October 2015
RICE MATTERS
“
Our industry has always been
full of people who think of
others and their communities
as much, or more, than
themselves and they seem to
be able to do it with good
humour.
”
As everyone is now aware I took
the opportunity to retire as
President at the September
Central Executive meeting.
As I said at our annual conference, the current CE is the
I decided after twenty-odd years at CE, including the last
Les Gordon
youngest and most skilled in my time and I wish them, the
staff, and Jeremy all the best.
Thanks for the opportunities and support.
eight as President, that I needed to redress the balance a
bit and stop putting my wife, my daughters and their
partners, and my grandchildren behind the RGA and my
business.
In this issue...
RGA matters
- Farewell address, from former RGA President
When I first started on my leadership journey I spent a lot of
time travelling with Jack Sheldrick, who a lot of you would
remember. I had known Jack all my life and he was a very
wise man and very free with that wisdom. One thing that he
told me that was absolutely right was that I would meet a lot
of really nice people in this job, and I have.
Our industry has always been full of people who think of
Les Gorgon
- RGA President Jeremy Morton discusses his hopes for
the next generation of rice farmers
- New trade agreement – what does it mean for rice?
- Rice industry Nuffield scholar—meet Drew Braithwaite
Water matters
others and their communities as much, or more, than
- Water allocation and availability update
themselves and they seem to be able to do it with good
- Information update from the MDBA
humour. Add to that a sense of natural justice without
Our Sponsors
cynicism and you have something worth working hard to
protect and we should all do that every day.
- Innovative program gives city teens a taste of the rural
life, Rabobank
While the last twenty years of leading and representing the
- SunRice announces financial support scheme for
RGA hasn’t always been fun I can genuinely say I don’t
Riverina growers
regret it at all.
Yanco Ave Leeton NSW 2705 T. 02 6953 0433 E. [email protected] www.rga.org.au
@ricegrowers
RGA MATTERS
“The older and wiser heads amongst
us need to provide positivity and
encouragement to this next
generation”
My name is Jeremy Morton and
it is my great pleasure to
Introduce myself as RGA
President. I believe I have an
“
Vale George Kayess
Mr S.G. (George) Kayess passed away on 18th September
2015 aged 92 years. Born in Yenda and educated in
optimistic and forward looking
Yenda and Griffith, George moved with his family to
attitude and I'm looking forward
Ingleburn prior to WW2. Following war service in PNG,
to taking up issues of concern
George returned to farm at Wumbulgal, drawing a soldier
on your behalf.
settlement block at North Whitton in 1956. He grew rice
As a Western Murray Valley rice grower, I was pleasantly
on this farm until selling it in 2000. George served many
surprised when attending the rice pre-season meeting in
years as a Central Executive delegate and President of
Wakool. Like many of the preseason meetings it was very
Yanco Branch. He was a grower member of the
well attended, but it wasn't just the numbers that was
Rice Marketing Board and elected Chairman in 1979. The
pleasing, it was the age of those attending, young men and
RGA elected him as an Honorary Councillor in 1984. An
women and even their children.
early adopter of sod-seeding, George championed
In his annual newsletter Wakool Landholders Association
Chair David May quoted Carl Bard "Though no one can go
back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from
“Research”, serving on the IREC (many years as
Chairman) and many local Irrigators’ and Water Users’
Committees. He was predeceased by wife Alice.
now and make a brand new ending". This is what the next
generation will do, they start from now and being neither
enlightened nor burdened by history they will create their
own ending based on our current circumstances.
The older and wiser heads amongst us need to provide
positivity and encouragement to this next generation who
are making our Riverina communities their home because
they see many opportunities for themselves and their
family, they are making this choice despite the challenges
we face and we should respect and welcome their
commitment.
I'd like to conclude by paying tribute to Les Gordon. Les has
worked tirelessly for the rice industry as RGA President. He
should be very proud of his achievements. I thank him for
leaving this organisation in good shape as we seek to
address our water challenges and exploit excellent
marketing opportunities for rice. I wish you all the best Les.
IMAGE: George Kayess
Image curtesy of “An Illustrated History of the Riverina Rice
Industry” Gary Lewis.
