Senate wants to hear from Tas farmers

Christine Milne Australian Senate Australian Greens Senator for Tasmania MR Tuesday, 17 March 2009
SENATE wants to hear from Tas farmers on climate, ETS and food production
Tasmania’s farmers will next month be able to contribute to a Senate inquiry into Australia’s food production and have a say on how Australia deals with climate change.

The Senate Select Committee on Agriculture and Related Issues is seeking submissions and will visit Tasmania for public hearings in Launceston on April 2.

“I strongly urge Tasmanian food growers to take up this opportunity to express their ideas and concerns to the Senate,” said Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne.

“I also urge Tasmanian fruit growers and vegetable growers to seize this opportunity to tell the Senate Committee about their concerns about cheap imported frozen vegetables and their plans for a new research facility in Australia. This hearing is a perfect opportunity to advance these and other causes.”

“This inquiry is an excellent opportunity for Tasmania’s farmers to contribute their views about the government’s approach to climate change, food labelling and trade policies and how farms can be helped to protect the environment, the integrity of the product and their income into the future.”

“Australian farmers are particularly vulnerable to climate change, but they can also play a key role in reducing our emissions. Yet there are currently remarkably few incentives to help food producers green up their farms.”

“While the government has rightly chosen to leave the agriculture sector out of emissions trading for the time being farmers will incur a huge cost in the future if we don’t work with them now to reduce emissions. Farmers can benefit tremendously from efforts now to increase their soil carbon and the health of the soils and its capacity to retain moisture.

“We could be helping Tasmania’s food producers green up their farms, mixing their cattle or crops with wind turbines, solar collectors or bio-energy plants and increasing the carbon in their soils. This would allow farmers to stay on their land and get an income from generating renewable energy.”

“Nichols Poultry at Sassafras and Woolnorth are examples of Primary Industry using renewable energy.”

Tasmania’s future as a producer of high-quality food can only be assured if rural industries are given the support they need to deal with the changing climate and to drive innovation in environmentally sustainable production and marketing.”

Senator Milne urged farmers to get involved, make written submissions, and seek to give evidence in Launceston in April.

The details of the Inquiry and how to get involved are available here: http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/agric_ctte/food_production/index.htm Contact: Melissa Donchi on 0408 517 050