Australia Free Trade Deal?

Volatility is great for some, but not all.

Stability/predictability is what causes the real damage - eg "the end of the road for small livestock farms" thread amongst 100 others on here...
..it facilitates very small businesses to continue to operate with slim/negative margins, and helps nobody by pretending to help everybody

the real problem ahead is that most people can see the cliff looming up, and will choose to either brake or accelerate - forgetting that they are actually holding a steering wheel that could alter their course away from that cliff.

Few producing countries are prepared to throw their farmers a decent sand anchor (eg ELMS) which is why, from a Kiwi perspective, I wonder why the gloom and doom?
1. Historically high farmgate prices for good levels of equity
2. Decoupled payments, should you choose to accept it
3. Massive domestic market
4. Reliable island climate
5. Cheap grain

We only have number 4! And Aus has number 5.
Eh🤫 Where does supply management fit in there???1 and 3???🤔
 

lloyd

Member
Location
Herefordshire
Volatility is great for some, but not all.

Stability/predictability is what causes the real damage - eg "the end of the road for small livestock farms" thread amongst 100 others on here...
..it facilitates very small businesses to continue to operate with slim/negative margins, and helps nobody by pretending to help everybody

the real problem ahead is that most people can see the cliff looming up, and will choose to either brake or accelerate - forgetting that they are actually holding a steering wheel that could alter their course away from that cliff.

Few producing countries are prepared to throw their farmers a decent sand anchor (eg ELMS) which is why, from a Kiwi perspective, I wonder why the gloom and doom?
1. Historically high farmgate prices for good levels of equity
2. Decoupled payments, should you choose to accept it
3. Massive domestic market
4. Reliable island climate
5. Cheap grain

We only have number 4! And Aus has number 5.

I agree that change was coming and around here seems
to have accelerated over the last 10 years .
What were once family farms are now mainly agri businesses
who utilise many millions of historically cheap borrowing to race
ahead of each other .
I like number 1 but it hasn't been for very long in reality and is now
under threat.
Number 2 is having a major overhaul with the amount of money being
greatly reduced going forward .About to plant some areas for an enviromental
scheme but not without significant establishment costs and risk of failure.
Number 3 you nearly win outright but dont forget we have to put up with
these people in their droves too.
Number 4 yes we dont suffer tornados or volcanic eruptions but climate
change is happening here too and altering the seasons.
Number 5 not everyone wants cheap grain if your a seller aswell as a user.:)
Number 6 I gave you a like not because I agree on everything but I think
you a thoroughly good egg.
 
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Bald Rick

Moderator
Livestock Farmer
Location
Anglesey
Right boys & girls ... the "useless" NFU has emailed me some info of relevance to the Australian FTA

Currently we take 3761 tonnes of beef under EU tariff & 13,335 tonnes of sheepmeat from Oz.
Under this agreement, we will take tariff free ..

  • full liberalisation of Australian originating goods entering UK, while taking account of UK product sensitivities. This includes but is not limited to:
    • increasing TRQ volumes on beef over 10 years, with access to a duty-free transitional quota of 35,000 tonnes on EIF, rising in equal instalments to 110,000 tonnes in year 10. In the subsequent 5 years (year 11-15 after entry into force) a product specific safeguard will be applied on beef imports exceeding a further volume threshold rising in equal instalments to 170,000 tonnes, levying a safeguard duty of 20% for the rest of the calendar year. Out of quota tariffs will remain at MFN until year 10 and then be eliminated
    • increasing TRQ volumes on sheepmeat over 10 years, with a duty-free transitional quota of 25,000 tonnes on EIF rising in equal instalments to 75,000 tonnes in year 10. In the subsequent 5 years (year 11-15 after entry into force) a product specific safeguard will be applied on sheepmeat imports exceeding a further volume threshold rising in equal instalments to 125,000 tonnes, levying a safeguard duty of 20% for the rest of the calendar year. Out of quota tariffs will remain at MFN until year 10 and then be eliminated
    • tariffs on sugar will be eliminated in equal instalments over 8 years with a duty-free quota of 80,000 tonnes on EIF rising in equal instalments to 220,000 at year 8
  • tariffs on dairy will be eliminated in equal instalments over 5 years. There will be a duty-free transitional quota for cheese of 24,000 tonnes rising in equal instalments to 48,000 tonnes in year 5. There will be a duty-free transitional quota for non-cheese dairy of 20,000 tonnes. There will be a further duty-free transitional quota for butter of 5,500 tonnes rising to 11,500 tonnes in year five
(source: Item 1.2 Goods Market Access, Agreement in Principle)
 

cows sh#t me to tears

Member
Livestock Farmer
And just like NZ. It does not mean we will go anywhere to filling it. What seems to be extremely failed to be comprehended by THE MAJORITY on here is it HAS TO BE PROFITABLE. If more money can be gained from a competitive market, why would you send it to the UK just because you can? Your ALL get carried away over sweet FA.
 
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lloyd

Member
Location
Herefordshire
And just like NZ. It does not mean we will go anywhere to filling it. What seems to be extremely failed to be comprehended by THE MAJORITY on here is it HAS TO BE PROFITABLE. If more oney can be gained from a competitive market, why would you send it to the UK just because you can? Your ALL get carried away over sweet FA.