Jeremy Morton , President
Yanco Ave Leeton NSW 2705 T. 02 6953 0433 E. [email protected] www.rga.org.au
@ricegrowers
“Local people have played a
key role in working through
what kind of changes might
be feasible”
WATER MATTERS
Some information provided by MDBA
When the Murray–Darling Basin Plan was agreed, basin
governments wanted to find out how to increase the
State agencies are now working on the business cases in
“
the Murrumbidgee, Lower Darling, Gwydir and Goulburn
rivers, where the MDBA is also helping with community
consultation as requested. The MDBA has agreed to
environmental benefits of the available water, which meant
prepare integrated business cases for the three River
altering some of the constraints in the system.
Murray reaches, with NSW leading the consultation in the
So they asked the MDBA to work out the best way to go
Yarrawonga to Wakool Junction reach.
about it and signed off on the constraints management
For more information or if you’ve got questions, get in
strategy in 2013.
touch with the MDBA by emailing
We agreed to kick start the process and, for the past couple
[email protected]
of years, we have been working closely with landholders
* This content is provided by the MDBA. Please
and local councils in seven parts of the basin to identify
provide them and us feedback on their approach.
things that get in the way of more effective watering and in
areas that have been missing out.
This is not about flooding houses or watering people’s land
without consent. There are some areas along the rivers,
particularly creeks and billabongs, where the type of flows
being looked at might occasionally interrupt access and
affect land use. That is why $200 million is available to pay
for things like new bridges or other measures, including
easements, that would resolve unwanted effects.
In mid 2016, basin water ministers will decide which river
constraints to address. At the same time, they’ll decide
which flow levels to consider and how to allocate the $200
million. Decisions will be based on business cases being
putting together over the coming months.
If the constraints work doesn’t go ahead, environmental
water under the Basin Plan would still be able to get
through the system but the better outcomes from water are
less likely to be achieved. It would also mean the
constraints projects couldn’t be considered in the SDL
adjustment process next year, which is where there is an
opportunity to reduce the amount of water that needs to
Water back with Department of
Agriculture
The recent change of Prime Ministers brought a
renegotiated Coalition agreement, which saw
responsibility for water shifted from the Commonwealth
Department of Environment back to the Department of
Agriculture.
While this is a sensible move, we shouldn’t get too excited
about what it means for improved water policy. The Basin
Plan is still legislated and there isn’t much wriggle room a
more sympathetic Minister can use. Also, it seems as
though the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
will remain as part of the Department of Environment.
In any case, he is an independent statutory officer and
can’t be told what to do by government, which means a
more flexible approach to trade needs an amendment to
the Water Act – something we continue to argue for.
move from productive use to environmental use.
EVENTS
Senate Select Committee inquiry hearings into the Basin Plan
Griffith: 27th October & Echuca: 5th November 2015
The next DPI Water
announcement is due on
Tuesday 15th October
WATER MATTERS
1500GL cap on buybacks
RGA meetings
The legislation securing a 1500GL cap on buybacks has
passed the Commonwealth Parliament. This provides some
security for irrigators over the longer term.
“
Over the past month, RGA has met with the MDBA Chair
Neil Andrew and Member for Murray Adrian Piccoli to
discuss water availability and Basin Plan implementation.
However, RGA is making the case that with recovery from
Neil Andrew gave us a good hearing as we pressed the
environmental works and measures projects and on farm
need to halt buybacks as a recovery option and better
efficiency upgrades, no further buybacks should be
engage with local communities on system constraints. We
required .
also stressed that the Commonwealth needs to do more to
Currently around 1160GL has been purchased across the
assist irrigators to adjust to a future with less productive
Basin, and most of any further purchases would come from
water, rather than relying on industry organisations like
the Southern system.
ours to be funding water market information workshops
and similar capacity building exercises.
NSW Murray and Murrumbidgee
valley outlook
We raised concerns with Adrian Piccoli about the
predictability and transparency of the allocation system
currently, which is affecting irrigators’ ability to make
Allocation probabilities for this season will be provided in
rational business planning decisions. He understands our
DPI Water’s assessment on October 15th.
concerns and has agreed to support us in our efforts to
Given the recent dry conditions, those provided on the 15th
work with DPI Water to improve the system.
of September are likely to be revised downwards.
