Australian grape and wine industry
Submission 33
Riverina Wine Grapes Marketing Board
For the City of Griffith and the Local Government
Areas of Leeton, Carrathool and Murrumbidgee
182 Yambil Street, Griffith NSW 2680
(PO Box 385, Griffith NSW 2680)\
Telephone: 02 6962 3944
Facsimile: 02 6962 6103
Email: [email protected]
ABN: 72 739 514 203
RIVERINA
WINE GRAPES MARKETING BOARD
SUBMISSION TO THE
Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and
Transport References Committee
Inquiry into the Australian Grape and Wine Industry
May 2015
Brian Simpson
Chief Executive Officer
Wine Grapes Marketing Board
Australian grape and wine industry
Submission 33
Summary
The Riverina Wine Grapes Marketing Board on behalf of its 345 winegrape producers
welcomes this Senate Inquiry and trusts that at a time when action is needed the Senate
Committee investigating the winegrape industry will be able to develop meaningful and
deliverable outcomes that government will support and underpin with appropriate
regulation.
This submission is from a winegrape grower’s perspective from a region that has
consistently received the lowest average winegrape prices across all main varieties of
any region within Australia. Unless change in industry behaviour occurs and a share of
the wealth is made available throughout the entire supply chain problems will continue
for independent winegrape growers.
This submission also refers to the many past inquiries into the industry that have
occurred from which very little has occurred that has been of benefit to the producers
within Australia. A lot of time and effort has gone into these submissions with little gain.
It is important that these previous documents be read and understood by the Senate
committee.
Introduction
The Riverina Wine Grapes Marketing Board (Board) is a NSW Statutory Authority
legislated under the NSW Wine Grapes Marketing Board (Reconstitution) Act 2003 and
Agricultural Industry Services (Wine Grapes Marketing Board) Regulation 2003. The
Board has been in operation since 1933 servicing wine grape producers within the City
of Griffith and local government areas of Leeton, Carrathool and Murrumbidgee.
The Board is funded by an industry service charge that is compulsorily applied on all
wine grape producers that produce greater than 20 tonnes of wine grapes and are
independent of wineries in accordance with the regulations.
The Board was formed in 1933 by a petition of wine grape producers to the NSW
Government to counter the market power of local winemakers in the region. Until July
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Submission 33
2000 the Board had the power to determine the market minimum price to be paid for
varieties of wine grapes. This power (through vesting) was provided by the NSW
Government under the NSW Marketing of Primary Products Act 1983. Post 2000, the
Board’s vesting and price setting powers were removed after an extensive review of
these provisions in accordance with National Competition Policy guidelines.
As a transitional measure the Board retained the ability to set and enforce terms and
conditions of payment annually, subject to certain provisions in the Act. This power has
since ceased to be available to the Board under its regulations.
The Board now operates as an agricultural industry services organisation, applying the
$3.90 per tonne industry service charge on wine grape production to fund constituted
services, as follows:
(a) the development of a code of conduct for contract negotiations between wine
grape growers and wineries,
(b) the development of draft contract provisions with respect to the sale of MIA wine
grapes to wineries, including provisions with respect to:
(i) the prices to be paid by wineries, and
(ii) the terms and conditions of payment to be observed by wineries,
in relation to MIA wine grapes delivered to them by wine grape growers,
(c) the promotion of private contracts for the sale of MIA wine grapes to wineries by
wine grape growers,
(d) the collection and dissemination of market and industry information, including the
production and publication of indicator prices for MIA wine grapes grown in the
Board’s area of operations,
(e) the conduct of research and development into plant health in relation to wine
grapes,
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(f) the provision of education and training in relation to wine grape production and
marketing,
(g) the promotion (in association with organisations representing wineries) of wine
made from MIA wine grapes,
(h) the promotion of regional industry, including regional winemaking, within the
Board’s area of operations,
(i) the representation of the wine grape industry in relation to the matters referred to
in paragraphs (a)–(h).
The Riverina Wine Industry
The Riverina region is the largest named Geographical Indication (GI) within the
Australian wine industry, it is part of the Big Rivers Zone and lies within the widely know
production area of South Eastern Australia. It is home to approximately 345 wine grape
producing families and business. The region is also home to 16 wineries, some of
Australia’s largest family owned wineries are based in the region, including Casella
Family Brands, McWilliam’s Wines, Warburn Estate and DeBortoli Wines.
