Australian Pork Newspaper

Phone: 07 4697 3344 • Fax 07 4697 3532
www.stockyardindustries.com
Vol 23. No. 7 July 2019 Australian Pork Newspaper PO Box 387 Cleveland 4163 Phone (07) 3286 1833 Fax (07) 3821 2637 Email ben@porknews.com.au
Judging of the bacon entries.
Bacon lovers take note: the search is on for Australia’s top rasher
This was not always the most popular option, but pop- ularity comes and goes and doing what’s right should last forever.
Producers reading this should also be proud of the industry they’ve chosen to belong to.
Simply put, there’s no BS about pig farmers.
They’re typically not there because their father and grandfather did the same thing, they’re there because they’ve got a business to run to provide for their families.
There’s been a lot of support for me along the way, none more important than some- one I refer to as the ‘gift to the pork industry’ – Enzo Allara.
Thirteen of my 14 years with APL have been served with Enzo as chairman and what an honour it was to work with someone of that integrity and quality.
The new team is now at the starting blocks and I wish Margo, David Lock and the rest of the APL Board the very best in steering the in- dustry in the right direction – with the help and support of the pig farmers of Australia.
I could never sign off with- out thanking the APL team – those who’ve been with me for a long time and those for a short time.
Having a really great team around you, especially the general managers of past and present, can make you look good.
Goodbye and good luck!
Stockyard Industries 54 King Street,
Clifton QLD 4361
07 4697 3344
JUDGEMENT time is draw- ing nearer for bacon makers as the hunt for Australia’s best-tasting bacon begins, and with International Ba- con Day looming, the search is perfectly timed.
Butchers and smallgoods manufacturers from all around the country have perfected their recipes and sent their entries in to this year’s Australian Pork- Mark Bacon Awards in the hopes of being announced as the nation’s best.
Judging commenced recent- ly and tempting as it may be for the panel to dive straight into tasting the entries, first, each individual bacon will be assessed based on its appear- ance.
The judges then assess the aroma and lean to fat ratio in both the raw and cooked form.
The judging panel, featuring four passionate bacon con- noisseurs comprising Fleis- chmeister Horst Schurger and chefs Simon Bestley, Adam
Moore and Paul McDonald, will determine the winning bacon, set to be announced on August 26 in time to celebrate International Bacon Day on August 31.
Australian Pork Limited General Manager of Market- ing Peter Haydon said the competition shines a light on smallgoods makers who are using 100 percent Australian pork to produce their bacon, which is great news for both producers and bacon-lovers.
“People are becoming much more interested in where their food comes from – now more than ever – and this competi- tion celebrates that by cham- pioning Australian grown,” Haydon said.
“Many people are surprised to learn that 80 percent of ba- con sold in Australia is made using imported pork.
“If you want to support Aus- tralian pig farmers, look for the pink Australian Pork logo on the pack.
“Otherwise look for the green and gold country of origin label and make sure the bar chart is almost full.”
Having won the competition last year, Campbell’s Superior Meats owner Rhett Campbell knows exactly what it’s all about and more importantly, what goes into award-winning bacon.
“This competition celebrates the best Aussie produce and an iconic ingredient,” Camp- bell said.
“I know I’m not alone in saying it’s not a successful Sunday morning if bacon and eggs don’t feature on the menu.
“I think what set us apart last year was the salty smoke profile of our short cut bacon.
“But the fact is, we start with a pretty incredible product so it’s easy to achieve a winning result.”
The winning bacon, and winners in each state, will be announced on August 26.
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New boss hogs in Canberra
WE not only have a newly re-elected Federal Govern- ment in Canberra with Scott Morrison confirmed as the people’s choice in continuing as Prime Minister; we also have an energetic and keen new Australian Pork Limited CEO getting ready to take over on August 1, 2019.
Our members would have seen the announcement of the appointment of Margo An- drae to the position of APL CEO on June 5.
I’ve known Margo for a number of years and she re- ally is a very talented woman who I’m sure will imprint her personality on APL very quickly.
Margo is now finishing up as CEO with the Cattle Council of Australia, located just down the road from the offices of APL in Barton, Canberra.
Since Margo is taking over the reins in August, she will be introducing herself in the Australian Pork Newspaper front page article in the Au- gust edition.
The consequence of course is this is my last article in Australian Pork Newspaper as A PL CEO before I leave the organisation a week after Margo starts – August 7.
I’ve really only had two proper jobs in my career; one as an employee of a series of merged and acquired agri- cultural chemical/biotechnol- ogy companies (including 10 years overseas) and one as CEO of APL.
I never really intended to work for the pork industry upon my return to Australia with my family in early 2005 and when I first heard of the vacancy, with an acquaintance urging me to apply, I wasn’t particularly enthusiastic.
In the end, however, I con- tacted the recruiter and sub- mitted an application, finding myself at 101 Collins St, Mel- bourne for an interview.
That was the start of a jour- ney I could never have im- agined.
Point of View
by ANDREW SPENCER CEO
I found my interviewers highly impressive people who gave me a very professional image of the way the pork in- dustry operated in Australia, which turned out to be real.
They were Paul Higgins, Kate Spargo and Nigel Smith – all APL directors at the time and names many of you will recognise from the past.
One thing led to another and I eventually found myself in Canberra in this chair where the past 14 years have, in hindsight, seemed to fly past.
It hasn’t been a smooth ride – there have been two highly damaging financial crises for the industry over this time, the last of which we are only now hopefully emerging from.
Many producers I have met over the journey haven’t made it through these difficult times, and that hurts.
Others have gone from strength to strength, some putting the kids in charge now, and able to put their feet up – at least some of the time.
No one said being in the pork industry was easy, but it can be rewarding.
You’ve got to have a bit of a thick skin in this job because it’s totally impossible to keep all the people happy, all the time.
I am particularly proud of who A PL is, however, be- cause A PL has been able to build a culture, with the sup- port of the Boards of various make-up over the years, of doing what we believe to be right for industry.
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