BUILDING a foundation for the future in agriculture is the basis of the federal government’s agricultural white paper according to Quindalup beef farmer Chip Yelverton.
The white paper was released in early July and outlines the government’s plan to keep the agricultural sector competitive and sustainable.
The paper states how the government is working on streamlining 457 visas to improve the cost of labour, creating a ACCC agricultural commissioner, improving biosecurity as well as doubling the Farm Management Deposits.
Mr Yelverton said the paper was a good thing because it sets something in place for future governments to go off to hopefully make agriculture more predictable.
“The benefit of the paper is that it becomes a platform for government of day to work and takes the bias out of it,” he said.
However, he was unsure how the paper would be implemented into reality.
“Would like to see the white paper stop peaks and troughs in the industry,” he said.
Mr Yelverton likes the fact the cattle price is high at the moment, however he cannot sell his produce until January and the unpredictability of the price reduces confidence in the market which means he is going into the unknown.
“If there was a structure to know what you are getting over a five year period there would be more confidence,” he said.
Agricultural minister Barnarby Joyce was in the South West last week and said the paper was about achieving a better price at the farmgate.
Mr Yelverton said the agricultural industry was diverse but also individual as every farmer needed a different farm gate price.
“Every farmer has a different price which works for them, some people need enough to pay off their debt, their staff and they might need money for travelling costs,” he said.
“No body can put a floor price on it because of changes to supply and demand.”
Mr Yelverton said education was important to ensure more people come into the industry to keep it going.
But he could not see the white paper addressing this issue and would like to see either the federal or state government invest more in agricultural education.
Minister Joyce said the key to people choosing a career in agriculture was showing the range of jobs in the sector.
“Trying to create a vision at tertiary level so people can see the post graduate career can be achieved in regional areas and having the education in regional areas allows young people to see the line of vision,” he said.
