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Beef Central briefs 6 Aug 2013

Beef Central, 06/08/2013

Southern Cattle Council forums next week

Cattle Council of Australia (CCA) will be rolling out two beef cattle producer forums next week with one in Bendigo, on 13 August and the other in Naracoorte, on 15 August. The Victoria forum will be held at the All Seasons Hotel in Bendigo on Tuesday, 13 August, from 1pm – 5pm commencing with lunch and registration from 12pm. Following the forum, the VFF Livestock Group will be hosting drinks and canapés from 5pm. Meanwhile, the South Australian Forum will be held at the Naracoorte Hotel Motel on Thursday, 15 August from 11am – 4pm, with registration and morning tea from 10am. The Naracoorte forum will also include an update on the newly formed Livestock SA. “The forums will provide an overview of the cattle industry structure including the Cattle Council restructure process, the new Pasturefed Cattle Assurance System, updates from Meat & Livestock Australia on southern research, development and extension and market access, as well as an open panel Q&A session at the end of the day,” CCA president Andrew Ogilvie said. “Ideas and feedback collated at the forum will be used by Cattle Council to complement future industry planning processes.” The free one day forums are open to all beef cattle producers.

 

Farm Finance available in Qld from Aug 16

From Friday, August 16, Queensland producers can apply for Farm Finance Concessional Loans of up to $650,000 to help restructure debt. Now being delivered by QRAA, the package will provide $60 million over two years to support Queensland farmers struggling with debt. Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister John McVeigh said $20 million was being made available in the first of two application periods in 2013-14 financial year. “The first period will open on August 16 and close on October 31, 2013,” Mr McVeigh said. “Eligible producers will be able to apply for loans up to $650,000 with a variable interestrate starting at 4.5 per cent.“ These loans will be interest-only for up to five years and will give producers time to get their finances in order and back on their feet. “We estimate the $60 million package will be able to help between 100 and 150 viable producers with temporary debt financing difficulties. Producers should note that applications will be assessed in the order of receipt and must be fully complete before they enter the queue.” Producers can apply for the loans through QRAA by calling 1800 623 946 or visiting their website www.qraa.qld.gov.au. More details about the Farm Finance Concessional Loans Scheme are currently available on the QRAA website. Details of the second application period for 2013-14 will be published on the QRAA website ahead of time.

 

Workshop refines national animal welfare roadmap

Participants at the 7th Australian Animal Welfare Strategy (AAWS) National Workshop held on the Gold Coast recently charted a roadmap for ongoing improvements in animal welfare. The AAWS is described as the most extensive collaboration of animal-related organisations in the country. More than 125 delegates  from around Australia attended the workshop, representing animal production, pets and companion animal organisations, animal welfare advocacy groups, research organisations, sport and entertainment groups, the education sector, veterinarians, and Commonwealth, State and local governments. Agriculture minister Joel Fitzgibbon used the meeting to announce the creation of a new position of Independent Inspector-General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports to review and audit Australia’s live animal export supply chain to strengthen Australia’s live animal welfare assurance system. The independent, statutory office holder will report directly to the minister. “Australia has the strongest animal welfare assurance system in the world and we are the only country that requires specific animal welfare conditions are met for exported livestock,” Mr Fitzgibbon said. The AAWS’s  international influence and Australia’s role as a global leader in animal welfare was also highlighted by the keynote speaker, Dr Abdul Rahman, chair of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Permanent Animal Welfare Working Group and President of the Commonwealth Veterinary Association. In mapping the future direction of the AAWS, participants considered four pieces of strategic work: the development of a State of the Nation report into animal welfare standards; monitoring and evaluation of animal welfare activities; how to enhance collaboration between animal welfare stakeholders; and measuring the impact of AAWS communication activities on stakeholder and community attitudes.

 

US pasture land averages $1200/ac

The United States farm real estate value, a measurement of the value of all land and buildings on farms, averaged $2900 per acre for 2013, up 9.4 pc from revised 2012 values, according to the   United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service. Regional changes in the average value of farm real estate ranged from a 23.1 percent increase in the Northern Plains region to no change in the Southeast region. The highest farm real estate values were in the Cornbelt region at $6400 per acre. The Mountain region had the lowest farm real estate value at $1020 per acre.The United States cropland value increased by $460 per acre (13.0 percent) to $4000 per acre. In the Northern Plains and Corn Belt regions, the average cropland value increased 25.0 and 16.1 percent, respectively, from the previous year. However, in the Southeast region, cropland values decreased by 2.8 percent. The United States pasture value increased to $1200 per acre, or 4.3 percent above 2012. The Southeast region had the largest percentage decrease in pasture value, 1.5 percent below 2012. The Northern Plains had the highest increase at 18.4 percent. The latest ABARES National Farm Survey current to 2012-13 places average broadacre land values in Australia at around $500 per hectare or $196 per acre.

 
 

MLA News: EYCI closes on Monday at 325c

Cattle supply at Toowoomba was higher week-on-week, with young cattle in the largest numbers, and a large consignment of bulls offered. Heavy weight C2 yearling steers to feed were 8¢ cheaper, averaging 161c while light C2 yearling heifers increased 12c to feed, selling between 148c and 160c/kg. The heavy C3 bulls sold to processor orders 1c cheaper, ranging from 134c to 143c/kg. Consignments at Tamworth increased marginally, up 10c from last week, with young cattle in good supply and larger numbers of grown steers present. Light C2 yearling steers returning to the paddock eased 11¢ on 179¢, while the equivalent heifer portion increased 3¢, to average 155¢/kg. Heavy C3 grown steers to slaughter were 7c cheaper on 176c, and medium D3 beef cows were back 2c, to average 122c/kg. Throughput at Wagga was slightly lower this week, down 7c, with strong feeder and restocker competition on all well-bred secondary cattle lines. Heavy C2 yearling steers to feed remained unchanged on 191c, while heavy C3 yearling heifers to slaughter eased 1c on 182c/kg. Heavy C3 grown steers sold 4c cheaper to processor orders, averaging 187c, and heavy D3 beef cows improved 7c, to average 147c/kg. At the close of Monday’s markets the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) lost 0.75c, to average 325c/kg cwt. Trade steers were 2c dearer on 193c, and medium steers improved 1c, to average 174c/kg. Feeder steers were steady on 187c, while heavy steers were back 2c on 181c/kg. Medium cows were 2c lower, to finish on 123c/kg.

 

DAFF mobile office to visit Qld Gulf

Gulf landholders and businesses will have drought support information at their fingertips next week with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) mobile office visiting the region for three days – August 13, 14 and 15. The mobile office will be located at: Burketown, Information Centre – 8am to 12pm Tuesday, August 13; Normanton, L.E.W Henry Park, Off Landsborough Street (behind the crocodile) – 8am to 1pm Wednesday, August 14; Croydon, SES Hall, Brown Street – 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm Wednesday, August 14; Georgetown, St George Street – 9.30 am to 1pm Thursday, August 15. Queensland agriculture minister John McVeigh said DAFF officers would be on hand to help with enquiries about the Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate and other subsidies available as part of the Drought Relief Assistance Scheme (DRAS). “With almost half of Queensland now drought declared there is a real need for people in these areas to have face to face conversations with staff who can give advice about what support is available and how to access it.” Mr McVeigh said farmers who weren’t in declared areas but believed their properties were suffering drought should contact DAFF to apply for an Individually Droughted Property (IDP) declaration.

 

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