September 2018

As the WAFarmers Dairy Council President, I commend the Federal Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud for his in principle support of a 10c/litre milk levy to help dairy farmers manage the effects of the drought. While we recognise the various responses from retailers and processes in the eastern states, we need Western Australia to be included in a national response. WAFarmers is in full support of the concept developed by the Queensland Dairy Farmers Organisation

WAFarmers President Tony York and Livestock Council President David Slade have welcomed the tabling of a WAFarmers initiated petition seeking an economic and social investigation into the importance of Australia’s live sheep trade. O’Connor Member Rick Wilson tabled the petition this week in Federal Parliament which included approximately signatures collected across Western Australia. WAFarmers Livestock President David Slade said the organisation hopes the petition outlines the support from the Western Australian community. “The purpose of

WAFarmers supports WoolProducers Australia’s (WPA) recommendation to encourage wool growers to choose the 1.5 percent levy voting option as their first preference in the 2018 WoolPoll. WAFarmers Livestock Council Vice President Steve McGuire said that the 1.5 percent levy rate option will provide sufficient funds for AWI to operate.    “AWI’s spending has increased from $70 million in 2015-16, $88 million in 2016-17 to a budgeted $110 million for the current financial year,” Mr McGuire

WAFarmers welcomes the confirmation that negotiations for the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) have been successful, with the Australian and Indonesia Government signing off on the partnership. WAFarmers President Tony York said the agreement will create greater trade opportunities with increased market access. “Australia will be able to export more livestock, beef and sheep meat, grain, honey and horticulture produce to Indonesia – Australian farmers will have tariffs reduced providing more confidence within the