Stakeholders of Australia
Stakeholder 1: Australian Cotton in Queensland
For over 200 years, Australia’s economy has rapidly grown into one of the most vital agriculture countries in the world. Australia is a thriving economy with a substantial workforce, service industries and large port cites. For the past two decades, Australian farmers have had to be extremely adaptable as well as resilient and inventive with the many changes in global climate and new farming methods. Challenges like access to fresh water, high amounts of fertilizers, massive clearing, over grazing, transport costs and feral animals, have truly tested Australian farmers to their limits. Fortunately, across the whole continent, farming has become more mechanized and reliant on the latest technologies, which are proving to be more sustainable than ever before (The Australian Cotton Water Story, 2012). Combined with invention, ingenuity and hard work this has led to Australia being a leading exporter of fine food, meats and grains.
Cotton Australia, one of the primary agriculture producers for Australia’s cotton growing industry, supports well over 1500 cotton-farming families and employs over 8,000 Australians in Northern NSW and Southern QLD alone (Wells 2013). This successful corporation fosters world-class agricultural industry that is sustainable, valued for its economic and social contributions and produces a top quality product in demand around the globe (Bradburn 2012). Cotton is a great crop for Australia’s very uneven climate, some years water is plentiful or even too much and other years suffer from tough droughts. The best quality about cotton is that it is only planted when there is water available. For example, the 2007/08 cotton crop was the smallest in 30 years due to a lack of available water (The Australian cotton water story, 2012).
Because cotton is an annual crop, it’s grown in regions that experience climate variability driven by El Nino/La Nina cycles. In Queensland, cotton is grown mostly in central and south, mainly in the Darling Downs, St George, Dirranbandi, Macintyre Valley, Emerald, Theodore and Biloela regions. Yet these growing regions in Queensland are regions that fluctuate the most with extreme sun or heavy rainfall, sometimes making the growing season too unstable (Greene 2013). As a result cotton growers have already developed highly efficient and flexible farming systems that can meet the challenges of limited freshwater and climate change (Tavert 2013). Farmers are using a range of special techniques to constantly improve water use efficiency, including in-field moisture monitoring, reducing evaporation, scheduling irrigations, improved soil health and new irrigation techniques such as overhead sprinklers and drip irrigation. The regions that produce the most crops are constantly redirecting their growing goals. Irrigation water for agriculture is used on the highest valued crops. Farmers choose to ‘spend’ their water entitlements on the crops that deliver the best return per unit of water; in many areas that crop is cotton (The Australian cotton water story, 2012). According to the 2011 Cotton Grower Survey, 96% had made improvements to their furrow irrigation systems , 70% of irrigators used either a capacitance probe or neutron probe for irrigation scheduling , 62% of groundwater irrigators regularly monitor water quality , 20% had redesigned fields and 20% had reduced storage & distribution losses. Most cotton growers have “low security” water licenses, which means they only get to access their share of the water once the needs of towns, stock and domestic use and the environment are met (Greene 2013). This generally means the percentage of water that cotton farmers can access varies significantly from year to year depending on the availability.
For over 200 years, Australia’s economy has rapidly grown into one of the most vital agriculture countries in the world. Australia is a thriving economy with a substantial workforce, service industries and large port cites. For the past two decades, Australian farmers have had to be extremely adaptable as well as resilient and inventive with the many changes in global climate and new farming methods. Challenges like access to fresh water, high amounts of fertilizers, massive clearing, over grazing, transport costs and feral animals, have truly tested Australian farmers to their limits. Fortunately, across the whole continent, farming has become more mechanized and reliant on the latest technologies, which are proving to be more sustainable than ever before (The Australian Cotton Water Story, 2012). Combined with invention, ingenuity and hard work this has led to Australia being a leading exporter of fine food, meats and grains.
Cotton Australia, one of the primary agriculture producers for Australia’s cotton growing industry, supports well over 1500 cotton-farming families and employs over 8,000 Australians in Northern NSW and Southern QLD alone (Wells 2013). This successful corporation fosters world-class agricultural industry that is sustainable, valued for its economic and social contributions and produces a top quality product in demand around the globe (Bradburn 2012). Cotton is a great crop for Australia’s very uneven climate, some years water is plentiful or even too much and other years suffer from tough droughts. The best quality about cotton is that it is only planted when there is water available. For example, the 2007/08 cotton crop was the smallest in 30 years due to a lack of available water (The Australian cotton water story, 2012).
