Australia 2012 Year of the Farmer

July 7th, 2011

I must be living under a rock because until yesterday I didn’t know that 2012 is the Year of the Farmer.  Sponsored by Elders, the Year of the Farmer board is impressive.  Included are Deb Bain (Wool & sheep meat producer and Farm Day instigator, Vic), Geoff Bell (NSW), Bill Belotti (agronomist, NSW), Philip Bruem […]

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People changing their minds from ‘ban live exports’ to ‘ban cruelty – support Australian beef farmers’

July 5th, 2011

Anyone who still believes that banning Australian live exports is an intelligent idea should read this excellent explanation by Genevieve Hopkins on her ‘Green Foodie’ blog.  As Genevieve explained, early on she signed petitions supporting the banning of live exports.  Then, in response to pointy comments posted on her blog, she decided to do some […]

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Images of animals killing and eating other animals too upsetting for some Australian TV viewers these days

June 28th, 2011

We’ve had a good laugh in recent years at ‘parental guidance required’ disclaimers that precede programmes such as Troy Dann’s outback adventures.  But the best laugh of all was this ‘warning’ statement  preceding the screening of David Attenborough’s ‘Life in Cold Blood’ series  screened on ABC TV earlier this year:  ‘The following programme contains scenes […]

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Another farmer’s comment on conservation – at Mission Beach (NQ)

June 21st, 2011

Here’s a classic comment on farmers and conservation, written by Mission Beach farmer, Maurice Franklin. A must-read for anyone who thinks farmers don’t care for the environment and that the natural environment and farming can’t co-exist.  And the recent residential development around Mission Beach should give everyone cause for serious thought.  Queensland’s wet tropics region is only a tiny […]

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Rural producers from southern regions, making ill-informed judgements regarding Australia’s live export trade

June 16th, 2011

It’s exasperating to find southern producers who have posted online comments supporting the blanket ban on live exports because a) I haven’t come across a single one whose comments demonstrate any understanding of agriculture outside their own specific region and b) they’ve played right into the hands of animal rights extremists – apparently oblivious to the fact that […]

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Farmer-bashing turning into a national sport

June 15th, 2011

Poking around various websites, forums and blogs it has become apparent that there’s a noticeable difference between those making comments in support of banning live exports, and those in favour of fixing the problems and resuming the live export trade as soon as possible. Generally speaking, people making online comments in support of Australia’s live […]

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Australians Supporting Beef Farmers (ASBF) – brand new website now online

June 14th, 2011

The ‘Australians Supporting Beef Farmers’ (ASBF) brand new website is online today.  The aim of the website is to provide objective industry facts and a united voice for Australian cattle farmers, especially those in the north who are directly or indirectly involved in the live export trade, as well as people indirectly involved (from truck drivers and mustering chopper […]

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Amazing Race Australia – who is most likely to win, surfers or ‘farmers’?

June 14th, 2011

I’ve never watched a reality TV series before so don’t know what sort of person usually wins these contests.  Because there’s two people from outback Australia involved in the first series of Amazing Race Australia and I know many of the Warriner family, I had to watch.  And barring unforeseen bad luck or events completely out of their […]

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Why do people raise animals destined to be eaten?

June 11th, 2011

A comment by Kelsey Neilson: Why we send the cattle we grow and love to slaughter? Everything that lives someday dies. Animals, plants, people. What we do as beef producers is care for our cattle whilst they are alive as they are grown for food and yes they will die. You know that your grandparents […]

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The silver lining on the live export ban cloud

June 10th, 2011

Good things do come out of bad, and I’m actually starting to think that while the live export dramas seemed like the straw that would break the camel’s back, it has in fact worked to unite primary producers across northern Australia like no issue ever has before.  Apart from getting rid of cruel behaviour by a handful […]

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