CalMatters’ Post

This is an interesting ABC Radio segment on the future of Australian family-owned farms. However, I note they never really nailed the answer to their fundamentally important question "what are the food security implications of the loss of family-owned farms". Hermoine Parsons was interviewed and gave part of the answer ... she mentioned the important national security benefit of having large numbers of diverse family-owned farms underpinning our nation's food security. However, Parsons is the Managing Director of the Australian Logistics Council, and most of the members of the ALC are large corporations and most of their customers are likely to be large corporate and institutional agribusinesses. So, she dodged a full answer to the direct question, what's the food security implications of the loss of our family-owned farms? The answer is centuries old ... large corporate and institutional farms are more likely to be absentee landlords. And absentee landlords do not have the same commitment to prosperous local communities and national food security that Australian family-owned farms have. The superannuation funds that bought up the water rights stripped and laundered from Australian dairy farming families through criminal abuses of market and political power over the last few decades are using Australian water rights to grow food for "the most productive user". So, that means almonds for export, and not fresh fruit and vegetables for Australian tables. The global capital markets investors in Australian water rights don't care about affordable food for everyday Australians. They have one goal and one goal only ... to maximise their yield on their investment, and that means a very effective foreign tax on the price of Australian food. And that is not being picked up by the current Senate Inquiry into Supermarkets' pricing, presumably because the details surrounding Canadian PSP's investments in Australian water rights and the secret trading in our water rights by politically exposed persons with insider information is covered by national secrecy laws.

The Full S.I.P. 11.5: For Wine-Searcher Caroline Henry gives an in-depth analysis of why contract #grapeworker conditions are so poor, and why it will be difficult to effect change. Five foreign workers died during this year’s harvest; during a heat wave. A look at the challenges and opportunities for #organicgrapegrowing in California. The Oregon State University Openly Published Environmental Sensing Lab (OPEnS) is developing a mechanical “pied piper” that can mimic #vineyardpests vibrations used to communicate to potential mates; in hopes to disrupt and/or confuse the insects and decrease damage to #grapevines without #pesticides. Diverse Powered Brands hosts a #pitchday day for Target https://lnkd.in/ekcCBVex

It's time for a change. It's time we reconsider what the true cost of cheap products is and make informed decisions that support sustainable, ethical aquaculture. As consumers, we have the power to influence change through our choices. Let's choose wisely. A recent investigation by The Outlaw Ocean Project reveals disturbing conditions and malpractices within the shrimp industry. The allure of cheap shrimp comes at a high cost: 💔 Slavery and exploitative labor practices 🚫 Corruption and falsely "certified" farms 📉 A profit-driven economy thriving under the worst conditions for workers and the environment This investigation unveils a stark reality: those working face horrendous conditions, and in turn, consumers are left with a product far removed from ethical and sustainable practices. #SustainableAquaculture #EthicalChoices #ShrimpFarming #Aquaculture #Sustainability https://lnkd.in/ekMCTmcX

Will you have to pay more for your Garfish and King George Whiting? This week in Parliament I asked repeated questions to Minister Clare Scriven about how on earth the Malinauskas Labor Government can justify huge increases in license fees which will cripple the industry, and ultimately increase cost of living to consumers of our world class seafood. One Yorktown fisher is facing a whopping 500% jump in licensing fees from one year to the next. I have received similar reports from fishers in Wallaroo and Port Wakefield. For the last three months, I have been repeatedly calling on the Minister to publicly release the report of the independent review of the current seafood sectors cost recovery policy model. She refuses to commit to this. I am calling on the Minister to step up and be transparent with the industry and the public more broadly. @MarineFishersAssociationInc. @SeafoodIndustryAustralia @FairFishSACo-Operative @australianfishingenterprises @CommercialFishermenofAustralia #garfish #KingGeorgeWhiting #Snapper #SouthernCalamari

As of March of 2023, the United States is now a net importer of food. We’ve lost 107,000 independent cattleman in the last 5 years. And 665,000 (50%) in the last 4 decades. This is the largest segment of our agricultural sector, and the losses are accelerating. We’ve lost over 90% of our pig farms since 1982. The cattle industry is set to follow suit…unless something is done. What is driving the consolidation and offshoring of our most important agricultural sector? - 4 meat packing companies own 85% of the market and are engaged in collusion and manipulation to drive cattle prices down and meat prices up, keeping the difference. They are making record profits on record margins for the last decade or more. An anti-trust law suit is underway, but it’s an uphill battle. Thanks to R-CALF USA - The United States eliminated country of origin labeling (COOL) for beef, allowing cheap, inhumanely raised beef to flood our markets from South and Central America and American’s don’t even know we’re consuming it. - ESG & “sustainability” agendas are putting a regulatory burden on ranchers that is unreasonable, costly, and ineffective. Proper land management through grazing enhances, rather than degrades the land. We can employ simple and cost effective strategies to incentivize their adoption without crushing people’s livelihoods. Oh, and we’re not just losing ranchers and overall agricultural production. We’re losing our largest segment of independent land owners in the United States as their land is gobbled up by developers of corporate Ag conglomerates. Learn how to help your local rancher here:

Excellent article about my clients business Mayberry Farms in Mayville, Wisconsin. They received a grant to help them grow their honey, strawberry and goat milk soap business. Exciting things are happening in Mayville! Read all about it in link in comments. #locallyowned #localbusiness #clientsuccess #clientsinthenews

"Barons" by Austin Frerick dives into the monopolization of the American food industry, focusing on seven families whose wealth and market dominance have come at significant costs to the environment, workers, animal welfare, and democracy itself. The book underscores the role of political power in economic concentration, pointing to historical and contemporary examples where such dynamics have threatened democratic principles. Frerick advocates for political action to dismantle these monopolies, promoting a transition towards a fairer, more sustainable agriculture and food economy. He emphasizes the importance of challenging corporate power through knowledge, understanding, and collective political effort. https://lnkd.in/gs6GwUjD

"When buying a bull, it is often for one of two jobs: either mating to heifers or mating to mature cows. For terminals, there are fewer things to worry about. But, if you are using the bull as a maternal - to breed your future cows - the job is a bit more complex." Be prepared for the upcoming bull sale season in NZ: read Dr Mark Ferguson's article in the latest issue of BEEF Country (see page 101 of the magazine).

In 2021, more than half of Canada's beef producers had a herd size of <72 head. Smaller herds may represent long-term, established farms, or they may be new entrants who are working on building their numbers. With small herds, there are a few key things that can have a big impact. Read ⬇️ or listen 🎧 to discover 5 key strategies that help producers with small herds: https://lnkd.in/gMhDKs6b

In a Q&A with Greenaway, Twilight, Austin Frerick discusses several of the barons mentioned in his latest book, "Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry," as well as the systemic levers that have allowed food monopolies to thrive.