United push on island issues

In the last week we have seen the unveiling of the Australian Government’s Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper, a comprehensive plan for the way ahead for farming across the country.

The White Paper builds the nation’s water, transport and communications infrastructure and promotes smarter farming while also imposing a new oversight regime to ensure fair trade between farmers and the wholesalers and retailers they supply.

The TFGA welcomes the measures in the White Paper, which we see as essential for maintaining growth in this sector, but of major significance to Tasmania where we are tasked, quite willingly, with increasing the value of our production to $10 billion a year by the year 2050.

To achieve that we need many variable factors actually working in our favour so that we can have a strong environment for agribusinesses and we can generate better returns at the farm gate.

In no particular order, we need effective biosecurity, relevant and accessible research and development, an efficient, fast and equitable freight system and improved access to markets.

Market access to Tasmanian produce is the challenge. Because we are an island, we are a step removed from the major transport linkages to overseas markets. We have to think one step ahead. We also have to think co-operatively.

Because we are an island, because we are the southernmost part of Australia, because we have a cool climate, we actually have many market advantages. Tasmanian producers have to work together to maximise the opportunities for this brand we call Tasmania.

The White Paper includes $500 million for water infrastructure and it is our hope that Tasmania will be able to continue to roll out its irrigation schemes into a third tranche to further quarantine our farmers from periods of low rainfall in places where there has been reduced capacity for storing what rain does fall.

The TFGA looks forward to working closely with with the Australian Government in the months ahead to implement the White Paper initiatives.

This article first appeared in Tasmanian Country on 10 July.
TFGA president Wayne Johnston