Because cotton is an annual crop, it’s grown in regions that experience climate variability driven by El Nino/La Nina cycles. In Queensland, cotton is grown mostly in central and south, mainly in the Darling Downs, St George, Dirranbandi, Macintyre Valley, Emerald, Theodore and Biloela regions. Yet these growing regions in Queensland are regions that fluctuate the most with extreme sun or heavy rainfall, sometimes making the growing season too unstable (Greene 2013). As a result cotton growers have already developed highly efficient and flexible farming systems that can meet the challenges of limited freshwater and climate change (Tavert 2013). Farmers are using a range of special techniques to constantly improve water use efficiency, including in-field moisture monitoring, reducing evaporation, scheduling irrigations, improved soil health and new irrigation techniques such as overhead sprinklers and drip irrigation. The regions that produce the most crops are constantly redirecting their growing goals. Irrigation water for agriculture is used on the highest valued crops. Farmers choose to ‘spend’ their water entitlements on the crops that deliver the best return per unit of water; in many areas that crop is cotton (The Australian cotton water story, 2012). According to the 2011 Cotton Grower Survey, 96% had made improvements to their furrow irrigation systems , 70% of irrigators used either a capacitance probe or neutron probe for irrigation scheduling , 62% of groundwater irrigators regularly monitor water quality , 20% had redesigned fields and 20% had reduced storage & distribution losses. Most cotton growers have “low security” water licenses, which means they only get to access their share of the water once the needs of towns, stock and domestic use and the environment are met (Greene 2013). This generally means the percentage of water that cotton farmers can access varies significantly from year to year depending on the availability.
Stakeholder 2: The Western
Australian Farmers Federation
The Western Australian Farmers’ Federation which was founded in 1912, boasts a membership of over 4200 farmers throughout Western Australia, and continues to work directly with farmers on issues related to their on-farm business (http://www.wafarmers.org.au/):
Western Australia has a large amount of stakeholders involved with its agriculture production. Here is a list of stakeholders involved in Western Australia.
Stakeholders List:
· Bennelongia Environmental Consultants
· Botanic Gardens & Parks Authority
· Bush Heritage Australia
· Carbon Neutral
· CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems
· Curtin University
· Department of Agriculture and Food (Western Australia)
· Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia)
· Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (Australian Government)
· Department of Planning (Western Australia)
· Department of Water (Western Australia)
· Edith Cowan University
· Goldfields Land and Sea Council
· Greening Australia
· Leave No Trace Australia
· Murdoch University
· National Trust of Australia
· South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council
· South West Catchments Council
· Southern Coast Natural Resource Management
· Sunshine Coast Regional Council (Queensland)
· The Western Australian Farmers Federation
· The Wilderness Society
· University of Melbourne
· University of Queensland
· University of Western Australia
· Water Corporation
· Western Australia Grassroots Development
· Western Australia Natural Resource Management
· Western Australia Local Government Association
· West Midlands Group
· Western Australian Museum
· Wheatbelt Natural Resource Management
· WWF-Australia
In Western Australia agriculture is the second major export industry. The Western part of Australia provides ideal soils and climates suited for a variety of agricultural production that includes rangeland grazing and broad acre cereal cropping to irrigated pastures and horticulture, orchards and vineyards with wheat, wool, beef and lamb being the top 4 products (http://www.nff.org.au/farm-facts.html). Agriculture is a key player in Australia, contributing to their social, economic and environmental sustainability (http://www.nff.org.au/farm-facts.html).
SOCIAL: In 2010 -11, the agricultural industry in Australia provided over 1.6 million jobs for the economy, which were about 307,000 people employed. Australia has about 134,000 farm businesses, and 132,660 of these farm businesses are family owned and operated. These farms produce about 93 % of all Australia’s domestic food supply or 150 homes in Australia and 450 homes overseas (http://www.nff.org.au/farm-facts.html).
ECONOMIC: Australian farms produced $48.7 billion dollars in Australia’s total gross domestic product for the year 2010 -11. 60% of Australia farm product is exported. In 2010 -11 Australian’s exported $32.5 billion; this was up from 2008-019 which brought to the economy $32.1 billion. Forestry and fisheries are the other two exports Australia does a lot of business in bringing to the economy $36.2 billion in exports. Because Australia does so much exporting of agricultural product they are very dependent on the overseas markets (http://www.nff.org.au/farm-facts.html).
ENVIRONMENTAL: The Australian farmers manage and care for about 61% of Australia’s land mass. They are true environmental stewards of the land in Australia. The farmers have also been actively undertaking natural resource management and the National Farmers Federation (NFF) was a founding partner of the Land care movement (http://www.nff.org.au/farm-facts.html).
