Rural Weekly Comment, May 17, 2018 #9
By Kevin Borg, Chairman CANEGROWERS Mackay.
While not an overly exciting Federal Budget for agriculture there were in fact a few commitments that will benefit the primary industries sector overall.
The release of the 2018-2019 Federal Government Budget (May 8) revealed benefits from investment in trade, market access and bio-security, along with rural health and education.
The National Farmers Federation, of which CANEGROWERS is a member, awarded a ‘B’ rating to the document last week.
We can be reasonably happy with a ‘B’ despite consistently preferring, and workingtowards an ‘A.
For some of our members, and for producers in many other sectors around Australia, it is extremely disappointing to know that no funding was allocated to the Mobile Blackspot Program. Everyone in Australia today should have the advantage of reliable telecommunications, and not be disadvantaged simply because they are in the communities and businesses that operate in our rural and remote areas.
With the anticipation now behind us, and the playout of the Budget in front of us, we will lend our support to our sector’s peak body CANEGROWERS, and others to continue lobbying for sustainable and profitable farming, and the protection of our farmers, their families and their livelihoods in Australia.
For cane growers in the Mackay and Plane Creek regions work is a priority with all busy with their preparations getting ready for the start of the 2018 harvest.
While the state of play with Mackay Sugar still hangs heavily in the air, growers are getting on with the physical job of preparing their machinery, workers and farms to get the crop off.
As of Monday, the Mackay Sugar mills will begin with a staggered start from May 28 to June 2 and Plane Creek will start on June 12.
I’d like to take this opportunity to extend our congratulations to Mackay Area Productivity Services (MAPS) and SRA (Sugar Research Australia) for the success of this year’s field day on Thursday, May 10.
From all reports the event was successful with growers finding many topics of interest at the seven sites at the MAPS Victoria Plains seed plot.
This field day has been around for long time and is a popular one with sites including SRA varieties, harvesting efficiency, pig trapping, soil health in addition to new technology and equipment.
We also take the opportunity to wish Wests Tigers Leagues Club all the best for its two-day, all of agriculture field day which opens tomorrow, Friday May 18 and runs through to Saturday, May 19.
As the former owners of this event, we remain great supporters and we hope all growers, farmers and graziers and all other people in the agriculture and horticulture sectors will take the time to exhibit or visit this event.
CANEGROWERS Mackay will be at the Ag Trade Expo on both days looking forward to talking with community about our local sugar industry and inviting everyone to taste the unprocessed juice from sugarcane. On the Saturday we will have representatives from MIRI’s Shape Up Mackay program offering free health checks from 9am to 2pm.
-Kevin Borg