I’ve laughed every time I’ve considered starting this discussion. Drought. There’s a simple answer, make it rain. For those who don’t know, I’m a small time beef cattle farmer
Buy a Bale.
Don’t.
It’s inflating prices and transport. It’s bad enough, don’t make it worse.
This is the … umm, 4th (fourth) drought my family has experienced on this land, The most recent being the “Millennium Drought”. That sucked. There is only one thing that will relieve this drought. Rain.
Farmers are calling for policy to be made not during drought as a knee-jerk reaction, but as an evidence based consideration.
BTW. all my stuff is old-school. No electronics. Suffer.
I spoke to a friend on the weekend and mocked a “donations for farmers” tin at the local pub saying, …if they can’t do it, then they’re best out of the game.
Yep, drought is a tough game. But, it will rain again.
Here’s the trick. Rain (or watering) at the right time. Regularly. I don’t irrigate. So, what falls from the sky is … my limit. I’ve noticed the change in climate over the decades and, it’s getting hotter. The deciduous orchard fruit trees shed later and fruit earlier and, the rain forecast is drier.
Don’t believe me? Watch the cost of your McNuggets …
They’re bamboozled by the bureaucratic maze they must negotiate to sign up for the Farm Household Allowance and to qualify for things like freight subsidies and the lump sum payment of $12,000 promised by the government.
The freight subsidy paperwork is 12 pages long.
that’s my hay paddock behind the spring… which is dry for the first time in 15 years.
I don’t have anything like an informed opinion on this issue but I would think some welfare relief was reasonable. It should serve notice to the federal government however, that the cost of climate change is going to be huge.
What’s your view Twisty? What should farmers and government do both in the short and long term?
Trees make rain. Plant trees. Lots of trees. So, more money to groups like Landcare and the Green Army (now closed, sadly), or this mob.
A quick google tells me between 3.5 and 7 Billion trees are cut down each year in Australia so, about 200 trees need to be planted by every Australian every year to replenish this clearing. Drones need to plant at about 5 times their current rate, just to keep up.
Also, add a couple of zeroes to fine amounts for illegal land clearing.
I’m no good at policy but I suspect something like “Expand environmental regeneration funding to ensure at least double the annual tree cut is replanted”. I’d ask @AndrewDowning
20 Million Trees Program
The Australian Government is working with the community to plant 20 million trees by 2020, to re-establish green corridors and urban forests. The Program involved competitive grants, delivered by individuals and organisations, and larger-scale plantings, delivered by service providers.
…
Grant funding of $4 million was approved for 52 projects. Round Three will deliver 1,220,851 million native trees towards the 20 million trees target.
lol … my bold. Maybe add a few zeroes? I mean … what’s a new sub or fighter worth?
About $4 Billion each shiny new. Or, about 1 Billion trees through the “20 Million Trees” program above. What a fucking joke.
@Jesse_Hermans isn’t PDO this year, in fact we don’t currently have a PDO. However, you don’t need to feed policy proposals through the PDC. Its optional, but recommended for complex policy.
Speaking of which, any volunteers for Policy Development Officer?
Andrew. I have been in touch with John A. to nominate / volunteer as an Assistant Sec position. I have a lifetime experience as Secretary Treasurer & am currently the S/T for a Naval Club with a $2m p.a. turnover.
However, my passion is in the policy area. I have done much policy work over the years. My special interest is in the area of Robotics & AI - as to it’s impact on jobs and society more general.
I would be happy to help or assist - but do not know if the A/S role may preclude me. I am retired so I have the time capacity to be of assistance in this area.