The region produces approximately 320,000 tonnes of wine grapes annually from 21,000
hectares of planted area, comprising of over 50 different varieties with the main
production coming from commonly known varietals such as Chardonnay, Shiraz,
Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc.
The Board’s area of operations encompasses the City of Griffith and the local
government areas of Leeton, Carrathool and Murrumbidgee. Most of the production
comes from around the cities, towns and villages of Griffith, Leeton and Yenda.
Production is irrigated via irrigation schemes from the Murrumbidgee River with a small
portion irrigated from the Lachlan River and some via ground water licence.
Irrigation availability and infrastructure is managed by a privatised organisation
Murrumbidgee Irrigation (once a NSW State owned corporation) and a Cooperative in
Coleambally.
75% of the total regional production in the region is produced by
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Submission 33
independent wine grape growers, who fund the activities of the Board through the
industry service charge that is deducted from grower payments by wineries acting under
an Agency Agreement with the Board.
Submission to the Inquiry
The Board writes this submission to the Senate Rural & Regional Affairs & Transport
References Committee Inquiry into the wine grape industry for and on behalf of all its
constituted wine grape producers. The Board has also informed wine grape producers
of the inquiry and recommended that they provide their own submissions.
The Board requests that the Senate Committee review all past inquiries into the wine
grape industry federal and state. In 2005 the Senate undertook an Inquiry which yielded
very little for industry in terms of any outcomes that were adopted.
To view the Board’s original submission:
http://www.wgmb.net.au/images/pdf/Submissions/Submission%20to%20Senate%20Inqu
iry%20August%202005.pdf
The Senate Final report dated October 2005:
http://www.wgmb.net.au/images/pdf/Submissions/Final%20Senate%20Report%2013-1005.pdf
In NSW an Upper House Inquiry was conducted in 2010 into the “Wine grape market
and prices”. The Board’s submission to this can be viewed:
http://www.wgmb.net.au/images/pdf/Submissions/WGMB%20Submission%20Sep%202
010.pdf
Final Report from the NSW Upper House Inquiry:
http://www.wgmb.net.au/images/pdf/Submissions/101130%20Final%20report.pdf
The NSW Inquiry yielded a number of recommendations which could have provided
some benefits to industry but these were dismissed by the NSW Government 12 months
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following the handing down of the final report, a copy of the Government’s dismissive
response can be found at:
http://www.wgmb.net.au/images/pdf/Submissions/111213%20Government%20response
_Wine%20inquiry.pdf .
All previous submissions highlight a recurring theme of poor business conduct within
parts of the industry. All inquiries agreed that positive change was required to create a
better operational business environment but no regulatory assistance was ever provided.
Governments are empowered to assist business by providing a suitable operating
environment. The Board trusts that this inquiry will provide benefits to the industry that
are tangible and deliverable.
This submission will now address the Terms of Reference provided for by the Senate
Rural & Regional Affairs & Transport Reference Committee Inquiry.
a) the extent and nature of any market failure in the Australian grape and wine
industry supply chain;
Market failure within the winegrape industry is evident of two fronts:
Information failure: there is insufficient information for producers both of winegrapes
and wine to make valid and informed business decisions about the pricing of winegrapes
and the varieties that are needed to respond to market conditions. A market that is
operating with insufficient information does not function efficiently and carries higher
economic costs to participants than a fully functional market that is open and
transparent.
Approximately 15 years ago the industry used to come together in the main inland
regions and talk about the market conditions for wine and grape production.
It
addressed important data such as the export and domestic sales information and the
draw down on stock levels. Understanding the market in terms of the stock to sales
ratios was invaluable in informing the market of the current demand for key and
emerging varieties to allow for more informed business planning and decisions.
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These meetings provided a valuable outlook on the industry and enabled growers to
respond to market conditions with more certainty than currently exists. However the
application of competition law principles on these meetings has meant that the industry
no longer meets collectively to talk about market demand and winegrape supply issues
openly.
Market Power Issues: In general, growers are concerned that should they dispute
prices, fruit grading or grape quality score that they are given by their winery they may
be negatively impacted upon in terms of the business relation they have with their
winery. Wineries in general can and have exerted their market power in a dictatorial
manner and growers dealing with a perishable product are often forced to accept this
behaviour.
