Category: Sustainable Settlement and Agriculture

Among the implications for agriculture he identifies the following.

• Gigantic highly petro-chemical dependant, broad-acre monoculture farming will slowly disappear from the agricultural landscapes of the world.
• The European, Japanese and Korean opposition to including there own agriculture in free-trade negotiations will be vindicated as international food trade declines in the face of rising fuel cost and slower less reliable transportation.
• Real cost of food will rise.
• Total world food production thence supply will fall!
• Despite all the best good-will in the world, less practical / food aid will not be available to famine victims around the world, because there will be just less food, and with slowing transportation getting relief quickly in quantity to any given destination will inevitably become implausible.
• The growing of cereals will switch from the strategy using a monoculture of some annual crop variety (plants that only last one season, then must be replanted the next year again from seeds) to fields growing a permanent mix a few different perennial (plants that produce for a number of consecutive seasons) crops simultaneously.
• Farm sizes will decrease to smaller more manageable family size concerns.
• Organic farming will grow in popularity as petro-chemical input cost rise.
• Altogether new (perennial) plant species genetically engineered by public universities in the developing world will be tightly targeted to roles like;- fighting desertification, food provision on marginal land or hostile tropical climates.
• Australia’s live sheep trade to the Middle East will decline as;- fuel cost rise, slower shipping necessitates more en-route cost to maintain animal health during longer voyages.

He said the competition had opened many doors for himself and “Yulgilbar”.

“While I was the one recognised in this award, I remain indebted to the family that is ‘Yulgilbar’ – the people who keep the operation going on a daily basis,” he said.

Mr Sinnamon made the comments when introducing “Yulgilbar’s” division managers, stockmen, maintenance workers and handymen at a field day at the property last week.

The third-oldest operating Santa Gertrudis stud in the country, “Yulgilbar” is owned by Sarah and Baillieu Myer, of the Melbourne-based Myer department store fame.

It was the relationships between property owners, their manager, and staff, that made Mr Sinnamon’s entry stand out in a competitive field last year, according to NSW Farmers Association president, Jock Laurie, who also spoke at the field day.

The $10,000 competition is promoted by four organisations that aim to move agriculture ahead in NSW: the NSW Department of Primary Industries, the NSW Farmers Association, the Royal Agricultural Society and The Land.

Mr Laurie said the competition highlighted “terrific industry stories out there in NSW”, allowing people in the city to appreciate where their world class food and fibre products came from.

He said successful farmers were not uncommon, but while it was “easy to be confident in your own kitchen” it was those able to succeed in a new environment and “get out there and sell their ideas” who were the greatest benefit to the industry, he said.

More than 200 people turned up for the “Yulgilbar” field day, which featured trade and stock displays and speakers on everything from equine influenza to making silage.

Entries for the 2008 Farmer and Young Farmer of the Year close on June 9. Application forms are available from www.dpi.nsw.gov.au or www.nswfarmers.org.au.

The Victorian Farmers Federation Egg Group president, Brian Ahmed, said rising fuel prices were eating into egg producers’ earnings.

Mr Ahmed said the egg industry was already a victim of the factors leading to rising food prices.

“Producers have been forced to absorb much of the historic highs being experienced with grain prices, which represent over 50 per cent of input costs,” Mr Ahmed said.

“Now on top of that we are being hit with these fuel price increases.

“Something has to give or egg production just won’t be viable. Unfortunately consumers may be facing an increase in egg prices sometime soon if fuel prices keep going the way they are.”

Mr Ahmed said the drought continues to pressure primary producers throughout Victoria and it seems the increased cost of fuel will have to be passed on at some stage to consumers.

“The alternative is we will have very limited numbers of farmers left and that is in no one’s best interest,” Mr Ahmed said.

The Industrial Hemp Bill is due to come before the NSW parliament for it’s second reading this month.

The bill has been introduced by the Minister for Primary Industry, Mr Ian McDonald with support from the Greens and some National members. Other conservative politicians are concerned about the impact hemp farming may have on the policing of marijuana crops.

The Bill brings NSW into line with Queensland and Victoria and has been developed after consultation with the police and relevant authorities. The legislative review committee of the NSW Parliament has identified that the licensing provisions of the bill are unusual because the minister makes all licensing decisions and they are not subject to judicial review.

The review committe also expressed caution regarding the rights of inspectors to enter properties and take samples of the hemp crop. These issues will be discussed during the second reading of the bill. 

ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey has called on the ACT Government to change its antagonistic attitude to residents in Canberra's surviving rural cottages.

"The historic caretaker's cottage on Cotter Road is a case in point" Dr Foskey said today.

"The residents, Jenni and Peter Farrell, face eviction tomorrow, even though, as their home for many years, they have maintained and improved it, and it's expected to be heritage listed and thus preserved."

"I understand the ACT Government, if it can't demolish the building, will not allow the Farrells to return home, but put in a ranger."

"That seems to be the attitude of the ACT Government towards any people who happen to live on or near land it wants to develop."

"The Farrells have lived in the cottage for years. They have helped it survive storms and fires, and have invested a lot of time and effort in maintaining and improving the building and garden."

"There is no reason for the ACT Government to push these people out, except - it seems - that it has the view that if it can't give the appearance of letting them 'get away with' anything."

"That is a facile and unconstructive approach which fails to take advantage of the goodwill at hand to preserve our community and rural heritage." 

"This bare ground approach to urban development ignores opportunities to maintain a sense of history within our built environment."

"I wrote early this week to ask the Minister for Planning to ensure that the cottage is preserved and the residents are offered a lease to enable them to remain in their home and continue to maintain the building."

"The newspaper story today appears to be his reply" Dr Foskey said.