September Newsletter: President’s Report

WHILE many areas of South Australia received welcome rains in August after what had been a very dry winter, some areas of the state are still battling drought conditions.

Good spring rains will be vital to ensure a good finish to the season.

The Livestock SA office has received many calls regarding cross-border travel over the past month regarding the reduced border access for farmers introduced mid-August.

Producers have been having issues with applying for permits, causing a great deal of frustration.

Livestock SA welcomed the reintroduction of the 40-kilometre buffer zone along the border. However, we realise many members require continued support to access their properties across the border.

The National Cabinet has recognised the importance of finding a solution to the border restrictions by committing to the development of a national Agricultural Worker Movement Code.

The Agricultural Worker Movement Code will facilitate the safe interstate movement of agricultural workers.

Livestock SA supports the National Farmers’ Federation’s plea to the National Cabinet to develop a clear and consistent code as soon as possible to support livestock and agricultural cross-border movement.

Primary production continues to be essential work and many industries require skilled seasonal workers who live in different states.

Availability of labour is important to ensure agriculture can continue to progress and thrive. For that reason, Livestock SA has been working closely with the Shearing Contractors Association of Australia to bring in New Zealand shearers to help alleviate the upcoming pressure the sector is likely to experience.

We urge producers to contact their shearing contractors early and be flexible with shearing times this year.

Voting for the five new Livestock SA board members closes next Monday, 7 September.

Livestock SA wishes all the nominees good luck and we look forward to seeing the results of the voting at the Livestock SA Annual General Meeting online on Monday 14 September.

Several constitutional changes will also be discussed at the AGM including:

• The regional boundaries as defined in Section 14.1 of the Livestock SA constitution be altered to align with Landscape SA board regions as proclaimed under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019.
• Removal of the reference to Branches in the appointment process for a regional chair and group.
• Removal of the reference to a maximum size for committees by the deletion of 15.2.

Livestock SA would like to thank retiring board members Penny Schulz and Jamie Heinrich for their hard work and dedication to advocacy in the SA livestock industry during their time on the board and wish them all the best for their future endeavours.

– JOE KEYNES, President, Livestock SA

Read the September eNewsletter online.