{"id":238581,"date":"2019-06-28T19:20:58","date_gmt":"2019-06-28T09:20:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=238581"},"modified":"2019-07-01T15:55:29","modified_gmt":"2019-07-01T05:55:29","slug":"agforce-cautiously-optimistic-about-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2019\/06\/28\/agforce-cautiously-optimistic-about-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"AgForce ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ About Policy"},"content":{"rendered":"
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AgForce CEO Mike Guerin (Photo: AgForce)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

June 28, 2019<\/b><\/p>\n

While the State Opposition has been angered by the release of the State Government’s new drought policy, AgForce is\u00a0\u201ccautiously optimistic\u201d.<\/p>\n

A recommendation to stop fodder, water and livestock freight subsidies in future droughts was labelled a “cruel blow” by the LNP (see separate report<\/a><\/strong>).<\/p>\n

However, AgForce CEO Michael Guerin\u00a0said that overall, the better drought management policy announced on Friday was in line with AgForce\u2019s “business cycle” approach.<\/p>\n

“(This) focuses on assisting producers to prepare for drought, as well as surviving it,\u201d Mr Guerin said.<\/p>\n

He said drought was a natural and inevitable feature of farming in Queensland, so it was critical the government took a strategic approach to supporting producers in order to maintain a strong, sustainable agriculture industry.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, I believe producers will be anxious about the proposal to abolish freight subsidies for fodder and water,” Mr Guerin said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we are reassured that they will remain in place for the duration of the current drought \u2013 including any further declarations made before June 2020 \u2013 we need to ensure effective assistance for producers with the additional costs of drought.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will use the intervening period to engage with AgForce members and the wider industry to determine what this should look like, and seek to ensure this solution is incorporated into the final program.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis should not be about cost-cutting but about getting better outcomes from a similar or greater investment.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile the need to ensure animal welfare and sustainably manage the natural resource quite rightly underpins drought support, there is also an urgent need for grain growers to have more support.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe welcome the introduction of more science into drought declarations, but insist that \u2018local knowledge\u2019 must continue to be a feature of these assessments.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

While details are yet to be worked out, AgForce acknowledged the inclusion of:<\/p>\n