PEOPLE from all over the South West have participated in the launch of the prospective Stirlings to Coast Farmers (SCF) co-operative in Kendenup.
The packed Kendenup Lodge was full of excitement and enthusiasm from farmers, industry and government representatives who were interested in what was ahead.
SCF chief executive officer Christine Kershaw launched the co-operative idea with the support of sponsors Meat and Livestock Australia and WAFarmers, which is subject to a feasibility study funded by a State government grower group grant.
Ms Kershaw hoped the results of the study would be back in time for the Spring Field Day on September 21 and invited all farmers in the Great Southern region to consider joining or at least engage with them on the cooperative’s design.
“It won’t be like co-operatives of the past,” Ms Kershaw said.
“This will be something new that WA hasn’t seen before, bordering on a company style, with returns going back to the growers.”
Ms Kershaw said there would be a lot of issues to look at prior to establishing a co-operative and called on those with ideas to come forward.
Presentations on various issues were also given to make the most of the day and inform growers where the future lay in agriculture.
Keynote speakers included MLA chief marketing and communications officer Lisa Sharp and Sheep Co-operative Research Centre chief executive officer and University of New England, New South Wales, professor James Rowe.
Other speakers included Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development research officer Beth Paganoni, CSIRO livestock system scientist Dean Thomas, Kayanaba Grazing Company director and veterinary surgeon Pauline Roberts, Aglive chief commercialisation officer Neil Mulcahy, South Western Wireless State manager Jeremy Devenish and Farmwest AI instructor Paul Kersten.
Dr Roberts wasted no time getting her message across with the topic “achieving lambing 142 per cent, calving 95pc plus - if not why not?”.
She had the audience in the palm of her hand when she discussed comparing the ram’s testicles with the size of a stubby in order to pick out the best genetics for future breeding.
“What you do now will determine where you end up in three years time,” Dr Roberts said.
“Farmers should be preparing for joining six months out.”
She said farmers would face feed issues due to prices rising because of the dry season.
“If they want to get good lambing results for next year and the year after farmers are going to have to feed,” she said.
Ms Sharp said MLA had been monitoring consumer and customer trends.
“The red meat industry is issues rich,” she said.
“What’s underneath those headlines we all see in the media we call ‘mega trends’?”
Ms Sharp said people wanted to see “more from less”, such as expensive green-marketed products produced without pesticides.
She said because of this the organic food market will continue to grow.
“We need to market red meat as a natural product to tap into that market,” she said.
She said the consumer also has “great expectations”, wanting more transparency and traceability, with everyone in the value chain made to be responsible and exposing those who don’t.
Another trend she called the “silk highway”, which showed that Chinese demand was expected to increase.
“Income growth in China is expected to grow, especially as the middle class become wealthier and more consumers become available.”
She called another trend “forever young”, due to the issues surrounding an aging population in Australia and its trading partners.
“There is also a lot of fear, uncertainty and doubt,” she said.
“It started in September 2001 with the terror attacks in the United States.
“Then the global financial crisis.
“We have realised that we can’t control the world but we can control what we put in our trolleys.
“Country of origin is becoming the most important thing.”
Ms Sharp reviewed the US Trump administration’s withdrawal from the Trans Pacific Partnership and Britain’s exit from the European Union.
“Global trade used to be sexy, with jobs created,” she said.
“Now we see challenges with rising nationalism and protectionism around the world.”
Ms Sharp said the MLA would like to see the revival of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which is a free trade agreement between 16 nations including Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, China, Japan, South Korea and other Southeast Asian countries.
The MLA was also scoping for free trade deals with the EU.
“These are uncertain times but there are also exciting times ahead to access markets in the future,” she said.
