Trade

The South Australian Government welcomes the Chinese Government’s decision to lift suspensions on the Naracoorte abattoir – along with two other Australian facilities. Eased restrictions will enable the Teys Australia meat facility to recommence sending its products to China.

Michelle Daw. Both bulk grain handling companies operating at Wallaroo have accepted lentils into their local storage facilities for the first time this season. T-Ports loaded export lentils from the port for the first time yesterday ... Viterra will load lentils — including from YP and Mid North growers — onto a vessel at Inner Harbour ...

John Hassell. The ban on live sheep is inherently unfair and Australians can see it. Roger Cook can see it. Let’s hope for the Albanese Government’s sake they recognise it too before the next election. Underestimate Australia’s farmers at your peril.

Ukrainian agriculture has suffered catastrophic losses due to the war with Russia. However, compensation for these losses does not have clear prospects. This means that the prospects for the recovery of this sector of the economy are in doubt ... ARR.News asked US experts one question: What political decisions can be made by the USA governments to compensate for Ukraine's losses from the Russian invasion?

Southern hemisphere beef-producing nations – including Australia – are continuing to increase production volumes, despite a global trend of production decline, Rabobank says in its recently-released Q4 Global Beef Quarterly report ... "we forecast that 2024 will play out in a similar fashion": Rabobank.

Here we go again, yet another example of a live export case in the courts that has fallen over because the emotional rhetoric does not match up to the facts.This is what happens when animal activists and activist ministers come together and attempt to use the legal system to end a legitimate trade.

Occasionally I come across a speech in parliament by one of our elected representatives that needs to be shared loud and wide.   The following was made by Western Australian Liberal Senator Slade Brockman, President of the Senate, ex farmer, lawyer, PGA staffer and tireless defender of the people who make their income from primary industries. All those who oppose the live export trade should take the time to read what he has to say.

National animal welfare standards consistent with those applying to imported Australian-bred cattle have been announced in Vietnam this week, as part of the Australia-Vietnam Beef Cattle Symposium ... Vietnam has become a significant partner for the live export industry in the past decade, importing almost two million head of cattle in that time.

I recently received a copy of a letter sent from the Federal Department of Agriculture to a farming family in Beverley in response to their letter to the Minister for Agriculture, Murray Watt, asking him to explain the basis of the government’s policy to phase out live exports. Unfortunately, the Minister was too busy searching for the magical new markets for mutton that he promises exist, which will replace live export sheep, to have the time to put his own name to a reply, so he delegated the response to his loyal department.

Labor failed to undertake modelling on the impact of banning live sheep exports, before announcing the shutdown of the live sheep export trade. The revelations came during Question Time in Parliament, when leader of The Nationals and Shadow Agriculture Minister David Littleproud asked Prime Minister Anthony Albanese if Labor had undertaken any economic modelling on the impact of closing the $85 million industry.

The Keep Farmers Farming campaign has landed in Perth this week, with advertising targeting marginal seats sharing farmers’ fears about a phase-out of live sheep exports ... “This policy is already hurting and frustrating farmers. We’re already hearing accounts of farmers getting out of sheep because they don’t know what the future holds": NFF President David Jochinke.

The best of Queensland beef has been showcased in Shanghai at the China International Import Expo (CIIE), the world’s largest import trade fair. Choice cuts were prepared for canapes, sirloin beef rolls and mini wagyu burgers by world class chefs for close to 80 guests...

A report released by ABARES this week has highlighted that weeds and pests are costing farmers $5.3 billion a year through management and production loss ... The sector has told the Government its key concern with the new producer Levy is the apparent abandonment of a Container Levy policy on importers.  

This week, 14 premium Tasmanian food and beverage producers will be showcased at the annual China International Import Expo in Shanghai. China is the largest import market in the world and remains Tasmania’s top export destination, valued at $1.35 billion per year.

Proposed increases of up to 52.52 per cent in east coast container port access charges by DP World Australia (DPWA) are excessive and highlight the need for urgent government action, GrainGrowers said. Under the Notice of Intention issued by DPWA, landside fees at each of its terminals will increase significantly from 1 January 2024…

The National Farmers’ Federation has congratulated Trade Minister Don Farrell for turning down an EU trade offer that would have disadvantaged Aussie farmers.  Speaking following the briefing of industry representatives in Osaka, NFF President David Jochinke said the Minister had made the right call for Australia.  

NSW Farmers has thrown its support behind an unprecedented national campaign against anti-farming policies. Liverpool Plains farmer and NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said the Australian agriculture industry was united in its stand to call on Federal parliamentarians to stand up against policies which threaten to slash billions from farm production.

Tasmanian Farmers have backed a national advocacy campaign in the fight against anti-farming policies that impact our farmers. Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers (TFGA) President Ian Sauer said the farmers across Australia have united in a call for federal politicians to say no to government policy which is putting billions in farm production at risk.

An unprecedented campaign against anti-farming policies has been launched by new NFF President David Jochinke in his first day in the role. Speaking in Canberra at the National Farmers’ Federation National Conference, Mr Jochinke called on parliamentarians to stand up against policies which threaten to slash billions from farm production.

A rotten free trade deal with Europe would be a cheap photo opportunity that sells out farmers and rural communities, a peak body warns. Murray River farmer and NSW Farmers Board member Chris Stillard said there were grave concerns the Albanese Government would ignore the agriculture sector and sign up to a bad trade deal with Europe...