Some of the negative impacts that growers may be faced with for example are: contracts
not being provided to these growers in future vintages; a fruit quality downgrading which
results in a lower financial returns being received by the grower; growers required to
undertake potentially protracted dispute processes that can impact on fruit quality and
yield potential (due to losses caused by the dehydration of grapes at maturity).
The market does not have appropriate systems to deal with disputes unless the
transaction is covered by a contract provided by a signatory to the current voluntary
Australian Wine Industry Code of Conduct many growers are realistically fearful.
Discriminatory behaviour and “black booking” is acknowledged to regularly occur within
the Riverina region, home to many of the top 20 wineries within Australia and some of
the largest family owned wine business within the country.
The industry needs a mandatory code of conduct that provides growers with the
opportunity to dispute prices and have protection from being arbitrarily dropped by a
winery is required within the industry. The code must contain set terms and conditions of
payment. The Riverina has evidenced a massive dilution of these terms over past years
since state regulation expired. The regions’ growers used to receive their payments in
an orderly structured manner that was managed by the Board. Following a number of
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regulatory reviews and disputable interpretations of competition policy, Riverina growers
have had this ability of enforcement removed from the role undertaken by the Board.
Upon the removal of terms and conditions of payment - the accepted industry standard
of three payments, one third in May (following harvest) a second third in June with the
remaining payment in early October - changed to a multitude of payment structures, as
noted in the NSW Upper House Inquiry “Final Report” p53, Chapter 6.33. In the worst
instance some growers are required to wait until the following year to receive full
payment for their winegrapes.
Growers in the absence of any working legislative instrument are not able to dispute late
payments with the winery for fear that their following seasons production will not be
purchased. The industry needs a federal regulatory authority monitoring the wine and
winegrape payment system within Australia to ensure compliance and to eliminate the
problems associated with tardy or nil payment and allow for the calculation of any
applicable interest.
We cannot afford as an industry to continue to receive payments over a number of
seasonal instalments as described. Prompt payment procedures need to be developed
and as mentioned, regulated.
b) the extent to which federal and state legislative and regulatory regimes
inhibit and support the production, processing, supply chain logistics and
marketing of Australian wine.
WET Rebate: The current WET Rebate is impacting on industry profitability throughout
the entire supply chain. The rebate designed to support wineries and regional tourism
and development has become a disruptive force within industry.
Many growers and
small to medium wineries rely heavily on the funds coming from the rebate to provide a
financial return.
However in recent years more and more growers have been
participating in the manufacture and sale of wine and are therefore eligible to receive the
rebate.
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Australian grape and wine industry
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The current market is now open to allow growers looking at getting their winegrapes
processed into wine and selling this either as finished product or as bulk wine. They are
claiming the rebate to supplement their incomes as the market for winegrape has
contracted. The Board has noted a significant increase in the number of growers that
now have a state based producer wholesaler licence to enable them to claim the rebate
from Government.
Having the opportunity to transition into the manufacture and sale of wine is important for
growers in an entrepreneurial sense as it allows development and growth of the industry
and its continued diversity. However, this transition has become increasingly exploited
as it provides the opportunity for up to $500,000 per annum windfall via the rebate.
The effects of the Rebate are now being strongly evidenced within the wholesale
channel for wine. The Board has been advised by numerous rebate claimants selling
wine to the retailers in Australia that the process is corrupted. Retailers are benefiting
from this process by being able to capitalise on the rebate value and reduce the price
that they pay for the wine. By inference the WET Rebate in many transactions is
effectively subsidising low priced wine products being made available to consumers.
Obtaining a united industry position on the WET Rebate is challenging but until change
occurs the wine grape industry is not likely to recover as the rebate is effectively a
subsidy. The Board welcomes moves by the Government to call for a discussion paper
into the WET Rebate.
Code of Conduct: on behalf of the winegrape producers in the Riverina the Board has
been promoting the adoption of the Australian Wine Industry Code of Conduct. The
Board was involved physically and financially in its development and introduction. The
ongoing management of the Code is part funded by the Board in accordance with its
industry services.
Unfortunately the Board has seen little evidence of adoption of the Code within its area
of operations. One winemaker, Pernod Ricard Winemakers signed the code but now
only buys winegrapes from a small number of growers in the region and has signalled
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that they are no longer going to continue their contractual relationships with regional
growers when these expire (following this current season).