Current allocations
High Security
General security
Murray
97%
6%
Murrumbidgee
95%
27%
Average carryover (valley)
30%
23%
Average carryover ( irrigations)
18%
18%
Source: NSW Department of Primary Industries www.water.nsw.gov.au
BOM outlook
Due to changed conditions in the tropical Indian Ocean and the strong 2015 El Niño, the rainfall outlook for October has
shown a significant shift towards a drier month nation-wide, with the southeast quarter of Australia indicating a less than
20% chance of exceeding median rainfall for the month. This means the region has a greater than 80% chance of a drier
month.
Yanco Ave Leeton NSW 2705 T. 02 6953 0433 E. [email protected] www.rga.org.au
@ricegrowers
“Nuffield is a great opportunity
for personal and industry
development.”
RGA MATTERS
Rice industry Nuffield scholar
We’re pleased to announce that Benerembah rice grower
Drew Braithwaite has been awarded a Nuffield scholarship.
He’s taken the time to answer the below questions about
himself and his study topic.
collective marketing to developed rice brands that are
“
burnt into the sub-conscious minds of consumers, which
has been very successful.
However, as the rice industry competes for water against
other crops, what would rice industry hedging products
look like for future pricing? What resources and risk would
Please tell us a bit about yourself ?
a grower or industry hedging strategy entail? Or is the
I’m a rice farmer at Benerembah. Farming 1100ha in a
current pool system still as relevant now, as it has been in
family business with my parents Ian and Colleen and my
the past, to service the brands and extract a premium for
wife Abby. Enterprise consists of rice, soft wheat, hard
farmers .
wheat, faba beans and seed crops. Abby and I have three
daughters, Macey 4, Harriet 2 and Georgia 8 weeks.
Whats been your industry involvement?
I'm a rice research committee member, secretary and
treasurer of the Benerembah Warrawidgee Water Users
Association and Griffith Rabo Bank community council
member.
What attracted you to Nuffield?
Nuffield is a great opportunity for personal and industry
development. It enables the opportunity of international
experiences in our industry and other industries to be
brought back to Australia for the benefit rural Australia.
Can you tell us about your Nuffield topic and potential
benefits to industry?
I am studying grower owned brands v's hedging. By default,
farmers produce commodities that are traded on price. How
do you get out of the price war of producing a commodity
where you are a price taker and develop a market were you
are a price maker? You can either use financial instruments to minimise the risk of the price falling or develop
IMAGE: Drew and his family (L to R)
Drew, Harriet, Macey, Georgia and
wife Abby.
brands direct to the consumer.
Yanco Ave Leeton NSW 2705 T. 02 6953 0433 E. [email protected] www.rga.org.au
@ricegrowers
“The gains for rice in this
agreement are modest…
We should and do expect more
of international trade
agreements.”
RGA MATTERS
New trade agreement – what does it
mean for rice?
Earlier this week, twelve Pacific Rim countries agreed to the
Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. It
This was legislation supported by NSW Shooters and
“
Fishers Party. NSW DPI has responded well to address
our concerns.
The changes in place for the coming season will help
secured improved access for a range of agricultural
landholders better protect their rice crops from duck
products, including some modest concessions for rice. The
damage at night and reduce the amount of paperwork
TPP will guarantee access for 6,000 tonnes a year of
involved in giving hunters access to their properties. RGA,
Australian rice into Japan, increasing to 8,400 over time,
SunRice and NSW DPI have also arranged for owner
and Japan will now allocate 60,000 tonnes of its WTO quota
occupier licensing to be automated through the SunRice
towards medium grain rice.
seed order system , further reducing the burden on
A trade agreement involving twelve countries is no easy
growers.
thing to achieve. There are important gains for Australian
NSW DPI has also heard our call on a hunter register,
agriculture in this agreement and the government should
which is now being developed. This will mean growers can
take credit for its role. The gains for rice in this agreement
initiate contact with hunters of their choice, rather than
are modest, only a slight improvement after the Australian
having their name out there for contact by every potential
rice industry was excluded from the Japanese, Korean and
recreational shooter.