Agree you will only send it over here if China tells you to
f**k off now that's not going to happen is it? :unsure: :oops::eek:
 

cows sh#t me to tears

Member
Livestock Farmer
Agree you will only send it over here if China tells you to
f**k off now that's not going to happen is it? :unsure: :oops::eek:
Who knows? But as said. We have many agreements and markets, including domestic. For arguements sake I bought a 2 pack of Scitch fillet (a type of cut here....NOT actual Scotch produced) in a local supermarket today for$33. It was bloody beautiful (granted I cooked it.... wasnt letting the other half ANYWHERE near it...) . Meat of any description will sell to the BEST returning market......wherever that is...... AND I doubt it's you blokes. So , please, all of you , STOP PANICKING.....
 

lloyd

Member
Location
Herefordshire
Who knows? But as said. We have many agreements and markets, including domestic. For arguements sake I bought a 2 pack of Scitch fillet (a type of cut here....NOT actual Scotch produced) in a local supermarket today for$33. It was bloody beautiful (granted I cooked it.... wasnt letting the other half ANYWHERE near it...) . Meat of any description will sell to the BEST returning market......wherever that is...... AND I doubt it's you blokes. So , please, all of you , STOP PANICKING.....

Well that's reassuring to know after we had 20 years of NZ lamb
being dumped here on the cheap.
I hope your economy does bl**dy great and your currency outperforms
the pound so then you will be able to say "told you so".
 

Bald Rick

Moderator
Livestock Farmer
Location
Anglesey
And just like NZ. It does not mean we will go anywhere to filling it. What seems to be extremely failed to be comprehended by THE MAJORITY on here is it HAS TO BE PROFITABLE. If more money can be gained from a competitive market, why would you send it to the UK just because you can? Your ALL get carried away over sweet FA.

It’s not the Oz deal ... it’s the Trojan Horse of Other FTAs that is troubling me
 

Bald Rick

Moderator
Livestock Farmer
Location
Anglesey
Peter Brooks take on the deal in the Times

View attachment 967987

Apropos the above cartoon......

“Sir,
While British family livestock farmers like us appreciate the support seemingly shown by Peter Brookes in his cartoon (Jun 16) , the promotion of the anti-meat/vegan agenda will do far more harm to our livelihoods than any free trade deal (letters Jun 17)
Charlie Flindt
Hinton Ampner, Hants”

Letter in today’s Times

Stand by for the hate @Charlie Flindt but I for one applaud you even though it probably stopped the letter from Mrs BR complaining about the name of the lastest Sussex sprog being published instead
 

Ashtree

Member
So at the end of the day, Skippy gains by having better access to the UK market. Domestic UK farmers and Irish farmers for that matter, lose out because their product gets displaced on UK shelves. Skippy is happy and so he should be.
What has UK gained by way of growth in exports to Skippy? This thing looks decidedly one way traffic if you ask me!
 

cows sh#t me to tears

Member
Livestock Farmer
So at the end of the day, Skippy gains by having better access to the UK market. Domestic UK farmers and Irish farmers for that matter, lose out because their product gets displaced on UK shelves. Skippy is happy and so he should be.
What has UK gained by way of growth in exports to Skippy? This thing looks decidedly one way traffic if you ask me!
You ALSO fail to grasp the concept that the market and ECONOMICS will dictate if there is ANY increase. The way I see it. It will only be those already exporting there to high end restaurants and the like that may benefit. Selective lines, branded. Not generic "meat". You'll more likely see an increase in wine , in exchange for an increase in whiskey. And probably (maybe) an increase in Sunrice (Australian branded and wholly owned by the cooperative of growers).
 

Hilly

Member
So at the end of the day, Skippy gains by having better access to the UK market. Domestic UK farmers and Irish farmers for that matter, lose out because their product gets displaced on UK shelves. Skippy is happy and so he should be.
What has UK gained by way of growth in exports to Skippy? This thing looks decidedly one way traffic if you ask me!
No one asked you.
 
I’ll just leave this here
D381C97D-7221-4CBF-89E1-395CDE6A6AA8.jpeg
You ALSO fail to grasp the concept that the market and ECONOMICS will dictate if there is ANY increase. The way I see it. It will only be those already exporting there to high end restaurants and the like that may benefit. Selective lines, branded. Not generic "meat". You'll more likely see an increase in wine , in exchange for an increase in whiskey. And probably (maybe) an increase in Sunrice (Australian branded and wholly owned by the cooperative of growers).
 

Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
You have failed to grasp the concept that just because you do something for one, does not mean you have to do something for all. Hell. You dont even have to embark on a deal with the US if there is NO benefit at all to the UK economy.
That is true but they will probably sell us down the river just to look good, said it before the ref and it still may well happen, you never know they may even do a deal with someone that has some cheap meat to sell.
 

cows sh#t me to tears

Member
Livestock Farmer
That is true but they will probably sell us down the river just to look good, said it before the ref and it still may well happen, you never know they may even do a deal with someone that has some cheap meat to sell.
Yes. They may. And then again they may not. That's on your NFU to have a stronger voice in lobbying in the future. Dont forget, Australia is probably one of the only countries that you trade with that has zero tarrifs coming inbound. Meaning , if you do a deal with the US and they want free access to your beef for argument sake, then reciprocal rights should be bargained. What could we have offered? To pay your freight perhaps??
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 80 42.3%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 34.9%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 15.9%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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