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What have I been saying about Australian Politicians and Agricultre?

What have I been saying about the apparent lack of understanding of agriculture among Australian politicians. We have a beacon on Senator BJ, but there are limits to what he can do.

The Fed Minister just keeps on demonstrating either his ignorance of agriculture, or, as some have written in these columns, he is following the policy of this government, and the one before it to be fair, to open Australia's borders to the unfettered and uncontrolled importation of food into Australia.

For some of my views on the capacity of China then go to Barnaby's site and discussion on apple imports. That debate, on apples, is going on, on three community sites. We are losing strength by spreading ourselves all over the place discussing the same topic.

Community organisers need to get organised. Write to each other and say something like "Look we all have the same hymn sheet here can we all sing in the same church?"

Sorry for the religious overtones there but after all it is Sunday. Seemed appropriate.

If group organisers could do that it would be much easier to follow the debate on not just apples but food importation. As I have written we are an eclectic mob with a huge amount of talent. If we want to cause change We must organise ourselves in a better way than we are at present.

All talk and no action. All the stroking and none of the satisfaction.

Meanwhile down on the Canadian Parliamentary/ Agricultural Lobby Farm, would you believe it there is some creative thinking going on?:

1. G20 economic plan should include agriculture: farm leader
by Owen Roberts

Deficit reduction measures advocated at the G20 summit are universally accepted, but they must not impinge on investments in agriculture development, says the leader of Canada's major general farm group.

Ron Bonnett, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, says people understand the need for fiscal responsibility, given the delicate nature of world economies following the 2008 collapse of financial institutions, and the way global economies had to prop up banks and other lenders.

But deficit reduction should be treated separately from global agriculture program development, Bonnett says.

"In developing countries, investing in agriculture is the best way to build the economy and alleviate poverty," Bonnett says.

In some countries, he says, as many as 80 per cent of those who live in impoverished areas are farmers. Creating programs that help them -- such as road development projects so they can get their production to markets, as well as improved food storage techniques, training and organizational measures -- offer help without the need for expensive and trade-distorting subsides.

Such assistance also speaks to one of the other G20 imperatives -- maternal health and women's health.

"Much of the farming in developing countries is done by women," Bonnett says. "Programs created to help farmers also help women."

A communiqué issued by the EU at the G20's conclusion noted how the next summit, in Seoul, Korea, in November needs to "pave the way for the final deal," with a special emphasis on trade.

"In Toronto, the G20 has proven to be what it said it would be: the premier forum for international economic co-operation," wrote European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso and European Council president Herman Van Rompuy in a joint statement. "Trade is the most tax friendly and consumer friendly tool to generate growth. We must make use of it."

But Bonnett's not so sure. Even if tariffs are banished, emphasizing trade over all else fails to recognize that hidden subsidies can also cause problems. Bonnett prefers an approach that highlights farmer development, and positions agriculture as opportunity for reducing poverty and for stabilizing local economies in developing countries.

I lifted that from a Canadian Ag Newsletter FSS. I have written to them until I am blue in the face for permission to re-produce some snippets and they have ignored me. There is nothing that I don't understand in the word NO and it takes a second or so to write.

So I have gone ahead. If they come back at me, I will show the proper signs of guilt and remorse.

To get back to the subject, why haven't we got a politician (including Barnaby) or more importantly a Farm Leader as Bonnet is, who thinks as Bonnet does.

Peanuts and monkeys?

Tags: Agriculture., Apples., G20.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ray Jamieson on July 4, 2010 at 11:33pm

Here's a novel idea - how about just paying for results? Then, pay handsomely!

Permalink Reply by Ray Jamieson on July 4, 2010 at 11:42pm

How about reciprocal tariffs? I'm not sure if it's the answer, but I know it's not free or fair at the moment, when Australia can't export to many of these countries that want to dump substandard or toxic products into Australia and risk our disease free status and the futures of our agriculture and small businesses.

Personally I'd be happy to shut the doors against importing a lot of the fruit and vegies we produce here but can't sell locally, because we have substandard and toxic imports at half the price or less going into our processing plants! The same with pork and other meats - we don't need to import it, we only have 20 million people and we can't possibly consume it all ourselves! We should be a net exporter of primary produce, but the way Gillard and Co and previous governments - both state and federal - are and have been pushing, we will not be able to produce enough to even feed our own population with the small area of arable, not government controlled land left to us!
Ray Jamieson

Permalink Reply by james darby on July 5, 2010 at 9:38am

Matt: In the same way that we should protect Australia from 'arrivals' who will never except Australian laws and way of life Australian produce producers must have their crops protected from foreign disease and pests. This is not a policy to protect Australia from foreign competition it is a policy to protect Australia from foreign disease.

