating to slowed productivity growth and ongoing cost-ofliving pressures amid shifting global dynamics.
“Families are grappling with rising costs, tight budgets and growing uncertainties. Australian farmers also share these burdens as productivity growth lags, input prices fluctuate, and market volatility squeezes margins,” he said.
“Yet we remain steadfastly optimistic about agriculture’s role in helping Australia address these challenges.
“With the right policy and investment settings, agriculture can help Australia overcome its challenges.”
Topping the NFF’s pre-budget requests was $1-billion to improve road and rail freight supply chains.
Mr Jochinke said Australia’s ability to compete in global markets depended on efficient and reliable transportation networks, with inefficiencies resulting in increased costs and a loss of
international market share. The NFF also asked the government to commit $175-million towards a farm-worker accommodation investment package aimed at supporting the agricultural sector’s ability to attract and retain a skilled workforce while improving the industry’s reputation.
Mr Jochinke said a $150-million request for climate-related research and development would result in farmers who were better informed, drive innovation in farming practices and technologies, build resilience against climate impacts and improve greenhouse gas accounting across the agricultural sector.
Other major items included $36million to extend the On Farm Connectivity Program to grow digital uptake, and $25-million for a national,
agricultural-industry-led program to improve farmers’ wellbeing and prevent suicides.
“While strong economic policies are vital to our sector’s growth, the people driving agriculture are at the heart of everything we achieve,” Mr Jochinke said. “It’s why we’ve included an ask to boost farmer wellbeing following from the National Forum on Mental Health and Wellbeing in Agriculture the NFF hosted in March.”
With a federal election looming in 2025, Mr Jochinke said collaboration between farmers and political leaders was vital.
“Just take a look at agriculture’s track record. We launched our 2030 roadmap for the sector to reach $100-billion in farm gate output by 2030,” he said.
“In the five years before we released the roadmap the average annual output of the sector was $55-billion. For the five years after the report was launched, it is forecast to average $80-billion.
“The growth of the sector is contributing to Australia’s productivity, competitiveness. We’ve created jobs and locked in a positive future for the nation’s children and grandchildren.
“It is abundantly clear; strategic policy and targeted investment in Australian agriculture delivers benefits to all Australians, no matter where they live or what they do.”
People can read the NFF’s full pre-budget submission at nff.org.au/ wp-content/uploads/2024/11/202526-NFF-Pre-Budget-SubmissionFINAL-.pdf.
INSPIRING: Longerenong College alumnus David Jochinke shared his agricultural journey from farm to Nuffield scholar with Advanced Diploma of Agribusiness Management students, who are nearing the end of their studies. Mr Jochinke, pictured second from right, also spoke about the initiatives he has led with Victorian and national farmers’ federations.
Promised the family farm...
BY DANIELA PAVLOVIC, PRINCIPAL, HARWOOD ANDREWS
Disputes involving promises about the future of the family farm are common and highlight the importance of succession planning.
Comments such as ‘all this will be yours when I’m gone’ or ‘your hard work will pay off one day’ can give rise to claims.
Promissory estoppel is a legal principle which can allow a person to enforce promises made, including casual statements or remarks made over time.
For example, a parent might promise land to a child in return for their continued work or support on the farm.
The child who remains on farm did so based on that promise, giving up other opportunities without adequate financial reward for their work at the time.
If the promise is not fulfilled, for example if the parent leaves the farm to someone else in their will or tries to sell the farm during their lifetime, the child might raise promissory estoppel as a basis to say they should receive the land they were promised.
To establish a promissory estoppel claim, a representation or promise must be made upon, which the other person relies to their detriment. For example, the person does not pursue off-farm work opportunities or works for less than market wages.
The person who makes the promise must be aware the other party relied on the promise, and it would be unconscionable for them to not honour the promise.
Family farm disputes can be complex, costly and cause breakdown of family relationships affecting generations.
Proper succession planning with professional assistance can avoid or reduce the risk of future disputes.
