Time to talk: Farmers plan Kulin town hall-style meeting on August 15 with focus on grain supply and FMD

Farmers are being urged to attend an informative town hall-style meeting aimed to be informative but also with the potential to cause fireworks over topics including WA’s grain supply chain and the risk of foot-and-mouth and lumpy skin disease. The August 15 meeting at Kulin’s Freebairn Recreation Centre comes two years after a similar meeting at the venue about water security and grain on rail attracted nearly 250 farmers. That 2020 meeting — and the one planned for next week — were both organised by the WA Farmers Corrigin/Lake Grace, Merredin and Avon zones, with the support of Wheatbelt Railway Retention Alliance. Next week’s gathering comes as farmers flag concerns about the amount of grain still sitting in CBH’s receival sites after last year’s record 24mt harvest and the risk of FMD spreading to Australia. Local farmer Noel Bairstow — who runs Angus Cattle at his Arizona Farms property 40km east of Lake Grace — said it was time for industry to talk. “The main reason for the meeting is to give farmers in the Wheatbelt and Great Southern the chance to come together,” he said. “There are a lot of stock in these areas and we want to make sure farmers are up to speed and working on their contingency plans. “We also want to give people the chance to come together and discuss this important issue of grain and the grain supply chain.” Mr Bairstow said growers were concerned about the amount of grain from the 2021-22 harvest still sitting in CBH bins as WA’s grain supply chain struggles to get grain to port to meet shipping commitments. “In the northern areas of the Albany Port Zone, there is a lot of grain still in bins and we want to find out what CBH’s plan is,” he said. “CBH has been receptive and has agreed to come along.” Speakers focused on biosecurity — including FMD and lumpy skin disease — include Sheep Producers Australia board member Curtin University senior lecturer Liz Jackson, Australian Wool Innovation industry relations officer Tori Kirk and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development chief veterinary officer Michelle Rodan. CBH representatives flagged to discuss the grain supply chain and plans for the upcoming harvest could include CBH chair Simon Stead, CBH chief operating officer Mick Daw and CBH planning, strategy and development manager Nelson Aylmore. CBH Group’s annual report shows the grain handler and marketer was left with a $17 million demurrage bill last year after struggles getting grain to port last year. WA grain farmers are concerned similar costs may be incurred after the 2022-23 harvest. The Grain Industry Association of WA is forecasting a 19Mt harvest this year, with CBH expecting about 4Mt of grain to be left sitting in its extensive network of bins by the time the upcoming harvest rolls around in October. Some farmers believe that figure could be closer to 6Mt. Adding fuel to the fire are concerns about price disparity between what some Eastern States farmers and those in other countries are being paid for their grain compared to WA. National grain advocacy group Grain Producers Australia has called for an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission inquiry into the grains supply chain, a suggestion Grain Trade Australia rubbished in an opinion piece published in Countryman last week. At the 2020 meeting, two motions were carried unanimously — for the State and Federal governments to fund an upgrade and re-open the State’s un-used Tier 3 rail lines, and for CBH directors to call on the State Government to do so. However, WA’s Tier 3 lines remain shut. The 500km of lines were built in the built in the early 1900s and privatised in the 2000s, but closed by 2014. The meeting will kick off at 1pm and finish about 5pm at the Freebairn Recreation Centre in Kulin.