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 Meeting called to address bush crisis 

Meeting called to address bush crisis

COLIN BETTLES
11 Mar, 2010 01:00 AM
WAFARMERS will hold a crisis meeting on Friday, March 19, to make a public appeal to State and Federal Governments about the pending disaster about to hit the WA Wheatbelt.

The agenda is being driven by long-serving WAFarmers member Bob Iffla.

Mr Iffla said farmer morale in the Wheatbelt was "shocking" at the moment, with many farmers looking at the up coming season with fear and trepidation, and as a "make or break season".

"Every second person you speak to, if they don't have a good season this year, is saying they are getting out of farming, because there's no profitability in it," he said.

"It is very, very worrying, especially for graingrowers.

"There's no protection for farmers with their risk management and there's no single desk for wheat growers.

"We all knew this would happen to us when they took the single sesk away, but just not this quick."

Mr Iffla said he expected hundreds of farmers to attend the meeting.

Several politicians had already been invited, including Wagin MLA Terry Waldron and Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls, but both have yet to reply to invitations.

Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman is aware of the looming crisis and is likely to attend the meeting at the Kulin Freebairn Recreation Centre, at 2pm.

The forum also will discuss grain logistics through WestNet Rail general manager Paul Larsen, CBH Grain Operations manager Tim Collins, WAFarmers president Mike Norton, and representatives from the Livestock Transport and Country Bulk Carrier Association of WA.

Mr Iffla said the meeting would publicise the extent of the looming crisis and help politicians understand how serious the problem was becoming.

"A lot of consultants said to hold off selling grain last year and not to hedge early, which we did, but we got caught when the prices went down," Mr Iffla said.

"The grain prices dropped and so did our yields, which has created an awful situation.

"It's dog-eat-dog out here and that's causing some real problems."

Shadow Agriculture Minister Mick Murray said he had been contacted by growers in the Wheatbelt, expressing concern about their prospects for the approaching season.

"I've had a few emails and calls and they all sound very, very desperate," he said.

"They are worried about high input costs, low commodity values, depression of farm values and the impact of all that on the general community."

