BIG congratulations to Cobar agent Lucas Scales from Landmark Russell who last Friday was awarded the 2019 ALPA Agency Award and the Mike Nixon Shield during the Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association (ALPA) annual general meeting dinner in Canberra.
Mr Scales joins an impressive role call of agents who have been awarded the accolade since its inception in 2005.
The prize includes a trip to the 2020 Calgary Stampede, compliments of Quadrant Ag Tours.
The award recognises an innovative marketing campaign from an agent with less than 10 years industry experience.
It's sponsored by Australian Community Media, also owners of The Land, and this year marked a record number of national finalists.
The other finalist were Cassandra Baile, Australian Wool Network, Goulburn; Rory Birt, Ray White Dorrigo and Bellingen, Dorrigo; Tom Rookyard, AuctionsPlus, North Sydney; Nicholas Malone, Queensland Rural, Charters Towers; Bo Scoble, Landmark, Cloncurry; and Kyle Svensson, Burnett Livestock and Realty, Biggenden
Higher beef tariff triggered in Korea
KOREA has long been one of the top ranking export destinations for Australian beef, and according to Meat and Livestock Australia is now the fourth largest market after China.
It is also the second largest export customer of Australian chilled, grainfed beef.
The high volumes now mean Australia has triggered the 2019 beef safeguard to Korea.
This means the imported beef tariff will increase from 24 per cent to 30pc until December 31.
MLA have reported the beef import safeguard is a mechanism that allows Korea to increase tariffs temporarily once imports exceed an agreed level under the Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement (KAFTA).
The safeguard volume for 2019 was 170,673 tonnes (shipped weight) and increases by two per cent each year.
The US is Australia's major competitor in the Korean imported beef market.
"Once Australia has triggered the safeguard volume, the tariff differential between Australia and the US will increase from 5.3pc to 11.3pc," MLA said.
"While the differential will create challenges for Australian beef in an already highly competitive market, this is a marked improvement on 2018, when the tariff differential was 18.7pc."
MLA expects consumer preference for Australian beef to remain unchanged during the higher tariff period.
"Australian beef is the most favoured among all imported beef and regarded as the most superior, amongst the safest to eat and a family favourite," MLA reported.