Milk price wars

On February 17, 2011, in the nose, by pauline
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ABC Breakfast program journalist Cathy van Extel reports on the milk price wars and interviews dairy farmer Ross McInnes who has been involved in the dairy industry for nearly 40 years. McInnes says that “nearly 90% of farms have been affected in the Queensland floods and to have Coles say this price war wont have an effect on dairies, is just utter bullshit”. He says “it is the biggest mongrel act he has ever seen perpetuated on the Queensland dairy industry”. The milk price war will be the final straw on Queensland dairy farmers, read full transcript.

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Investing in agricultural research

On October 12, 2010, in the nose, by pauline
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Originally from a South Australian wheat and sheep farm, Derek Byerlee has been appointed to the World Food Security Committee (known as CFS), of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), which meets this month in Rome. Byerlee was interviewed by Ann Kruger of ABC Landline in 2008 about the spiralling rise in food prices and the need for governments around the world to invest more in agricultural research. This isssue of the lack of adequate funding for agricultural research was highlighted both by Max Trenorden MLA and former Minister for Agriculture Kim Chance at the recent Food Ethics Forum, which was arranged by Slow Food Perth at Chirst Church Grammar School in August this year. Here is an interesting article on this topic by Byerlee

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Australian food and water security debated

On August 5, 2010, in the nose, by pauline
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QUALITY investigation by the ABC’s background briefing team into the plight of many Australian farmers, the buying up of Australian farming land and the future of food and water security in Australia is hosted by Stephen Crittendon. Background Briefing interviews guests from farmers to overseas company employees to author Julian Cribb. To conclude with Stephen Crittenden and Julian Cribb. Read full transcript and interview

“Stephen Crittenden: I notice that you’re saying that there’s an imperative in the next decade that we do two things: we need to abolish all trade barriers so food production can go wherever it’s most efficient; and we need to pay farmers a fair price. Now aren’t those two imperatives contradictory, or at least contradictory under the current trade mechanisms that everything operates under?
Julian Cribb: Yes, they’re contradictory under the current trade mechanisms, but the current trade mechanisms date back to the last century and they are completely irrelevant to the needs of the human race in this century. And we need to get rid of a lot of them. So we do need to open up agricultural trade so it can move to wherever it’s most efficient. But the other thing is that farmers are not going to do this unless they get the right economic signal. At the moment, the economic signal reaching them, via the supermarkets and the big food companies is Grow less. The very low prices that they’re receiving, plus the very high costs of their inputs, is a major disincentive to agriculture worldwide, and that has to change. I mean the food we eat today is one third the price that our grandparents paid for it, and it is half the price that our parents paid for it. So food has become very, very cheap in this country, in America, in Europe and elsewhere. And I think it’s too cheap. It is sending this bad signal to farmers not to invest, to scientists not to do research that is necessary, and it’s also causing colossal waste of food in our cities where we throw away up to half of everything we produce. That has to stop.”

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Medical Association’s new policy on food

On July 3, 2009, in the nose, by pauline
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The Amercian Medical Association has just approved a new ground breaking policy on sustainable food and farming.

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Cottesloe’s ‘verge-o-crat’ policy wonks

On November 7, 2008, in urban revolution, by jamie
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WHAT sad, sad news: Perth’s western suburbs newspaper The Post reports that Cottesloe town council is about to review a staff report that recommends taxing ‘unauthorised’ verge vegetable gardens.

According to the 08 November 2008 edition, the internal council report recommends that Cottesloe residents wanting to plant a kitchen garden in place of lawn on a street-side verge should pay a $100 licence fee and a $500 bond.

The Post reports -

A staff report said: ‘No permit is required from council for planting lawn verges. A permit is required for all other works in the verge, such as garden beds, shrubs, kerbing, paving, retaining walls, pipeline and below-ground reticulation systems. This shall be obtained by the owner/occupier submitting a sketch plan.’

An eight-page report (to councillors) said that an inspection fee of $100 should be charged for approval of a proposed vegetable or herb garden. It said: ‘No approval will be granted unless the proposed has been discussed with (council) staff on site and signed off prior to any approval being given. A bond of $500 is to be paid by applicants before any grant of approval, to cover the cost of reinstatement of verges once vegetable/herb gardens become derelict in the opinion of council staff. The bond will be repaid in full if and when any vegetable garden is removed and the verge reinstated by the applicant. If no reinstatement takes place then the bond will be applied either in full or part to fund work by council staff.’

The report warned that there could be disputes over produce…clashes over carrots, harsh words over herbs. It says: ‘Council staff will not become involved in the resolution of any disputes about vandalism, theft of produce or other upsets involving the general public and the developers of verge vegetable/herb gardens, except where staff involvement is needed to ensure the general safety of the total road reserve.’

The council is to consider the public response to the idea at its December 2008 meeting.

Slow Food Perth urges all Slow Food members and concerned residents living in Cottesloe to contact the council before 01 December to protest against the report’s thrust and recommendations.

View proposed policy

Email all councillors as a group

Write to the council at Post Office Box 606 Cottesloe WA 6911, or telephone 08 9285 5000 and voice your concern about this proposed policy.

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