Tangible Benefits for Australian Farmers from Country of Origin Labelling

Country of Origin Labeling (CoOL) in Australia is long overdue. The link below gives more insight into the Government's proposed new CoOL scheme:

http://www.industry.gov.au/industry/IndustrySectors/FoodManufacturingIndustry/Pages/Country-of-Origin-Labelling.aspx


As a consumer I am tired of combing the back of packets to determine where the food is made, if it is an Australian product and whether the company is Australian owned. I simply want to be able to make an informed decision at the grocery store as to what food I put on my family's table, and this I imagine applies to most Australian families from across all income ranges, no matter their budgetary restraints. 

The new CoOL scheme offers much more information at a glance than currently exists. There is still however, more room for improvement, especially to name the country from where the imported food has originated, every time, not just when companies might like to comply. It is pleasing that foreign owned companies like Simplot who invest greatly in Australian vegetable growers will eligible to show a 100% Australian grown label. 

BUT what is the tangible benefit that will flow back to our Australian farmer? As the proposed CoOL scheme stands there will be no benefit to our farmers. The consumer will benefit, but is demand really going to drive up an increase in seasonally produced foods? Will the Australian wheat grower experience a marked rise in price for their product or the Australian livestock farmer find an increase in farm gate prices? Will the Australian fruit grower experience increased demand for their fruit? No. There will be no significant change.

With careful thought, industry consultation and proactive efforts, we can make a difference for our farmers. Effective and positive changes can be made in the following areas:

1. Tangible benefits for our Australian farmers through uniting under a single easily identifiable label.

These benefits would entail less regulation and interference from government, activists and consumers, ultimately decreasing red and green tape costs.

2. Greater consumer awareness of the standards and assurance programs under which our Australian farmers operate to produce some of the healthiest food (and fibre) in the worlds.

Our consumers trust Australian farmers, but need to grow a greater understanding of why. This should cross over from the domestic market place to our international consumers in export destinations.

3. Unifying Australian agriculture under a single label.

Many agricultural industries have tried individually to make a difference in this space. As a unified industry, the strength of our position would be magnified greatly. 

These changes can occur without reinventing the wheel, without huge costs to implement and most importantly, with great costs or imposition to our farmers. 

Are you interested to find out more?

November this year (2015) will see the Vice Chair (Andrew Blenkiron) of the Red Tractor Assured Food Scheme (UK) visit Australia. He will be key note speaker at a forum in Roma, Queensland, along with a tour of the Maranoa area and farms, before travelling to Canberra to attend additional engagements.

The link below gives more information about the Red Tractor UK:

http://www.redtractor.org.uk/

We can learn much from the Red Tractor experience. We can adapt and grow something that can operate in our Australian agricultural industries effectively. We can grow consumer awareness and understanding.

If you are wanting to make a proactive change that will deliver tangible benefits please get in touch.

This is our biggest opportunity to make an effective difference, but we need to get it right.

Test Driving The Path To Solutions

As I read through the Australian Government’s Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper I am pleased to see Australian agriculture finally receiving some long awaited attention. Having been relegated to the “too hard” or “not vital” basket for some time it is heartening to see the Government attempt to tackle the numerous problems unique to Australian Agriculture.

Do I believe this is the magic pill to address the great variety of issues facing all of our Australian agricultural industries? No. But it is a start and I hope it is a foundation on which we can build and improve the outlook for Australian farmers and the industries that support and depend on them.

Our politicians are trying to listen and while it is easy as farmers to identify all the problems that we face on a day to day basis, it is necessary to be able to provide thoughtful solutions. Think about one problem you face in your agricultural business or local community and how that problem could be alleviated or reduced given improved governance or policies. If we as farmers cannot find solutions to our problems, how can we expect people with little experience in agriculture and even less at operating a farming business, to come up with workable, effective and practical solutions?

We have the solutions within our agricultural ranks. We can make a difference. Stand up and be counted and make a difference. Inaction will see nothing change and the struggle to improve profitability at the farm gate will become increasing hard.

Do you have a solution to a problem (big or small)? Choose a champion for your solution, be it a State Farming Organisation, Industry Body, political party or local politician. Start conversations within your industry to see if the solution can be refined or improved. There will always be critics and those with a negative response, but study them further and ask what produced that response. They may simply be the wrong vehicle to carry your solution forward.

Ultimately any effective changes to agricultural policies must happen in a bipartisan manner and be implemented for the long term. Investment in agriculture is long term and it needs long term, consistent policies that reach across the political divide and changing governments.  Healthy and robust debate across the political spectrum can be (and should be) constructive and result in improved solutions, especially when combined with industry consultation and farm gate conversations.

Australian agriculture has many eyes focused on it and ears listening right now…….possibly more than ever before. Let’s get this right.