Water supply
Rainfall in south-west Western Australia has already reduced by around 15 % since the mid-1970s. From 1911 to 1974 the average stream flow into Perth Dams was 338 gigalitres. From 1975 to 2000 average stream flow was almost half this value at 177 gigalitres. From 2001 to 2010 inflows again halved to approximately 75 gigalitres. There is evidence that greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are responsible for half the decline in rainfall in south-west Western Australia.
Modelling suggests a decrease in mean annual rainfall of 7 % and a 14 % reduction in surface water runoff in the period 2021 to 2050 relative to the period 1961 to 1990. If current climate trends continue, south-west Western Australia will potentially experience 80 % more drought-months by 2070.
A hotter, drier climate would inflict a high economic impact on water supply infrastructure across the country, with Perth likely to be the most severely impacted city in Australia through climate change induced water scarcity.
Map below from: Australian Bureau Meteorology. (2014), Rainfall Deficiencies past 16 months. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-17/drought-wa-farmers-abbott-assistance-package-joyce-park/5265198
The Western Australian Farmers’ Federation which was founded in 1912, boasts a membership of over 4200 farmers throughout Western Australia, and continues to work directly with farmers on issues related to their on-farm business (http://www.wafarmers.org.au/):
- Agricultural Protection
- Animal health and welfare
- Commodity marketing, promotion and trade
- Environment, land management and climate change
- Farm business, economics and trade
- Grower/producer representation including young farmers
- Industrial relations
- Occupational health and safety
- Property and water rights
- Research, development and biotechnology
- Transport and rural infrastructure
- Education and training
Western Australia has a large amount of stakeholders involved with its agriculture production. Here is a list of stakeholders involved in Western Australia.
Stakeholders List:
· Bennelongia Environmental Consultants
· Botanic Gardens & Parks Authority
· Bush Heritage Australia
· Carbon Neutral
· CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems
· Curtin University
· Department of Agriculture and Food (Western Australia)
· Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia)
· Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (Australian Government)
· Department of Planning (Western Australia)
· Department of Water (Western Australia)
· Edith Cowan University
· Goldfields Land and Sea Council
· Greening Australia
· Leave No Trace Australia
· Murdoch University
· National Trust of Australia
· South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council
· South West Catchments Council
· Southern Coast Natural Resource Management
· Sunshine Coast Regional Council (Queensland)
· The Western Australian Farmers Federation
· The Wilderness Society
· University of Melbourne
· University of Queensland
· University of Western Australia
· Water Corporation
· Western Australia Grassroots Development
· Western Australia Natural Resource Management
· Western Australia Local Government Association
· West Midlands Group
· Western Australian Museum
· Wheatbelt Natural Resource Management
· WWF-Australia
In Western Australia agriculture is the second major export industry. The Western part of Australia provides ideal soils and climates suited for a variety of agricultural production that includes rangeland grazing and broad acre cereal cropping to irrigated pastures and horticulture, orchards and vineyards with wheat, wool, beef and lamb being the top 4 products (http://www.nff.org.au/farm-facts.html). Agriculture is a key player in Australia, contributing to their social, economic and environmental sustainability (http://www.nff.org.au/farm-facts.html).
SOCIAL: In 2010 -11, the agricultural industry in Australia provided over 1.6 million jobs for the economy, which were about 307,000 people employed. Australia has about 134,000 farm businesses, and 132,660 of these farm businesses are family owned and operated. These farms produce about 93 % of all Australia’s domestic food supply or 150 homes in Australia and 450 homes overseas (http://www.nff.org.au/farm-facts.html).
ECONOMIC: Australian farms produced $48.7 billion dollars in Australia’s total gross domestic product for the year 2010 -11. 60% of Australia farm product is exported. In 2010 -11 Australian’s exported $32.5 billion; this was up from 2008-019 which brought to the economy $32.1 billion. Forestry and fisheries are the other two exports Australia does a lot of business in bringing to the economy $36.2 billion in exports. Because Australia does so much exporting of agricultural product they are very dependent on the overseas markets (http://www.nff.org.au/farm-facts.html).
ENVIRONMENTAL: The Australian farmers manage and care for about 61% of Australia’s land mass. They are true environmental stewards of the land in Australia. The farmers have also been actively undertaking natural resource management and the National Farmers Federation (NFF) was a founding partner of the Land care movement (http://www.nff.org.au/farm-facts.html).
