Page 6 - National Poultry Newspaper

NATIONAL
NPN would like to thank all producers, advertisers and contributors for their support in 2019.
We also wish everyone
a safe and merry Christmas and happy New Year.
Australian Poultry Science Symposium 2020 on track to deliver leading science
THE Australian Poultry Science Symposium is the premier avian sci- ence conference in Australia and attracts delegates from all over Australia and around the world.
The February 16-19, 2020 event will be the 31st edition of the symposium and will again be hosted at Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park.
The move away from the University of Sydney campus over the past three years has allowed access to larger, better-quality facilities and provides a much wider range of ac- commodation options for delegates.
Over the past three years we have witnessed a steady growth in at- tendance of the confer-
ence, with a record 263 delegates attending the 30th anniversary event in Febrary 2019.
We are committed to continuing this trend, with a goal to reach 300-plus attendees within the next three years.
This year’s over- arching theme is ‘A holistic approach to poultry production’. There will again be an interesting array of lo- cal and international in- vited speakers, and as always, we have invited researchers far and wide to submit and present a large range of scien- tific papers loaded with industry-relevant content. On top of the 60-80 papers that will be presented, the extraordinary social program also provides
everyone with plenty of networking opportunities over the three-day event.
We hope to see you in Sydney next February.
Early bird registration ends December 13, 2019, so don’t miss out.
Prices start from $350 for students and $700 for Poultry Research Foun- dation or World’s Poul- try Science Association members.
Register today at apss2020.com.au
Students attending APSS 2019.
Support for farm co-operatives
Page 6 – National Poultry Newspaper, December 2019
www.poultrynews.com.au
THE government is de- livering on a pledge to help farmers set up co- operatives and build their bargaining strength, po- tentially putting more money back in the pock- ets of growers and region- al communities.
Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie said industry peak body the Business Council of Co- operatives and Mutuals will receive $2.5 million and Southern Cross Uni- versity $500,000 to help farmers, fisheries and foresters establish farm co-operatives and other collaborative business models to boost their ne- gotiating power with buy- ers in the marketplace.
“I am determined to drive policies and pro- grams that will deliver greater returns for our hardworking farmers and the communities that rely on them,” Minister Mc- Kenzie said.
“I strongly believe co- operatives and mutual arrangements have an es- sential role to play in our ambitions to grow agri- culture to a $100 billion sector by 2030, as well as reshaping parts of our broader economy.
“In agriculture, co-oper- atives and other collabo- rative business arrange- ments can help give more control back to farmers, giving them a greater stake and say in the food supply chain while lower- ing costs and improving production efficiencies.
“Thirteen of the top 100 co-operative and mutual enterprises in 2017-18 were in agribusiness and fisheries, with a combined turnover of $6.6 billion.
“The further you go down the supply chain, the better the farmgate return and the better it is for regional communities who depend on agricul- ture, as well as for farm workers.
“When trade deals nego- tiated by our government are opening new markets and making others more accessible, co-operative
arrangements can give our farmers more bargain- ing power when it comes to dealing with buyers at home and abroad.
“This funding, with its roots in the 2015 Agri- cultural Competitiveness White Paper delivered by our government, will pro- vide financial support to farmers to establish new co-operatives, as well help fund training courses and an advisory hotline in re- lation to farm co-opera- tive business models.
“It will also deliver in- formation sessions, work- shops and other events relating to farm co-oper- ative business models, as well as an accreditation framework for educa- tional providers for rec- ognition of farmers’ prior learning relating to farm co-operative business models.”
Business Council of Co- operatives and Mutuals CEO Melina Morrison said, “We are delighted to see the government backing this home-grown model of co-operative en- terprise.”
“This funding continues the government’s long- standing commitment to the sector and will sup- port more Australian agri- cultural producers to work together and get a greater reward for their effort.
“Co-operative and mutual models of busi- ness promote sustainable growth in rural and re- gional communities – they are Australian businesses that share the wealth with their communities when times are good and stick with them and support their members when times are tough.
“There are a number of great Australian farmer co-operatives that have been supporting regional communities for many years.
“This support will help to spread the word and provide the knowledge and tools to grow new co-operatives and support regional Australia into the future.”