THE 2014 Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association (ALPA) and Fairfax Agricultural Media Marketing Award is now open.
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Participating in this award will allow you or staff members to reflect on your most outstanding qualities, biggest successes and most creative initiatives.
The winner is awarded a fully paid trip to the 2015 Calgary Stampede in Canada to accompany the 2015 ALPA National Young Auctioneers Competition winner.
You will also receive $1000 spending money, courtesy of Fairfax Agricultural Media and be presented with the Mike Nixon Shield.
The new buzz phrase bandied about these days is "social licence to operate".
You can't apply for one, you can't buy one, but as an industry it is imperative you adhere to one.
A social licence to operate was a key factor in the animal welfare handler's course that ALPA recently developed for members.
The success of a pilot course in Griffith in March has resulted in a nationwide rollout of the program.
Check the ALPA website for dates and places.
The course is being delivered by Patrick Hutchinson from Australian Livestock Management along with MINTRAC.
The training program includes a review of industry, community and regulatory expectations for livestock welfare and management.
It also covers best practice procedures for handling, transport, loading and unloading, euthanasia, facility assessment and the impact of animal welfare on outcomes like meat quality and reproduction.
For an industry that deems best practice animal welfare a non-negotiable requirement, this course demonstrates the proactive response of our members to adopting stronger and more consistent animal welfare practices for every link in the supply chain.
Andy Madigan is the chief executive officer of ALPA.