Families are encouraged to engage in a formal succession planning process to document agreements about the future ownership or control of the family farm and any off-farm assets. This may involve a transfer of assets or interests during lifetime, or on death.
A thorough succession plan considers how to manage land, stock, debts and assets critical to the farming enterprise, as well as off-farm assets that may be used to provide for other family members without prejudicing the continued viability of the farming enterprise.
The future needs of the parties and tax effective strategies can all be considered to achieve a positive outcome benefiting the farming operation and family unit.
With the right advice and assistance to guide and document the process, succession planning can be rewarding and should be a key objective for farming and other family agribusinesses.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE:
Farm manager Jono Robinson, pictured with his family, discusses reasons safety should be a top priority for farmers in Birchip Cropping Group’s latest episode of Safety First: What’s the Rush podcast.
What’s the Rush podcast release
Wimmera-based agricultural research organisation Birchip Cropping Group is reminding growers to prioritise their safety with harvest season underway across Australia.
In the latest episode of the Safety First: What’s the Rush podcast, BCG’s Janine Batters interviewed farm manager Jono Robinson, discussing reasons safety should be a top priority for farmers.
“For me personally, I don’t want to see any of my colleagues, my friends, not make it home or go home injured,” Mr Robinson said.
“It’s creating a culture to get each other home safe and look-
ing after each other. It starts at the top. It starts with me. If I’m not doing it, the staff aren’t going to do it … you’ve got to practice what you preach.”
Mr Robinson, who manages the 1400-hectare Warakirri property between Donald and Warracknabeal, said farm safety had flow-on effects.
“Putting safety first has the added benefit of creating efficiencies,” he said.
“If you’re looking after your machines, they’re in better condition.
“Taking the time to induct people thoroughly, teaching them how to use gear and not just rushing them out and throwing
them in a machine, it adds up to efficiencies down the track.
“If you’re rushing around, always in a hurry to get to the next job, you find things break, things go wrong, things get missed and that’s when you lose time – you’re further behind, whereas if you’ve got a good plan in place and it’s organised and safe, you’ll find machines are constantly rolling at a steady speed all day.”
People can listen to the full interview with Mr Robinson by searching for Safety First: What’s the Rush on their podcast host of choice or by visiting bcg.org.au/podcasts.
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An emotionally driven debate
The live sheep export debate is a very emotionally driven one.
In one corner of the boxing ring are the animal rights activists. In the other, the export companies and farmers who sell their sheep to the trade. Somewhere between the two are all of us.
If you were to believe the Keep the Sheep campaign, the banning of the trade sounds the death knell for the sheep industry in Western Australia.
Last week the Livestock Exporters Council claimed a survey it funded found 76 per cent of survey respondents agreed ‘the benefits of the industry are equal to or outweigh the costs of live export’ – indicating that people can see the need for live exports as part of Australia’s sheep industry.
Livestock Exporters Council chief executive Mark Harvey-Sutton said the survey proves the Albanese government does not have a mandate to shut down the trade.
“What it’s found is that community support for the industry is at its highest levels that has been recorded … and I guess the headline figure that has come from the survey is that 76 per cent of people surveyed believe the benefits of the trade outweigh any risks or costs,” Mr Harvey-Sutton said.
It has to be pointed out the survey was not specifically on the live sheep trade, but all live animal trade, so that would include live cattle.
The survey also showed Australians overwhelmingly signalled they wanted a more balanced accounting of live export issues from the media.
So let’s go to the research and marketing
Country Today
with Libby Price
organisation, Meat and Livestock Australia, for its take on the live export trade.
An MLA funded ACIL ALLEN report states: ‘Over time there has been a decline in live sheep exports nationally and now 99 per cent of live sheep exports are from the Western Australian production system’.
The WA sheep industry is dominated by merinos, and most of those sheep exported are older merino wethers, of little value in the domestic market, which will get more money in the Middle East.
According to MLA, live sheep exports fell from 1.18 million head in 2018 to just over 500,000 in 2022.
GlobalTrends livestock analyst Simon Quilty told Country Today the live trade was now so small as to be of little consequence.