Water supply
Rainfall in south-west Western Australia has already reduced by around 15 % since the mid-1970s. From 1911 to 1974 the average stream flow into Perth Dams was 338 gigalitres. From 1975 to 2000 average stream flow was almost half this value at 177 gigalitres. From 2001 to 2010 inflows again halved to approximately 75 gigalitres. There is evidence that greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are responsible for half the decline in rainfall in south-west Western Australia.
Modelling suggests a decrease in mean annual rainfall of 7 % and a 14 % reduction in surface water runoff in the period 2021 to 2050 relative to the period 1961 to 1990. If current climate trends continue, south-west Western Australia will potentially experience 80 % more drought-months by 2070.
A hotter, drier climate would inflict a high economic impact on water supply infrastructure across the country, with Perth likely to be the most severely impacted city in Australia through climate change induced water scarcity.
Map below from: Australian Bureau Meteorology. (2014), Rainfall Deficiencies past 16 months. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-17/drought-wa-farmers-abbott-assistance-package-joyce-park/5265198
Australian Bureau
Meteorology. (2014), Rainfall Deficiencies past 16 months.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-17/drought-wa-farmers-abbott-assistance-package-joyce-park/5265198
WA Farmers. (2014), The Western Australian Farmers Federation (Inc) (WAFarmers) is the largest and most influential agricultural lobby group in Western Australia.
http://www.wafarmers.org.au
National Farmers Federation. (2014), Farm Facts.
http://www.nff.org.au/farm-facts.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-17/drought-wa-farmers-abbott-assistance-package-joyce-park/5265198
WA Farmers. (2014), The Western Australian Farmers Federation (Inc) (WAFarmers) is the largest and most influential agricultural lobby group in Western Australia.
http://www.wafarmers.org.au
National Farmers Federation. (2014), Farm Facts.
http://www.nff.org.au/farm-facts.html
Stake holder 3: Grain Producers Southern Australia
Grain Producers SA, which is a non-profit organization that serves roughly 3,000 grain growers in Southern Australia. They help the industry by representing the behalf of southern grain growers. They conduct projects, meeting with members, and conducting managements and plans. The GPSA is funded through PRISA Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA. Many projects provided are budgeted of 10,000 dollars or less. They have offered projects in industry and planning, stewardship and conservation. I will follow with their purpose, meaning, what they do, and then explaining southern Australia’s climate.
GPSA’s objectives are to improve the profitability and sustainability of South Australian grain producers through:
- Representing the views of South Australian grain producers to government, industry and the community on grains issues;
- Working with an effective state farming organization and other commodity groups to represent South Australian grain producers on cross commodity issues;
- Working with government and industry to develop policies around creating and maintaining an efficient, accessible and cost effective supply chain;
- Working with government, industry and institutions to improve the technical and business skills of South Australian grain producers
- Working with Research, Development and Extension organizations to identify and disseminate research priorities in grain production, handling and management
- Supporting an effective national representative organization to work with government around national initiatives to support the grains industry
- Providing a program to include and develop young farmers to be prepared to take on leadership roles within the SA grains industry. (GPSA)
Vision- “Viable and sustainable grain producers in South Australia”
Mission- “To ensure a viable and sustainable grains industry in South Australia for grain producers through leadership, advocacy and communication”
Values-“Integrity through Transparency and Accountability
Consultative through approachability, communicating
Desire for outcomes that are fact based, proactive and considered” (GPSA)
This organization is the voice of the grain growers in the southern area of Australia, they not only provide for the producers, but they go to governmental meeting to pass acts and laws. This organization directors and committees to run the business sector. They do have a business plan that can be found their website. This organization has made movement to the water conservation of grain growers. Australia is known for having largest surface water storage per =capita than any other continent in the world, and yet they have the more agriculture than other countries (Bureau of Meteorology, Australian Gov).
Looking at the maps below you can see that southern Australia is almost split when it comes to rainfall during the year. There is more rainfall at the most east and west regions good for crops, and growing seasons, due to some snow and close to the coast. The west was found to have the most universal growing season.
References:
Atlas South Australia: Water Supply. 28APR2004. Government of
South Australia. http://www.atlas.sa.gov.au/resources/atlas-of-south-australia-1986/environment-resources/water-supply
Grain Producer SA. 2014. http://www.grainproducerssa.com.au/
September Key Figure: Population. 28MAR2014. Australia Bureau of Statistics. Commonwealth of Australia.
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/3101.0
Wells, Kathryn. Australian Farming and Agriculture: grazing and cropping. 25JUN2013. Australia Government.
http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-farming-and-agriculture