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Date: Newest first | Oldest first
No single desk equals falling commodity prices, strengthening Australian dollar and increased cost of inputs, remarkable!!!!
Posted by david, 11/03/2010 6:29:51 AM, on Farm Weekly
Let’s look at some of the things that can affect agriculture. They are; • Drought • Floods • Commodity prices • farm values • farm costs • local services Drought, floods, commodity prices are just the normal part of the business of farming, and net returns should reflect the ability to cover the years when things don’t go as planned. Local services, farm values are all a result of farm costs which gives the terms of trade that is the real problem we need to talk about. The question I ask is why we hear about anything but the totally unrealistic costs that faces agriculture today. continued
Posted by dunart, 11/03/2010 7:18:47 AM, on Farm Weekly
These costs are a result of govt regulation, at mostly state and federal levels. Without change here, the industry is doomed, and in my 40 years watching the industry, I have seen it lurch from one crises to another. Never have I seen it attach the real issue of “COSTS” Maybe if we just focused on that and nothing else you may get somewhere. I have already seen comments from politicians that low commodity prices and drought are the problem, so they are already saying there is nothing they can do because the industry offered them the out of drought and commodity prices. The end result is farmers are looking like a pathetic whinging bunch of no hopers who cannot survive in the world economy, like us in the domestic sector!! You know it’s not true, I know it’s not true, but the rest do not and that’s what will be reported in the press, particularly the urban press. End result, lobby effort a waste of time, again!!
Posted by dunart, 11/03/2010 7:19:43 AM, on Farm Weekly
Bob Iffla should know that large-scale, dryland cropping, is - and always has been - a high risk business. The two greatest problems are W.A.'s highly variable rainfall, and the ever-increasing cost of the latest, high-tech machinery. I don't think you need to be Einstein to figure that the keys to success are diversification, a long-term approach to farming, a cautious approach to high-cost machinery purchases, and finding niche markets. If Bob and his farmer mates thinks they're going to get any help from pollies, he is sadly mistaken. We survive in spite of pollies, not because of anything they do. The only thing pollies are good for is spending - no, wasting - our money, and claiming the glory for any accidents of economic fortune, that they always immediately reckon they were responsible for. Bob and his mates just have to knuckle down and examine every single thing they do, to find new ways to do things, and new ways to save money. Nothing has changed in 100 years, it only takes a couple of good seasons to change the whole picture - but several bad ones makes everyone wonder if they're doing the right thing.
Posted by Ron N, 11/03/2010 7:31:06 AM, on Farm Weekly
why did they get rid of the single desk then grain growers had good years previously what did they do with the surplus i bet it wasnt put away for a rainy day most sucessfull producers on the land have eggs in a number of baskets to hedge bets maybe if some of these guys didnt sell of there sheep they may have had a bit more diversity to weather problems maybe this keep buying the neighbour mentality and bigger machinery mentality doesnt work anymore
Posted by shaun, 11/03/2010 8:04:23 AM, on Farm Weekly
Another rural crisis meeting organised by WAFF and that perennial whinger Bob Iffla. If you want the financial institutions to look unfavourably upon you and your area just enlist the aid of Iffla and his ilk. This buffoon, who himself sits on significant assets, is as usual angling for a taxpayer handout. Risk management capacity is well and truely available for wheat farmers - its a matter of making your own decisions. Does this bloke really believe that "single desk" really made the world price or made it rain? Will Iffla and his ilk be recommending to the farmers at their "crisis" meeting of the possibilities of the substantial equity available to them through corporitizing CBH. I bet he does not. Another negative image of the whinging farmer. Iffla, if it is too hot in the kitchen do us a favour and get out.
Posted by Mr Realist, 11/03/2010 8:40:14 AM, on Farm Weekly
"They are worried about high input costs, low commodity values, depression of farm values and the impact of all that on the general community." Let’s look at some of the things that can affect agriculture. They are; • Drought • Floods • Commodity prices • farm values • farm costs • local services. Drought, floods, commodity prices are just the normal part of the business of farming, and net returns should reflect the ability to cover the years when things don’t go as planned. Local services, farm values are all a result of farm costs which gives the terms of trade that is the real problem we need to talk about. The question I ask is why we hear about anything but the totally unrealistic costs that faces agriculture today. These costs are a result of govt regulation, at mostly state and federal levels. Without change here, the industry is doomed, and in my 40 years watching the industry, I have seen it lurch from one crises to another. Never have I seen it attach the real issue of “COSTS” Maybe if we just focused on that and nothing else you may get somewhere. I have already seen comments from politicians that low commodity prices and drought are the problem, so the
Posted by dunart, 11/03/2010 12:29:27 PM, on Farm Weekly
... the end result is farmers are looking like a pathetic whinging bunch of no hoppers who cannot survive in the world economy, like us in the domestic sector!! You know it’s not true, I know it’s not true, but the rest do not and that’s what will be reported in the press, particularly the urban press. End result, lobby effort a waste of time, again!!
Posted by dunart, 11/03/2010 12:30:23 PM, on Farm Weekly
In response to Shortbytes Realist page 2 Farm Weekly, we realise the single desk loss did not cause the high input costs or a dry seasonal finish and we also realise that grain prices have been lower, but now that costs of machinery and inputs etc are so high the chances of going backwards at a very much greater rate are very real and what other business cannot pass on the rising cost to the consumer. I would be interested to know if you are any way involved in any lobby groups. If you are a fellow farmer you should be doing everything you can to help the plight of all farmers and their communities in these trying times instead of making anonymous personal comments. Everyone has a right to an opinion about farming but don’t put personal attacks/issues in a farming paper. Keep farming papers about farming!!!
Posted by D & M Dunham, 12/03/2010 10:44:20 AM, on Farm Weekly

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