May 2015 – Global Farmer in Australia

Multi Peril Crop Insurance. Part 2.

I received the following paper from Ben Rees, who is an economist and farmer, or farmer and economist, not sure which comes first these days. A man with many decades of experience in the economics of agriculture, Ben is deeply involved in the debate on the future direction of Australian agriculture.

The last paragraph in Ben’s paper, which questions the legality of MPCI, should cause the promoters of MPCI to at least ponder and then ponder again. Particularly Mr Tehan.

There is interest and support in high places of government for MPCI. Has MPCI been politicised to gain support among the electorate without the proponents explaining the cost? Certainly this graph is a few years old but the trend line is obvious, maybe if it has changed direction you will let me know? By that I mean whether there is sufficient above the line to afford MPCI.

Graph ABARES

You can read how deeply concerned Ben is about agriculture and particularly the drought situation in Queensland and NSW by going to:

Opinion: Why drought aid is a travesty of policy

Roger Crook

Roger,

The Senate Economics Legislative asked me a question on notice at the Inquiry on March 18th. The question was to compile a short note on multi peril crop insurance. It appears that the House Economics Committee led by Dan Tehan from Victorian Western Districts is pushing it. Also the policy panacea White paper will recommend it.

This attached note was subsequently submitted and accepted by the Senate Economics legislative Committee. It should have been incorporated in Hansard. I do not know if you can publish; but, at least you know it is being pushed at high levels.

cheers

Ben

I have checked and it is legal to publish, as it has been published by the Parliament of Australia.(Editor)

Continue reading “Multi Peril Crop Insurance. Part 2.”

Multi Peril Crop Insurance

Bob Hall is a well-known agricultural consultant based in Darkan, Western Australia.

Back in the sixties Bob challenged us all about the way we managed our merino sheep.

There was nothing theoretical about Bob’s challenges. They were based on sound, practical and proven experience gained through working with his clients.

Bob offered solutions stretching from sheep yard and shearing shed design, to management practices designed to improve the efficiency and profitability of growing merino wool, which are still, maybe even more, relevant today.

Bob now manages a broad portfolio of consultancy covering all aspects of farm management in the wheat sheep belt of Western Australia. Here he presents his views on a hot topic of the day, Multi Peril Crop Insurance.

Continue reading “Multi Peril Crop Insurance”

This Little Piggy Went To Market.

The next time you have bacon and eggs, you can be 80 per cent certain that the bacon you are eating has been imported. Your meal will consist of a rasher or two of the forecast 149,000 tonnes of pig meat that will arrive on our shores during 2014-15.

Ten years ago we were importing about 75,000 tonnes a year. With a few stumbles along the way that figure has now doubled to 149,000 tonnes or nearly 2,900 tonnes a week—that’s a lot of pig. Continue reading “This Little Piggy Went To Market.”