A public forum in Dubbo today heard that wheat growers overwhelmingly want to return to a grower-owned and grower-controlled marketing system. Senator Fiona Nash, Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Senate and Nationals Senator for NSW, who attended the forum to support the growers said it was apparent that the growers want to return to an orderly system for the marketing of wheat. “The Productivity Commission held this forum as part of its assessment of the new marketing arrangements introduced after the axing of the single desk,” Senator Nash said. “The issue of an appropriate wheat marketing system for growers is a matter of national food security. If wheat growers’ future is not sustainable they will simply exit the industry. If the current system is not delivering a fair price for wheat growers then the system should be changed. “What we have seen with the deregulation of the wheat marketing system last year is an appalling change of circumstances for our farmers. If ever there was a stupid decision by a government, this was it because it has done absolutely nothing but make circumstances worse for the majority of our farmers. As I said in a recent Senate speech on this important issue, when we had a single desk, the United States continually demanded Australia get rid of it because they believed it gave us an unfair advantage. “I know we cannot go back to exactly the same old single desk system, but there is no doubt in my mind that we should be going back to an orderly system of marketing wheat, and that is what the majority of growers also believe as they have said today. “The difficulties that are being placed on growers mean they are not able to manage risk. We often have situations now where the debt-to-equity rate is changing for farmers—it is getting much worse—and they simply do not have the opportunity to take advantage of the market tools that are available. “It was raised today by growers that the deregulation legislation has torn up more than $1 billion in value to wheat growers in 16 months. The national pool used to manage the risks. This has now become open slather with no structure, and it is to the detriment of farmers. “I hope that the Productivity Commission’s current round of forums and public hearings brings these problems to light in a way that the Labor Government sits up and takes notice,” Senator Nash said.
A public forum in Dubbo today heard that wheat growers overwhelmingly want to return to a grower-owned and grower-controlled marketing system.
Senator Fiona Nash, Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Senate and Nationals Senator for NSW, who attended the forum to support the growers said it was apparent that the growers want to return to an orderly system for the marketing of wheat.
“The Productivity Commission held this forum as part of its assessment of the new marketing arrangements introduced after the axing of the single desk,” Senator Nash said.
“The issue of an appropriate wheat marketing system for growers is a matter of national food security. If wheat growers’ future is not sustainable they will simply exit the industry. If the current system is not delivering a fair price for wheat growers then the system should be changed.
“What we have seen with the deregulation of the wheat marketing system last year is an appalling change of circumstances for our farmers. If ever there was a stupid decision by a government, this was it because it has done absolutely nothing but make circumstances worse for the majority of our farmers. As I said in a recent Senate speech on this important issue, when we had a single desk, the United States continually demanded Australia get rid of it because they believed it gave us an unfair advantage.
“I know we cannot go back to exactly the same old single desk system, but there is no doubt in my mind that we should be going back to an orderly system of marketing wheat, and that is what the majority of growers also believe as they have said today.
“The difficulties that are being placed on growers mean they are not able to manage risk. We often have situations now where the debt-to-equity rate is changing for farmers—it is getting much worse—and they simply do not have the opportunity to take advantage of the market tools that are available.
“It was raised today by growers that the deregulation legislation has torn up more than $1 billion in value to wheat growers in 16 months. The national pool used to manage the risks. This has now become open slather with no structure, and it is to the detriment of farmers.
“I hope that the Productivity Commission’s current round of forums and public hearings brings these problems to light in a way that the Labor Government sits up and takes notice,” Senator Nash said.
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