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Beef Central briefs 5 Sep 2012

Beef Central 05/09/2012

Argentina and US trade WTO complaints over import curbs

Argentina has complained at the World Trade Organization about curbs placed by the United States on imports of Argentine meat.  Argentina claims the restrictions, which were applied on hygiene grounds, lack scientific justification and violate global trade rules. The move follows a complaint made by the US at the WTO over measures Argentina applies to imports, including licensing requirements that it says unfairly limit US exports. Describing Argentina’s complaint as a tit-for-tat move, Reuters news agency said Argentina’s Foreign Ministry  has accused the US of resorting to “illegal protectionist practices” by using sanitary concerns as an excuse for not accepting the food items from Argentina. A US spokesperson said the country was concerned with “a disturbing trend” in which countries engaged in actions that are inconsistent with their WTO obligations, retaliate with counter complaints rather than fix the underlying problem.

 

Cubbie decision prompts renewed calls for land register

With confirmation that a Chinese consortium has been approved to purchase Australia’s iconic cotton property, Cubbie Station, the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has renewed calls for a national land register to monitor all foreign purchases of Australian agricultural land and water. NFF President Jock Laurie said such a register would make it compulsory for all foreign persons or organisations that acquire or transfer an interest in agricultural land or water – including the consortium of purchasers of Cubbie Station – to report the sale. “Importantly, what this decision demonstrates is the vital need for a national land register to gain clarity on who owns what when it comes to Australian agriculture,” Mr Laurie said. “At the heart of the issue is the concern about foreign-owned entities purchasing Australian agricultural land for the purposes of securing their own future food and fibre availability. This is why when a foreign entity buys a station like Cubbie, which is one of Australia’s largest fibre producers, questions around ownership and motivations must be asked.” He said there were also questions around ensuring any foreign purchasers were subject to the same tax and market access conditions as Australian farmers, to ensure an equal playing field.

 

Kiwi beef cuts carbon footprint

A study by Beef + Lamb New Zealand has found that the country’s beef industry has been able to reduce its carbon footprint by producing more meat from fewer animals which are eating less pasture. Compared with 1990, New Zealand sheep and beef farms now produce slightly more meat by weight, but from fewer animals. According to a report by Radio NZ, Beef + Lamb NZ researchers have calculated that the productivity improvement has reduced the carbon footprint of New Zealand beef and lamb by about 17pc over the past 22 years. Beef + Lamb New Zealand said the study had created a benchmark for understanding where greenhouse gas emissions are occurring across the supply chain, from production, to processing, transportation and consumption.

New England wild dog alert

NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) researchers have alerted local landholders to the evidence of unprecedented wild dog activity in the New England area. DPI Vertebrate Pest Research Unit researcher, Guy Ballard, recently tracked a wild dog from Pinkett to the Baldersleigh area using satellite technology. "We alerted local landholders, and now we are working with the landholders and New England Livestock Pest and Health Authority (LHPA) to intensify a group baiting program targeting wild dogs," Dr Ballard said. "A GPS tracking collar allowed us to identify one wild dog in the Baldersleigh area, its presence there may have otherwise gone undetected for much longer. That dog, collared as part of an Australian Wool Innovation aerial baiting study, travelled more than 75 kilometres over a period of five weeks. Records show a dog in Queensland travelled 560 kilometres in 31 days and another dog was found to have ranged over a 250-kilometre area, between Victoria and Yass. While these records may be the extremes of wild dog movements, the scientific evidence shows what wild dogs are capable of and why New England landholders need to be on their guard.” The DPI has called on landholders to be on the lookout for signs of wild dogs and ensure they put in safeguards to protect livestock from wild dog attack.

 

QFF welcomes reprieve for colleges

The Queensland Farmers’ Federation has welcomed the news that the Emerald and Longreach campuses of the Australian Agricultural College Corporation (AACC) will remain open for students this year and next year, despite major economic and management challenges that have confronted the AACC. QFF CEO Dan Galligan said main objective had to be about ensuring the best outcomes for agricultural training. He added that there was still a big job ahead in ensuring the colleges were managed properly, were financially viable, and delivered training that is responsive to industry needs. “The AACC has substantial financial and physical assets that are underutilised and apparently inefficiently managed within the AACC, according to the Ernst and Young review. These resources must be used more efficiently and effectively with less bureaucratic oversight and more local control, but on more economic terms.”
 

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