“I don’t think it’s going to have much impact to be honest, and why I say that is because of the shortages of both lambs and sheep over the next two to three years,” Mr Quilty said.
“In actual fact, processors will be going to the west to try and buy and bring back sheep here because they’ll need the throughput … At the moment we’re slaughtering 716,000 sheep and lambs a week in the eastern states. So we sell what was being exported a year, in less than a week.”
Chemical collection campaign
Farmers and agricultural businesses can safely dispose of unwanted or obsolete chemicals under AgSafe’s ChemClear national collection campaign.
Storing outdated or cancelled chemicals – including the most-recently cancelled dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate, DCPA, also known as dacthal – can pose risks to safety, health and the environment.
People will need to register for the collection before January 31 next year, by visiting www.chemclear.org.au/register-yourchemical.
An inventory will need to be taken, including product name, container size, and the
condition of each item. Chemicals will then need to be registered – they will each be given a reference number and a free-or-fee classification, and storage stickers will be distributed.
Chemicals will need to be stored securely, away from people, animals and potential hazards, until a collection is scheduled for the area. People will be notified of the collection date, location and time, and are asked to transport any chemicals safely, using a ute or truck.
All disposal follows strict Environmental Protection Authority guidelines.
UPSKILL:
Jeremy Kealy returned to work on his family’s 15,000head sheep farm near Edenhope about three years ago and will complete a highperformance weaner course and a diploma of applied agronomy with part of his scholarship.
Investing in young farmers
Edenhope’s Jeremy Kealy is among three Wimmera farmers to be awarded a Young Farmers Upskill and Invest scholarship, to further their careers in their chosen fields.
Mr Kealy, along with Tom Hewitt and Mitchell McCrow, are three of 16 farmers statewide to receive up to $10,000, made up of up to $5000 towards study, and up to $5000 to invest in putting new skills into practice, with professional development, business planning or other on-farm activities.
Mr Kealy, 31, returned to work on his family’s 15,000-head sheep farm near Edenhope about three years ago.
He will complete a high-performance weaner course and a diploma of applied agronomy, and will purchase XR 5000 scales to provide a digital read out of livestock weight, draft on the animal’s weight parameters and record data using the electronic identification tag in the sheep.
Mr Kealy said he has previously completed a lifetime ewe management course, among other workshops and short courses.
“The lifetime ewe course runs for 12 months over the cycle of
the ewe – getting her in lamb and then following her while she’s lactating, and then weaning, and getting her in lamb again the following season,” he said.
“Lifetime ewe management is a prerequisite to do the next course, which is the high performance weaners course.
“It follows the lamb, from feeding, then as a weaner, to getting it ready to join the mob as a one-year-old or one-and-ahalf-year-old.”
Mr Kealy said the weaner course would help him improve his practices in sheep health and management.
“It’ll help me run bigger mobs in a better way, and hopefully reduce mortality on the farm,” he said.
“It’s definitely a bonus to be able to do the course – I would have done it one day, but this means I can do it now.”
Since the beginning of the scholarship program in 2015, the Agriculture Minister has awarded 133 young farmers, aged from 18 to 35 years, scholarships.
This year’s were presented at Parliament House.
Mr Hewitt, who runs a progressive cropping business in the Wimmera with his father
and brother, will complete a certificate in content creation and social media in agriculture. His scholarship will enable him to purchase camera equipment and editing software to generate positive agriculture content to help promote the industry and break down barriers between the farmer and the end user.
Mr McCrow will complete lifetime ewe and farm owners academy take control programs, which will allow him to build his knowledge to confidently take over the family farm and build a productive sheep program.
Mr Kealy said he was grateful to the presentation event’s organisers.
“I’m not just thankful for the scholarship, but also for being able to meet other people from different fields, such as beef producers and broadacre farmers,” he said.
“It was good to meet others in the same age bracket all doing similar stuff but in different fields.
“After the tough season we’ve had, everyone’s a bit flat, it was just nice to be able to go and network with other young, enthusiastic, like-minded people.” – Bronwyn Hastings
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