THERE would be no need to regulate foreign investment in WA agriculture if the Federal Government developed a well-planned and resourced template for its future.
That was the message from Boyup Brook beef producer Mike Introvigne when he addressed a Senate inquiry into the Foreign Investment Review Board's national interest test last week.
Mr Introvigne told the inquiry if WA agriculture wasn't resurrected from the abyss it currently faced, then foreign investment might be the only way to preserve its existence in the very near future.
"Unfortunately, unless we convince and attract Australian funds to invest in Australian agriculture and associated businesses we must allow foreign investment," he said.
In what South Australian Senator Sean Edwards called a reasonable spray, Mr Introvigne pointed to the spiralling costs of agricultural production, the fact farmers are price takers (not setters) and the diminished sources of skilled labour, for WA agriculture's potential reliance on foreign capital.
But he believed a number of realistic options could be employed by government to achieve agriculture's economic reform before having to resort to the acceptance of extensive foreign investment.
"Firstly, get rid of the mountains of red tape and bureaucratic interference," Mr Introvigne said.
"Second, establish a Commonwealth rural development bank to fund agriculture with loans based on the base rate plus a small operating margin.
"Third, develop a national rural risk mitigation plan that means all Australians share in at least some of the risk to protect their food security future.
"Fourth, regulate the supermarket power so that they do not continue their destructive produce acquisition policy - does anybody really believe that supermarkets are copping the hit for a dollar a litre milk?
"Fifth, agriculture needs access to a quality workforce which appreciates the opportunity to work in agriculture.
"Sixth, develop a plan that will allow young Australians to become involved in agriculture while allowing our ageing farmers to retire in the knowledge that their asset is protected while providing for their own retirement and continuing the legacy of providing food and wealth for the nation.
"Seventh, education of the community as to why agriculture is important to the basic fabric of our society."
Mr Introvigne told the Senate committee farmers faced continuous interference and ever-increasing regulation imposed by well-meaning but misinformed bureaucrats who had no knowledge of agriculture and came to the table with preconceived ideas about how warm and cuddly life on the farm should be.
"We grow cattle to be slaughtered for the consumption of beef at the dinner table," he said.
"I make no apology for that because I do it by taking great care of my livestock so that they will perform efficiently because it's the only way I can make a dollar."
He said the inquiry's biggest challenge was to figure out how to protect Australia's own food needs and not who should own the farm.
"Australia's population is predicted to be 30 million people, or something close to it, in 30 years and we have to feed them," Mr Introvigne said.
"That is the key."