Page 7 - Australian Pork Newspaper

Tough times to continue
AUSTRALIAN PORK LIMITED
POSITION VACANT
Manager – Animal Health and Welfare
A challenging and exciting opportunity exists for a Manager, Animal Health and Welfare to join Australian Pork Limited’s (APL) Research & Innovation (R&I) Division.
This permanent, full time position involves the management and further development of APL’s animal health and welfare R&D portfolio, in keeping with APL’s Strategic Plan and dissemination of the research outcomes to industry stakeholders. It includes all aspects of APL’s research, development and extension (RD&E) activities to support continuous improvement in pig health and welfare, industry uptake of antimicrobial stewardship practices and oversee the industry’s defence against biosecurity threats.
To be successful in this role you will:
• have a degree in Veterinary Science, Agricultural Science or a related discipline; post-graduate

• have a strong practical knowledge of all aspects of pig production
• have experience in managing research projects and communicating their outcomes to a varied stakeholder base
• have a demonstrated ability to write and review technical reports
• identify potential RD&E projects
• identify opportunities and assist with preparing submissions for external funding of projects addressing APL’s RD&E priorities
• have excellent verbal and written communication skills, and
• have experience in managing portfolio budgets.
Remuneration will be negotiated commensurate with experience.
For further information and a copy of the position description, contact Heather Channon, General Manager, Research & Innovation on heather.channon@australianpork.com.au or mobile 0423 056 045.
Applications close Friday 22 June 2018
PRODUCERS are urged to consider their financ- es and opportunities for support as many face challenging times due to the depressed market for pig meat combined with high feed costs.
While producers draw on reserves from better times, Queensland pro- ducers face the highest feed costs in Australia and nothing looks like chang- ing any time soon!
Pork Queensland Inc, supported by Austral- ian Pork Limited and a Queensland pork farmer, met with senior Queens- land Department of Ag- riculture heads to discuss the industry crisis.
The department was asked to consider any op- portunity to reduce costs to producers as it appears the lack of profitability will last for a significant longer period, perhaps 12 to 18 months, and thus impact the sustainability of many producers.
I am aware of three who have left the industry and another three in dire straits, plus a significant number who have reduced or stopped mating.
These are tough times.
As such and before ad- verse action is taken by suppliers of feed and other services, produc- ers are urged to review their financial support and contact their banks or financial consultants and institutions for advice on restructuring farm debt.
The key message is: act now!
The following govern- ment programs may be of assistance to producers, their families and staff. Farm household assis- tance
The allowance provides up to three years of in- come support for farmers and their families experi- encing financial hardship.
Basic eligibility require- ments are to:
• Be a farmer or the partner of a farmer;
•Meet an income and assets test;
• Be willing to under- take a farm financial as- sessment; and
• Be willing to enter into a financial improve- ment agreement to help improve your financial circumstances.
Phone 132 316 or visit humanservices.gov.au/ individuals/services/cen trelink/farm-household- allowance
Alternatively, call 1800 623 946 or visit qrida.qld. gov.au
The Department of Ag- riculture and Fisheries provides these references as a first point of call.
Call now as QRIDA is aware of the difficult times for the pork indus- try, its farmers and fami- lies and can help with ap- plications.
Contact Brendan Egan on 0428 909 246 for sup- port.
Here’s a brief overview of some key QRIDA pro- grams that may be of in- terest to producers:
• Farm Management Grants – can assist eligi- ble Queensland primary producers or their rela- tives to offset the costs of www.porknews.com.au
professional advice as- sociated with succession planning. It’s a rebate up to $2500 per annum, per person.
• First Start loan scheme – low-interest loans up to $2 million to assist young people to buy property from their parents or other family members, or enter a fam- ily partnership. The cur- rent one-year fixed rate on these PIPES loans is 3.2 percent.
• Sustainability loan scheme – low-interest loans up to $1,300,000 to assist existing primary producers achieve a more productive and sustain- able primary production enterprise. Indeed, the one PIPES loan approved this year for a pig producer in the North Burnett went towards construction and fit-out of a new grower shed facility focused on boosting productivity.
QRIDA also de-
livers natural disas- ter, drought and business improvement assistance on behalf of state and fed- eral governments.
In addition, QRIDA now provides a suite of farm debt services including the Farm Debt Restruc- ture Office (new offer- ing since January 1), the mandatory Farm Business Debt Mediation program and the Queensland Rural Debt Survey.
For personal and family anxieties that result from the financial impacts, producers can contact Beyondblue (1300 224 636; beyondblue.org.au), Country Callback (1800 543 354; countrycallback. com.au) and Lifeline (13 11 14; lifeline.org.au).
If you just want to have a chat about the support options, call me on 0407 622 166.
President’s Perspective
by JOHN COWARD
Live yeast for sows and piglets
Microscopic yeast,
LEVUCELL SB improves sows’digestive comfort and stimulates feed intake during lactation, even under heat stress conditions. Sows fed LEVUCELL SB quickly establish lactation and better use their body reserves, which, in turn, helps enhance the growth and survival rate of litters at weaning.
LALLEMAND ANIMAL NUTRITION SPECIFIC FOR YOUR SUCCESS
T: 1300 247 448 | E: QSS-Lan@lallemand.com.au www.lallemandanimalnutrition.com
Australian Pork Newspaper, June 2018 – Page 7