NATIVE VEG DISASTER
THE replacement of the Native Vegetation Conservation Act has all but reached fruition and now with everything, except the mapping, having been displayed, farmers are able to access what a disaster the National Party has landed on us.
Early viewings of Southern Highlands mapping shows promise of it being as bad as the rest of the mess.
When tackled on what is being delivered not being within a bull’s roar of what was promised, and in a lot of cases worse than the present NVC Act, the Nationals uniform reply is “Labor will be worse”. That’s probably true, but it’s a pathetic reply from a pathetic party. In The Land’s article (“Pay up if we are taking a veg hit”, July 20, p6) Niall Blair spoke of giving farmers equity.
I am not quite sure how he figures this out, but I would like to ask him to answer a quite simple question. If he found he was, by a change in future circumstance, able to increase his income by a considerable amount would he be prepared to, for the greater community good, sacrifice two thirds of that new potential income production?
He still may get a very small return from this sacrificed portion, but would still have to pay all running and ownership costs, as well as undertaking to actively manage this “asset” to an unspecified standard demanded by a third party, at his expense. This would not be a temporary impost but one that would affect him and any future beneficiaries forever. This does all sound a bit preposterous, but it’s exactly what he classed as an equitable solution. This, I might add, is a very best-case scenario. The sacrifice demanded could be as much as 80 per cent. This highlights just one aspect of the new Local Land Services codes about to come into force.
There are other parts that, at cursory glance, look quite workable until detailed analysis shows them to be impractical, uneconomic, and with very negative longer-term impacts. I would suggest anyone who has not already done so go to landmanagement.nsw.gov.au Scroll down to the small headings and find (Native vegetation Code) 2017 and check it out, with all the restrictions that go with it. Be mindful this is still a work in progress, and could end up worse. The greatest tragedy of this ill-designed law is that, because of the mindless greed of the environmental lobby, what could well have been a win/win for farmers and the environment will turn out to be neither. Again!
Robert Anderson
“Maneroo”, Moree
J-BAS PETITION
I DON’T profess to be an expert, but it’s not rocket science to recognise an unworkable, costly system that does absolutely nothing for producers.
I’m particularly outraged by the responses of the Cattle Council’s biosecurity advisor Justin Toohey, (“Your Johne’s questions”, The Land, July 13, p5).
Response 1 – re shows – is a classic case of avoiding the question. So, we still don’t know how your score would be affected if there were cattle of a lower level there. The comments re segregation are totally impractical as anybody who has ever shown realises.
Also, the expectation that struggling rural show societies can afford to take on any more costs is ludicrous.
Response 2 – JBAS 7 and 8 will actually now have their markets curtailed. To say these levels tend not to be marketed through saleyards is interesting.
So, what happens when a stud sale follows a store sale?
Segregation is an issue for the small producer who doesn’t have their own truck. Presumably cartage costs will now go through the roof because producers can’t share a truck with a lower JBAS level.
Response 4 is my favourite. Do these people not realise we are not all members of Agforce et al? I heard about J-BAS by word of mouth about six weeks ago.
This appears to be a system created by people with no experience in, or concern for, cattle production. It will strangle the industry.
I don’t see any benefits in having a biosecurity plan filed in my top drawer forevermore, a level of distinction between herds because of Johne’s, or having to provide an Animal Health Declaration, which a national vendor declaration could cover.
My question is: If every producer refuses to go along with the whole system, who will back down? I have started a petition at https://www.change.org/p/cattle-council-of-australia-no-to-j-bas
If you feel, as I do, show your support.
Jan Delroy
Boonah, Qld