And remember if the vehicle you chose is not responding, it may be time to trade it in and try a different track.  The key though is to firstly give the chosen vehicle a chance.

Media Release - Country of Origin Labelling

MEDIA RELEASE                              27 February 2015

Australian farmers must lead with labelling

Australian farmers should be driving the country of origin labelling discussion for consumers, to ensure full household confidence in our food, according to Queensland’s 2015 Rural Women’s Award recipient, Sherrill Stivano.

Mrs Stivano, a feedlot owner from Roma, received this award this week for her project proposal to address food labelling based on her research of the Red Tractor model created in the United Kingdom – long before the recent Hep-A contamination in frozen imported berries.

“If we are investing our time and skills to identify our Australian food, we need to highlight the excellent production methods underpinning our agricultural industries,” she said.

“We must ensure consumers can easily identify Australian products, knowing they are produced with environmental stewardship and sustainability, excellent animal welfare practices and food safety through traceability and regulation as a daily priority undertaken by Australian farmers.”

Mrs Stivano said acknowledgement of production and quality accountability must return to the farmer, not the supermarkets or processors or RSPCA.

“These organisations have assurance programs which the farmer must seek accreditation through at a cost to enter the supply chain,” Mrs Stivano said.

“If we show our consumers why our food standards are so high through a specific label instead at production level, then this will drive the demand at the supermarket shelves.”

Mrs Stivano said while Australia’s agricultural industries have excellent assurance programs in place, some could be enhanced to include more specific concerns.

“This specific label must also complement those farmers who have taken the time to develop their own brands,” she said.

“The new label should be the first thing the consumer looks for, followed by the preferred individual brand.

“This is an opportunity to make a positive and proactive change, firstly for the farmer and then for the consumer, at both domestic and international levels.

“This should not be rushed through to be a vote winner or election catch cry. It must be a carefully considered and consultative approach with industry bodies, farmers and consumer groups,” Mrs Stivano said.

Proposed Country of Origin Labels – how it could work

Any Country of Origin Label must have these three key components at its core:

-          Environment

-          Animal welfare

-          Food safety

The CoOL must showcase the excellent environmental care and sustainability; animal welfare practices and food safety standards and regulations that already exist in our food production chain, more particularly on the farm before the commodities even leave the farm gate.

Costs and impositions must not be heavy.

Use existing framework already in place from industry assurance programs through to levies and Australian Made.

Mrs Stivano said this proposed labelling should be seen as an opportunity for farmers to showcase their existing production methods under one banner that the Australian consumer can easily identify

“It is imperative that under any country of origin labelling discussions, the focus must not solely be on the consumer at the end of the food chain, but at the start of the food chain, with our farmers,” she said.

Ends.

For more information contact:

Sherrill Stivano at “Bellevue Feedlot”, Roma Qld

0427 143 687 

On winning this year’s RIRDC Rural Women’s Award for Queensland…..

On winning this year’s RIRDC Rural Women’s Award for Queensland…..

I have to admit I was completely caught by surprise when I was announced the winner of this year’s Queensland award.

I cannot describe how very honoured I am to have been selected as the 2015 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC ) Rural Women’s Award, Queensland winner.

I would like to thank you all for your congratulatory messages. They are hugely appreciated.

I would also like to extend my best wishes and support to the three inspiring finalists Kylie Stretton, Emily Rigby and Elaine Bradley. I look forward to seeing great things from you all.

I would also like to thank the RIRDC judging panel of Agforce Qld State Vice President Georgie Somerset, Westpac  Regional General Manager Queensland Agribusiness Peta Ward, RIRDC Chair Professor Daniela Stehlik and 2014 National RIRDC Rural Women’s Award winner Lauren Hewitt for their confidence in my project.

I would also like to thank Karyn Manktelow, Senior Project Officer, Plant Industries and Food, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for the support she gave all the finalists.

Thank you also to the sponsors Westpac, ABC Radio, Fairfax Agricultural Media, RM Williams Outback and Agforce Qld.

Finally a huge thank you to RIRDC for not only helping to provide rural women with the networks, support and confidence to achieve their goals for agriculture and their rural communities via this award process, but also for all the work RIRDC is undertaking to help improve outcomes for our agricultural industries.

I am looking forward to my journey which involves exploring the single labelling of our environmentally responsible, welfare based, sustainable and safe Australian food. Single labelling will give recognition to our farmers for their existing high standards of food production. It will also give consumers an easily identifiable logo in which they can place their trust when buying food.

#singlelabelling #rirdc #rwa2015 #farmersfirst

With Minister for Communities, Women and Youth Monoster for Multicultural Affairs Shannon Fentiman

With Finalists Kylie Stretton, Emily Rigby and Elaine Bradley, RIRDC Chair Professor Daniela Stehlik, RIRDC Director Keith Steele and ABC Landline Presenter Pip Courtney