The rest of the Riverina regions wineries have declined to sign onto the Code for various
reasons, which is disappointing. The Code needs to be transitioned to a mandatory
instrument managed by the ACCC. This would allow for a higher level of transparency
within the business operating environment of the industry.
The Code would support sound business practices and work to prevent the ongoing poor
behaviour and bullying that anecdotally is said to occur regularly within the industry,
particularly in the Riverina. As noted prior there is a real fear of retribution against
growers that are vocal and/or seek alternative purchasers of their grapes when they are
not happy with the price paid (see NSW Upper House Inquiry “Final Report” pp30-31
Fears of retribution, Chapter 4.16 – 4.23).
c) the profitability of wine grape growers, and the steps industry participants
have taken to enhance profitability
The overwhelming majority of growers are no longer running profitable business
operations. Within the Riverina declining average yields and low grape prices have led
to per hectare returns being drastically diminished. Industry analysis by the Winemakers
Federation of Australia (WFA) indicates that declined vineyard profitability is presently
impacting
on
approximately
80%
of
all
winegrapes
produced
nationally http://www.wfa.org.au/information/vintage-report-/
In an attempt to increase profitability growers have reduced inputs into vineyards such
as fertilisers and in some instances cut back on the applications of fungicides. The
industry has also increasingly adopted mechanisation on farm to increase workplace
efficiency and reduce labour costs.
Many growers have developed their properties irrigation systems to enable better control
of water application and efficiency.
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Many growers have sought off farm income where possible as a means of providing for
their families. Such activity can often mean that they become ineligible for Government
primary industries targeted funding opportunities or grants as their off farm income
invariably exceeds their on farm returns. Perhaps government needs to consider
amending the percentage of off farm income allowed within future criteria for assistance
funding.
Growers are mindful of the quality parameters of wineries and strive to obtain the best
possible return for their fruit by producing winegrapes to suit winery intake requirements
however, successive years of receiving gross returns well below production costs are
now resulting in threats to the quality of wine grapes being produced. This is now being
recognised by wineries.
As a representative body the Board has in the past studied the costs of production within
this region and has determined that current grape prices couple with the constrained
yields are not providing anywhere near sustainable returns to growers. The Board uses
this information to inform growers and the market that the current offer prices are not
covering the studied costs of production. The Board also can offer education to growers
to enable them to study their own on farm costs. An industry developed program called
VineBiz provides a sound and structured process of understanding input costs in
vineyards.
d) the impact and application of the wine equalisation tax rebate on grape and
wine industry supply chains;
The impacts of the WET Rebate are being felt throughout the entire industry in terms of
retail price offers, bulk and unbranded bottled wine prices through to the price that
growers receive from their buyer. One major winery within the Riverina has stated that
the rebate’s impact is continuing to drive down farm gate prices to growers and until the
rebate is removed there will not be a profitable market for winegrapes in this region.
The increased development and evolution of the WET Rebate was first evidence in the
Riverina when the state licencing regulations were amended to allow holders of NSW
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Producer and Wholesalers licences to sell quantities of wine in volumes greater than 45
litres per transaction. It was argued at the time that 45 litres - which amounts to 5 cases
- was an insufficient transaction size and that this was limiting the market opportunities of
NSW producers in comparison to other states regulations.
Once licence holders were able to sell in larger volumes the amendment paved the way
for more than just wineries with legitimate cellar doors to access and claim the available
WET Rebate. The numbers of producers within NSW increased exponentially following
the change and claims of WET similarly increased within this state.
The Board is aware of 44 regional businesses that grow grapes and have these
processed by third parties. In the Riverina there are 20 winery facilities that make wine.
It was brought to the Board’s attention that a number of business models within the
region operating in the WET Rebate claim were actually not from within the industry, did
not have vineyards nor were they linked financially to a winery processor. The fact that
these businesses had received licences was brought to the attention of the NSW
Government and the NSW Small Business Commissioner (NSWSBC).
The NSWSBC arranged for a majority of licence holders in the Riverina to be inspected
by authorised officers of the NSW Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing (NSWOLGR).