Keating removed tariffs without removing minimum wage laws which destroyed Australian manufacturing industries. Now, the choice of purchasing non 'Made in China' products is nearly impossible. Australia has to live for itself, not for the benefit of foreign Nations.
Charity begins at home.

Permalink Reply by Ray Jamieson on July 5, 2010 at 9:44am

So true James!

We don't need international causes when there is such a challenge in our own back yard! The treason of the last 30 years is coming home to roost.

Speaking of treason, was anyone else aware that a charge of treason has already been laid against Ms Gillard? And a number of other prominent government and judicial figures. Gillard's treason charge has been kept quiet, so now she is on a further charge of falsifying statements about her eligibility to be prime minister, as not admitting that a charge of treason was already laid against you would be a crime, for an incoming PM. Having the charge is bad enough, but then covering it up by saying there was nothing in the way? Treason again...

Nice to know...
Ray Jamieson

Permalink Reply by Roger Rankin Crook on July 5, 2010 at 9:46am

This debate has gone off at a tangent. The importation of Apples from China is now being discussed in this place I think that makes four places. So I would not normally do it but I have copied what I have posted on Barnaby's site and posted it here. I know it is an administrative/editorial challenge as well as a member challenge to keep ALL the inputs on a topic, like apple importation from China, all in one place. This is what I wrote:
This is a worthwhile debate: I don't want to appear to be a damp squib but go to Think Tank (Yes,Bob I know, again!!) Rowell put up a 'post' Profit to Entice Production' It may help with your thinking.

I have written before that China has the biggest apple orchard in the world. The majority of them are Australian apples like Pink Lady. An increase in just 1% or 2% and they can replace the entire Australian apple orchard, quite alarming. Australian apples go up in cost but not so often in price, as the cold storage is turned on. There has been a lot of talk about the price of electricity, this is really hurting the horticultural industry. Everyone, everyone demands an efficient 'cold chain' for their food. There is a cost to pay.

Again I have written it before but it will add to this debate, just a 3% increase in horticultural production in China can replace ALL of Australian horticulture. Frightening thought.

Forget this business of quality (of food) what is used as fertilizer and so on. I promise you, if there is a problem with quality, the Chinese will fix it.

I have a brother working in China, he is a metallurgist so he meets a lot of people in manufacturing. His big message to me is that China will make to the buyers specs. They can and do make high quality. He says have a look at their ute ow on the Australian market, called. I think 'The Wall of China'. Have a look at the quality and the price. My brother says there is so much more to come that has 'real' quality.

Much publicized in this country a few years ago was that 'cheap' and they were so cheap, Chinese motorcycles, fell to bits as you rode them out of the salesroom. Little publicized at the same time, probably because of German pride, was that BMW have some of their 'high performance' engines Made in China. The Germans are no fools when it comes to manufacturing quality. My motorcycle friends, (yes, in my seventies I still ride a motorcycle, made in Taiwan with Italian designed parts, can't fault it so far) tell me that the Chinese engine is every bit as good as those BMW engines manufactured in Germany. So my take home message regarding China is 'Beware'.

There is more, just go to the Barnaby site. There is also material in Think Tank, going back some time that will add to the development of your views.
I noticed that Ray used the term toxicwhen referring to food imports. To the best of my knowledge there is no evidence of this. I admit it is becoming increasingly difficult for AQIS and others to do all of the testing for contamination that might cause mass food poisoning, and also to test for chemical residues over the allowable levels. The standards are all there.
To the best of my knowledge we have not had an epidemic of food poisoning that can be traced to imported food. Neither have the levels of residue found to be greater than those found in Australian produce.
We have had several epidemics of food food poisoning, that have caused fatalities, that were traced back to food grown and manufactured in Australia.

Permalink Reply by james darby on July 5, 2010 at 9:53am

Ray: I know nothing of a treason charge; please tell more.

Permalink Reply by Roger Rankin Crook on July 5, 2010 at 10:20am

Not here please! James, go to the Peter Spencer Community site, it's there is all its glory.

Permalink Reply by james darby on July 5, 2010 at 10:22am

Righto

Permalink Reply by Roger Rankin Crook on July 6, 2010 at 6:17pm

Looking to Australian farmers and fruit growers having disease free produce to export that is keenly sought by overseas markets is the key to prosperity.

Try telling that to the West Australian cauliflower growers that were! Malaysian market, gone to China.

The Malaysians like, like the Chinese, red apples. Pink Lady they love.

Guess what the Chinese grow? Guess what the Malaysians now buy in ever increasing quantities and from where?

Guess who sold the Chinese the Pink Lady root stock?

The Malaysians and the Thais and others don't grow temperate fruits, so disease is of no real consideration. They buy on price.