EU chilled beef prices up

The EU market has reported an increase in chilled beef quotes in recent weeks, mainly triggered by the low available supplies of chilled product from South America, according to the World Beef Report. In addition to Argentina’s low supply situation (which will probably see exports 2000t short of its 28,000t 2010-11 Hilton High Quality Beef quota), shipments from Brazil have also been constrained, while Uruguayan prices have soared during the year.EU importers pushed prices down in May waiting for a large influx of Argentinean product before the end of the quota period. However it is unlikely that Argentinean shipments will increase, with EU traders are now looking to speed up purchases from all sources. Australian Hilton beef exports to the EU during the fiscal year to June 16 reached only 6513t out of the total 7150t quota, leaving room for further air-freighted shipments in order to fill the total 2010-11 quota.

Roll bars essential for quad bikes

The NSW Farmers Association Industrial Relations committee is calling for the mandatory fitting of roll bars to quad bikes. The committee said in a press release that it supports new recommendations from the Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities (HWSA) designed to improve quad bike safety on the farm, with accidents involving quad bikes already claiming 12 lives this year. The strategy adopted by the HWSA aims to give farmers the option of fitting additional safety devices, such as roll bars, to their quads. However NSW Farmers’ Industrial Relations Committee Chair Graham Morphett said the committee was calling on the HWSA to go one step further and endorse the mandatory fitting of roll bars, with more than half of all fatalities occurring when a rider is crushed beneath their quad. “No quad bike should be sold without a roll over bar,” he said.

AgForce brands export ban bills “simplistic”

Queensland peak farm group AgForce has criticised three bills introduced to Federal Parliament by crossbenchers on Tuesday calling for an end to the live export trade. AgForce CEO Robert Walker said in a press release issued yesterday a ban of live exports would only lead to worse outcomes overall both in Indonesia and Australia. A live export ban could also impact Australia’s high biosecurity and land management standards. “If Indonesia imports cattle from other countries where these diseases (FMD) are still an issue, we put our own reputation of being clean and safe at risk. “Profitable agribusiness owners sustainably manage their land because without it, their livelihoods and the communities they live in would hang in the balance. Losing the live export market will have much further reaching impacts than Mr Wilkie, Mr Bandt or Mr Xenophon has anticipated.”

NFF release agribusiness loan monitor

The National Farmers Federation has released the NFF Agribusiness Loan Monitor which allows agricultural businesses tom compare agribusiness loan rates among major banks and other financial institutions.  “Until now, there has been very little by way of information about agribusiness loans, making it almost impossible to know how one farm loan compares with others in the market – and as a result, making it difficult to have confidence in the products selected for farm businesses,” NFF Economics Committee Chair John McKillop said. “The NFF Agribusiness Loan Monitor is designed to change this by making the market more transparent. We are giving farmers the opportunity to compare all the products on the market so they can make informed decisions about banking products, loan rates, and portability options should they decide to switch banks.” The Monitor will be published each month by the NFF following the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) rate announcement.  The June NFF Agribusiness Loan Monitor is available for download via the NFF website: www.nff.org.au.