They determined that the vast majority of wineries within the region were actually
operating counter to the provisions within the Act and the licence to which they were
granted. For example, a number of wineries do not own vineyard operations and act
only as a processor – which is not catered for in the licence conditions. This issue arose
time and time again with many of the leading wineries in the region whereas growers
that had applied and received the same licence were legitimate operations as they
owned and operated a vineyard. They had “skin in the game” so to speak but they were
not a winery.
A number of accountants, solicitors and members of the general public that were
interviewed by the NSWOLGR were also deemed to be operating counter to the
regulations.
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After some major deliberation, the matter was closed following NSW Government
intervention with due regard that prosecuting wineries that were undertaking business
operations that they had done for numerous years would not be in the best interests of
Government nor the NSW industry. This approach has opened the way for more nonindustry participants capitalise of the rebate.
The WET Rebate is a subsidy that is easily obtained by participants within the industry.
The Board’s position is in moral agreement with Wine Grape Growers Australia that it
needs to be reviewed urgently and parts of it need to be removed. The Board would like
to see immediate change and that further claims of the rebate can only be applied to
cellar door sales up to a maximum per annum of $50,000. This will ensure that it assists
the industry in providing assistance for labour costs within cellar doors which will have a
regional tourism and development function. To allow any amendment of the legislation
that would allow it to be only available to wineries will see clever schemes emerge within
industry that will have WET Rebate recipients leasing storage and or processing space
to obtain access to the rebate.
The industry was very astute in obtaining such a generous financial subsidy from
government but this is now impacting on the industry profitability through the entire
supply chain. Why should the processing sector be provided with such generous
incentives when similar incentives are not provided to the winegrape grower base within
Australia? The decline in farm gate profitability within this country is potentially being fed
back into those claiming the rebate. The unintended consequence of the WET Rebate
regulation is that many of the winegrape producers are now earning less than what it
costs to produce the winegrapes. The others that are claiming a rebate are in part
funding the processing and bottling costs of regional wineries. The system is enabling
wineries to be direct recipients of the rebate while being indirect recipients via their
profitable processing charges.
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e) the extent to which grape and wine industry representation at regional,
state and national level effectively represents growers and winemakers with
respect to equity in the collection and distribution of levies.
The winegrape production industry has for many years struggled to receive adequate
funding for its representative peak industry body. This used to be the Wine Grape
Council of Australia which was primarily made up of representatives and funding from
the Riverina Wine Grapes Marketing Board, Murray Valley Winegrowers Inc and the
South Australian Farmers Federation (SAFF) Winegrape section.
It also had
representatives from the South Australian Riverland on its board of directors although
funding from the South Australian Riverland was paid for via SAFF. Funding then
become available following the setup of the Riverland Winegrape Growers Association
using the SA Industry Fund legislation.
In the Riverina, the Board acts as the grower representative body for all matters relating
to the services that are prescribed in its regulations. The Board is a member of the NSW
Wine Industry Association (NSWWIA) and according to its current constitution the
NSWWIA must hold an executive position on its board for the Chair of the Board.
The Board also is an affiliate member of the peak growers representative body, Wine
Grape Growers Australia (WGGA). As a statutory authority the Board is not inclined to
provide a set amount per tonne to WGGA on behalf of its growers as it understands that
some of these funds may be used for agro-political activities. The Board however
provides funding to WGGA for industry projects that are aligned to the Board’s
agricultural industry services functions as listed in the introduction of this submission.
Growers in the Riverina are well represented at national, state and regional levels with
Board staff and its members sitting on a number of regional committees.
Across the three inland regions, Riverina, Riverland and Murray Valley growers are
required to pay a regional industry service charge per tonne that varies from region to
region. There is no sense of equity to these payments as they are each set and
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collected in a different manner to be applied to the various activities and functions of
each of the organisations.
With regard to the Riverina, in past years the Board has returned to growers excess
funds obtained from its statutory fees. If a surplus to budget requirement occurs the
Board can issue return payments to its grower’s base on an amount per tonne. In 2015
the Board is going to return $2 per tonne to growers by in part drawing on its reserves
and excess to budget requirement due to the unexpected large intake this season.
The industry also pays a $2 dollar per tonne research and development levy that is
deducted from grower payments by wineries and remitted to the Department of
Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Levies Management Unit.
