Our weekly column in Tas Country attracts a lot of interest and support from a surprising range of audiences. However, we’re largely preaching to the converted as the audience is largely limited to those who already have an interest in agriculture. Over the past few months, we have been talking with the editor of Tas Country with his everyday Mercury news hat on about the possibility of extending our farming message to a wider audience. We’ve now been asked to write an additional column each week on all matters agricultural for publication every Wednesday in the Mercury. This will provide us with a fantastic platform to talk directly to those in the community who are not directly involved with agriculture – the very people we need to influence. Following is the first column – published today …
Once again, Christmas is on our doorstep. What are you preparing for the table? The very best Christmas gift any of us could make would be to ensure that we think local, and buy local when preparing for this important family celebration.
If you insist on buying South Arm pink eyes, for instance, you can be sure that the farmer who produced those potatoes will use part of the sale proceeds to buy diesel for his tractor, school uniforms for his kids, milk from a Tasmanian dairy, bread from a Tasmanian bakery, meat from his local butcher and salmon from one of the local fish farms. The money circulates in Tasmania, where it is needed. It creates jobs and local wealth.
How do you know you are buying Tasmanian produce? Well, it isn’t always easy. Fresh produce must, by law, be identified with a country of origin label at point of sale. Many supermarkets and corner stores are also now clarifying the provenance of processed foods. If they don’t, you have to scrutinise food labels – and even then you could be little the wiser. Most people don’t understand the nuances of classifications like ‘made in Australia, from local and imported products’, ‘produce of Australia’, and so on.
A couple of weeks ago, I suggested in a column in Tasmanian Country that, if our regulators were going to insist that all eggs for sale be stamped with the producer’s registered number, then why not go a step further and add a Tasmanian devil to the stamp so that consumers know that they are eating Tasmanian eggs? I have to say the idea has been met with a deafening silence from the regulators. I remind you that it is this government that purchases Queensland eggs by the tonne because they are a tad cheaper than Tasmanian eggs. That is not what I call leading by example.
Throughout 2013, Tasmanian farmers have been pleading for acknowledgment of the important role they play in supporting our community. Tasmanian agriculture continues to be one of the mainstays of the economy. When all else may be tumbling down, when doom and gloom prevails, the people on tractors out there on the horizon are working to provide safe, high quality food and fibre for Tasmanians and many others at home and abroad. And we can do even better if everybody takes time to stop and think about what they are buying, what they are eating, and who benefits at the end of the day.
We acknowledge that we may not have been telling our stories clearly enough in the past, not telling our side of the story, not opening our farms to those of you who are inquisitive to know how we do what we do and why. When you drive down the highway, you might note whether the fields are green or dry, you might notice the poppies are in flower, you may even guess whether the sheep are due for shearing. But that’s the extent of the involvement most of you have with what we do.
We want that to change. We understand that we need to do better, so we are going to be out there shouting from the barntops that we have the best growing climate in the world, all the water we need and we are unstoppable as an industry.
Through columns such as this we will try to explain to you how our businesses work, how we are trying to do better, what our diversification options are, etc. It’s called communicating, as I say, something that farmers have not been real flash at in the past – but they’re getting better.
So, about that Christmas lunch …
For the main course, I suggest Tasmanian ham, beef or poultry; Tasmanian seafood; fresh cut salad leaves from the Coal River valley; potatoes from the north-west coast or South Arm; or vegetables from one of the many regional local suppliers. For dessert, try some fresh local berries or cherries with Tasmanian cream or ice cream; or a platter of fantastic cheeses from across the state. And, to top it off, add a glass (or two) of an award-winning Tasmanian pinot, shiraz, riesling or bubbles; one of our new and exciting ciders; or any one of the fabulous local beers.
We really are spoilt for choice. So thank a Tasmanian farmer as you sit down with your family for a meal this Christmas.
