FEDERAL Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig made his first trip to WA this week to witness the current state of play with the West's tough, dry season.
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Many growers on the east coast of Australia are enjoying a wet year that promises to be one of the best in years; particularly for grain producers eager to boost profits on the back of a buoyant market with grain prices hovering around two year highs.
In contrast, WA is facing one of its worst seasons in 20 years with little grain likely to be harvested or sold.
Since mid-September, WA bulk grain handler CBH has been cutting its seasonal forecast by 500,000 tonnes each week due to the hot dry conditions.
Its harvest estimate fell below 6 million tonnes on Monday.
WA has produced one 6mt crop in the past 10 years; this season's crop is likely to be the lowest on record for WA since CBH took 5.2mt in 2002-03.
In one of his first duties since taking over the agricultural portfolio from Labor colleague Tony Burke, Mr Ludwig met with Wheatbelt farmers and other industry groups, to investigate details around a situation many analysts are describing as a potential crisis.
Mr Ludwig was assisted on his Wheatbelt tour by WA's Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman and WA Senator Glenn Sterle.
Mr Redman has been under fire recently from WAFarmers over his reluctance to support their repeated requests for government backing to fund the premium to introduce a Multi-Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) scheme.
Many farmers believe the scheme will help them improve financial risk management in tough seasons like this one.
Like Mr Burke before him, the new Federal Minister also looks to be forging a strong association with Mr Redman.
Their program included meeting farmers participating in the pilot of drought reform measures.
The pilot is a collaboration of the WA and Federal Governments and is testing a range of suitable drought management measures.
Mr Ludwig said it was great to be in WA speaking with farmers participating in the drought reform pilot.
He said the pilot continued to gain interest, as people realised its potential to improve the system for farmers.
"I understand that there are many parts of WA experiencing below average rainfall and today I've seen first-hand how this affects entire communities," he said on Tuesday.
"I'm particularly concerned about the lack of rainfall in the agricultural and pastoral regions and the impact of dry conditions on farming families and their businesses."
In Mukinbudin, the Minister participated in a forum with a group of producers participating in the drought pilot.
He visited a farm in the Lake Grace area and took part in a drought pilot workshop in Wagin later in the day.
The pilot is trialling new measures emanating from the national drought policy review.
Mr Ludwig said the measures were designed to move farmers from a crisis management approach to risk management and provide more effective and equitable social support for farming families and rural communities.
"Providing support for our farmers in crisis remains a priority for the Gillard Government, and we're also investing in measures that will help our farmers put plans in place before a crisis hits," he said.
The pilot will operate in parts of WA until June 30 next year.
The government's Exceptional Circumstances arrangements continue to apply in all other parts of Australia.
The pilot will be reviewed in 2011 to inform further government consideration of national drought policy reform.
Mr Ludwig also met with WAFarmers president Mike Norton during his trip to WA.
Mr Norton said the meeting was positive with the drought pilot program one of the main items of discussion.
He said Mr Ludwig wanted to see a clear set of criteria put forward, on how to review the pilot program.
Mr Norton said the meeting went over several other issues of importance.
