Page 10 - Australian Pork Newspaper

Queensland pork scene update
Working with industry to deliver sustainability framework
OVER the past few months, Australian Pork Limited extension officer Rowena Davis has turned the focus to working with our producers on activity that supports the industry’s sustainability framework.
The concept of sus- tainability is extremely broad, going beyond ‘green’ to industry vi- ability.
by providing producers with some general infor- mation – including defini- tions of key terms such as ‘carbon footprint’ and ‘lifecycle assessment’.
The extension of the four Ps to our producers this year will be supported by a comprehensive commu- nications campaign from APL to the Australian community.
Sustainability in the pork industry touches on so many areas of our per- sonal and business lives.
Therefore, it is impor- tant to break it down into the four key pillars of focus – planet, pigs, people and prosperity – and look for the ac- tivities or actions that our producers can undertake under each pillar.
This will ensure pro- ducers and stakeholders can understand the con- tent, which is occasion- ally scientific and com- plex in nature.
We are calling it ‘the story of pork’ and it aims to explain the excellent work the Australian pork industry does.
Equally as important is for APL to understand the producers’ requirements for knowledge, resources and contacts to support these activities.
The team will then lead into the array of initiatives that APL can support pro- ducers to undertake, such as the use of a solar cal- culator to determine the benefits of solar installa- tion on farm.
Watch out for more information on sustaina- bility in the APL Update weekly e-newsletters or on our website – australi anpork.com.au
Over the coming months, Rowena will share information on each of the pillars – starting with the planet pillar.
This might fall under the planet pillar, whereas a feed-based initiative that improves pig health may be under the pig pillar.
Otherwise, contact Ro- wena Davis at rowena. davis@australianpork. com.au or any other member of the APL pro- ducer relations team for additional information or support.
Each pillar will kick off
by PAUL BONIGHTON Director Producer Relations
BEST wishes and thank you to all Pork Queens- land Inc members for your ongoing support. COVID-19
researchers from the University of Queens- land.
President’s Perspective
by JOHN COWARD
PQI will maintain en- gagement with the De- partment of Agriculture and Fisheries Queens- land, Safe Food Produc- tion Queensland and Queensland Health to ensure impacts from the ever-changing rules are minimised.
Participating farmers will all receive a $40 gift card, with those in- volved by May 31, 2022 going in the draw for the $500 discount.
PQI was heavily in- volved in gaining emer- gency essential status for our processing and farming entities, which provided the opportunity for negative ‘close con- tacts’ to return to work.
A similar action has occurred in NSW and Victoria, with adverse impacts and increased compliance costs.
PQI is working with QFF providing sup- port to deliver business planning workshops for Queensland pork farmers.
This was most benefi- cial in getting Swickers Kingaroy Bacon Factory employees back to work. DES plans
PQI has now been in- cluded in a review group of stakeholders who will provide input to the pro- posal.
The research project is a collaboration be- tween QFF and the Uni- versity of Queensland, with funding from En- ergy Consumers Aus- tralia, and aims to as- sist farmers in the tariff decision-making pro- cess and support greater inclusion of farmers’ needs in the design of more flexible tariffs.
The workshops will be offered to PQI members to build or update their business plans and in- clude and identify ways to reduce the impacts of drought and disasters.
PQI were recently ad- vised that the Depart- ment of Environment and Science has plans to investigate the establish- ment of an independent environmental protec- tion body to replace the work carried out by de- partmental officers.
This is a serious issue and one that PQI is keeping a close eye on.
The first round of workshops are to be held in Toowoomba in the first quarter of 2022.
This work for the pork industry is currently
Queensland Farmers’ Federation energy tariff audits
done by DAF officers in Toowoomba.
farmers could win one of two $500 discounts off their energy bills for participating in a research study aiming to better understand how they consider and choose electricity tar- iffs for their agricul- tural operations.
Visit qff.org.au/pro jects/electricity-tariffs- agriculture/ for more information.
PQI is engaging with DES to address the interests of pork pro- ducers.
Drought and disaster relief
Australian Pork Lim- ited has been advised of our concerns and has of- fered technical support if required.
The project partners are seeking farmers to undertake a confiden- tial 30-minute phone or Zoom interview with
Members can attend the workshops and build their own busi- ness plans to address a wide range of issues from succession plan- ning, restructuring and business continuity for free.
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Having such plans in place will not only give clarity in business but enhance eligibility to government programs. PQI policy officer
PQI and QFF were successful in obtaining funding for a policy of- ficer at QFF to assist the intensive animal in- dustries – pork, eggs, chicken meat and dairy – address a range of current and developing regulatory demands.
Dr Laurie Dowling was appointed to the role in September 2021 for 12 months.
Dr Dowling has been addressing and sup- porting key issues such as emergency disease response planning for African swine fever and, being based in Brisbane, can attend and represent our in- dustry at any of the de- partment meetings im- pacting our industry.
Having worked as a government veteri- narian for DAF and as the secretariat for the Australian Veterinary Association, she has also had a wide experi- ence in exotic disease exercises and would act as an industry liaison officer if required.
We receive a weekly activity report in- cluding a forecast of is- sues to be addressed.
Page 10 – Australian Pork Newspaper, March 2022
QFF will approach DAF to seek an exten- sion of the funding for a further two years and build a collaborative business plan to ensure that both the depart- ment and industry gain value from the role.
The PQI president has been appointed as chair of the Intensive Livestock Council and provides direction for the role.
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