Some within industry
have suggested that any variation or change to this should be accompanied by a review
of the system of payments and whether this should be based more on the value of the
production rather than a per tonne basis. This relates to growers receiving high returns
per tonne paying the same $2 per tonne rate as a grower that is receiving as low as
$100 per tonne (a notable lack of equity).
f) the work being undertaken by the Australian Grape and Wine Authority
pertaining to levy collection information;
The Board cannot comment on this without a point of reference. The Board is not aware
of any work being conducted by the Australian Grape and Wine Authority in relation to
levy collection information.
g) the power and influence of retailers of Australian wine in domestic and
export markets;
The major retailers account for the majority of off-trade sales of wine in Australia. They
have become a very influential and important vehicle for wine businesses to access
consumers and as a result they have a dominating and significant effect on the market.
They are also now involved with the production and processing of their own wines for
sale, i.e. Woolworths ownership of Dorrien Estate and the bottling facilities of
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Cellarmasters. The integration of Woolworths into production and processing has meant
that they now have a complete understanding of the costs of operating a wine
processing facility which can enable them to negotiate the price of wholesale wines with
more intimate knowledge of the costs of business.
It has been stated from a well-informed industry source that these retailers have a
margin on wine sales of approximately 40-45% of the value. If this is even partially
accurate and government are by tax law receiving the WET at 29% of the value it does
not leave much for the wine producer and the grower.
These retail businesses now are looking to sell more and more of their own branded
wine which will impact on sales of known brands as the domestic market for wine is not
growing.
h) the adequacy and effectiveness of market intelligence and pricing signals
in assisting industry and business planning
As a grower representative organisation this response will deal predominately with
supply side issues.
As explained in previous responses there is a void in terms of credible information being
available to industry for planning. We do not know with a high level of accuracy the
volumes of plantings per variety currently producing winegrapes.
Information that
relates to regional plantings can assist the market deal with potential supply imbalances
more promptly and accurately. Growers should be able to be informed of what varieties
are being produced in the region and they can then match that to pricing signals from
their wineries in terms of what varieties they may look to plant.
The industry also lacks credible detail about the available stock position of wineries.
Stocks of wines listed by variety, region, age and volume would form an invaluable role
in informing the supply side of the industry what varietals in what regions are in demand
and those that are not. It would also assist Australia’s marketing efforts as we could
focus more on varieties and styles of wine that are currently stocked in abundance.
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Australian grape and wine industry
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Price signals for winegrapes need to be regulated. Growers produce winegrapes without
any knowledge of the final price that they will receive. Signatories under the industry
Code of Conduct are prescribed a date upon which they must make their pricing
information available for their growers. At the time of disclosure growers have spent
approximately 70% of the production costs of winegrapes.
The timing of price disclosure within the existing code is too late for growers to make
fully informed business decisions. Having sunk a majority of costs into their crop they
are limited in their ability to walk away from the crop without trying to realise some return.
Transactions that are not covered by the code are common in the Riverina and growers
in general are not aware of the price to be paid until they start harvesting their product.
For some, wineries do not even release the price until the grapes are being delivered
and some are informed of the final price a number of weeks following delivery.
For grape business to structure their finances and undertake budgeting it is difficult when
there is a distinct lack of information forthcoming from their buyers about the price that
they will be paying. If growers were better informed they could make valid business
decisions about their future within the industry.
i) the extent to which the Australian grape and wine industry benefits regional
communities both directly and indirectly through employment, tourism and
other means; and
As New South Wales largest winegrape producing region there is a massive flow on
benefit through the community of having the production and processing based regionally.
The wine industry employs hundreds of workers in regional wineries. The production
side of the industry hosts 345 winegrape production businesses that are majorly family
owned operations. These grape producing businesses regularly hire staff to assist in the
running of the business and at times they engage contract workers to assist in the
spraying, pruning and harvest of winegrapes.
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All employees within the industry provide wealth to the community through their
commercial and social activities in the region.
Within the Riverina rural supply stores, winery equipment manufacturing facilities,
employment offices all benefit directly and independently from having the winegrape
industry in the region. Local hotels and restaurants similarly benefit from the regular
influx of tourists that come through the region to sample wines from the many cellar door
facilities available to them.
If measures were made available, and implemented, to improve the viability of
winegrape production it could assist succession planning thereby encouraging young
family members to remain on the farm and make a lasting contribution to the local
economy.
j) any related matters
No comment.
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