Chinese trade agreements. We should and do expect more
of international trade agreements.
This is a good lesson in working constructively with
government agencies, rather than beating them over the
The challenge now is for the Australian government to keep
head for policies not of their choosing. However, one
opening up markets on behalf of Australia's rice growers.
important reform is still needed. The requirement for
Chinese access is our main objective. The market
landholders to sit and pass the Waterfowl Identification
opportunities there are enormous but what’s standing in our
Test to control ducks on their own property is
way is an agreed biosecurity protocol. This barrier can be
unreasonable. We’ll be pursuing this issue further at a
overcome at any time, regardless of trade agreements. It
political level in coming weeks.
needs continuing pressure from our government to ensure
China establishes an importation protocol for Australian
rice.
RGA has been extensively in the media pushing this case
A number of fact sheets providing further details are
available from the DPI website. For more information,
contact the Customer Service Team on (02) 6391 3750 or
[email protected]
and will continue to work with the government on this
important issue.
Changes to duck control red tape
RGA has successfully worked with NSW DPI to undo some
of the red tape mess created when new game bird
legislation was passed after the demise of the NSW Game
Council.
Yanco Ave Leeton NSW 2705 T. 02 6953 0433 E. [email protected] www.rga.org.au
IMAGE: Freckled Duck.
The Freckled Duck is protected in all
states and territories and must not
be shot.”
@ricegrowers
OUR SPONSORS
Innovative Rabobank program gives
city teens a taste of the rural life
Ten city teenagers from Muirfield High School in Sydney’s
west, got a taste of ‘life on the land’, spending a week with
meeting Rabobank Griffith staff. For more information visit
“
www.farmexperienceprogram.com.au or contact
Rabobank Griffith on 02 6969 7700
five farming families in the Riverina in early September.
The visit was part of Rabobank’s Farm Experience (FX)
Program designed to help bridge the urban/rural divide.
The FX program resulted from a Rabobank-commissioned
national survey that showed for city based teenagers - 75%
claim to know little or nothing about farming. The program
allows these city based teenagers to spend a week on-farm,
living with a farming family and learning about rural life and
food production.
Students Caitlin and Kate were two participants who
jumped at the chance to spend a week on farm, travelling
IMAGE: FX group visiting Deniliquin Sunrice Mill including Katherine
Zahra and Bernie Connolly along with host farming families
Sarah Bruce, Bill Dudley, Greg Doyle & Birgit Schultz.
over 700km to Bill and Simone Dudley’s 3000ha beef and
cropping property between Deniliquin and Tocumwal.
“We couldn’t believe how hands on we would get, from
herding cattle to working the stock and helping with the tail
docking” said Caitlin.
Caitlin said “the experience definitely opened my eyes to
how much advance planning farmers need to do, as what
they do today will have a bearing on next year’s crop.”
Farm host Bill Dudley said his family got involved to
challenge some of the perceptions held in the city.
SunRice announces financial
support scheme for Riverina
growers
To encourage more rice production in the Riverina,
SunRice has announced details of a financial support
scheme, ‘GrowRice’.
GrowRice is a rice crop input funding facility that is now
available, which has been designed to improve cash flow
for growers prior to planting rice crops and throughout the
“We wanted to show the sophistication of modern farming
growing season. It will provide a competitively priced cash
practices, and how we, as young farmers, manage the
advance up to $1,000 per contracted hectare to be repaid
complexities of running a farm business,” he said.
from the first payment after harvest, to assist with the
To give students an insight into the range of
purchase of rice crop inputs, including water.
agri-occupations outside of the farmgate, the program in-
SunRice Chairman, Mr Laurie Arthur said, “Details of the
cluded a tour of Sunrice’s largest milling and packing facility
GrowRice facility have been mailed to growers and I
at Deniliquin, speaking with an agronomist at IK Caldwell, a
encourage them to utilise this initiative to increase rice
visit to Finley based John Deere machinery dealership,
production in the Riverina.”
seeing firsthand an 80 head rotary dairy in full swing, and
Yanco Ave Leeton NSW 2705 T. 02 6953 0433 E. [email protected] www.rga.org.au
@ricegrowers