Why does the WTO tells us what we have to do, and threatens any country (not in the club)with trade sanctions and LETS OTHERS DO WHAT THEY LIKE . Why can’t we level the playing field ourselves – like other governments do? Dear all, PLEASE READ AND START ASKING QUESTIONS OF OUR POLITICIANS AND THOSE WHO REPRESENT US IN OUR INDUSTRY ASSOICIATIONS: The Swiss receive massive Ag. Subsidies running at 57%!!!!!!! of average farm income being derived from Government handouts: TOPPED by Norway with a massive 63% of their farm income from government hand outs. Both are members of the WTO. The link for the OECD Statistics report is : oecd.org/newsroom/support-to-agriculture-rising-after-hi... Closer to home, our trading partners Japan and Korea were up with the world leaders, according to an OECD report released this week – Japan 56% and Korea 54% of all farm income came in the form of government handouts. The OECD average handout to farmers went up from 15% in 2011 to 17% in 2012 (the year on which the report was focused). We in Australia are quoted as less than 3% of all our farm income is from subsidies – (probably the diesel rebate) but not many of us would agree with that figure. Why are they sacrificing Australian Horticulture, a strategically important fresh food producer to the Australian consumer. The Politicians (and agriculture organisations like NFF and NSWFarmers that represent BIG Agriculture – grain, meat etc) consistently mouth the same mantra -that the WTO rules do not allow the Australian Government to help us. Yet, we can see that the WTO does nothing to prevent other member governments from helping their farmers survive. Why won’t ours help us? They also always tell us that the rest of the world will not buy our minerals, grain, meat and wool if we help our struggling horticultural producers by imposing tariffs on produce from either subsidised, or slave labour wage paying countries. You and I know this is just plain NOT TRUE (a lie if you like). The rest of the world WILL buy minerals to fuel their economies and food for their people –they won’t turn off the power stations (coal and gas), stop their steel and aluminium plants, stop feeding their people bread, meat etc! ...e on, don’t let them get away with these sort of statements.....make them tell us the truth as to why they will sacrifice our industries in favour of the big end of Agriculture. The WTO say that 10% subsidy based on total agricultural production is OK and acceptable under its rules. 10% of all of Australia’s agricultural production is a huge amount of money..... Why can’t some of this be used to help ALL farmers in Australia when natural or other disasters hit - not just Animal Producers when drought means they need to truck in fodder, or a locust plague threatens to attack the grain sector....some of it should be spent helping Irrigated Horticulture when there is drought. Don’t we need to pump more water (energy cost) when it is dry or individual farms are devastated by hail or natural pests such as bats, birds, Q Fly etc (not just locusts)....Come on, a FAIR GO FOR ALL FARMERS – not just the most favoured. Here is a little example of what happens in the U.K. ..... Early pay for farmers hit by bad weather News Wales Alun Davies, the Minister for Natural Resources, is bringing forward single farm subsidy payments to help farmers worst-affected by the severe weather ... See all stories on this topic » If you have difficulty opening the story just put your cursor over the purple colored text, right click your mouse and click “open hyperlink” and you will get to the article Look, we are not looking for straight handouts like the EU. Just a fair go - let’s level the playing field by bringing back tariffs on produce we grow, sought to be imported from countries that: 1. Have unfair wages (compared to ours), 2. Pay subsidies to farmers to supplement their income that distorts the price, 3. Has blanket interest subsidies for farmers or 4. Pays crop insurance premiums for its farmers that is also distorting as it takes away risk. The quantum of the tariff must be designed to LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD by removing the distorting effects of the previously described handouts. Best wishes Ed Biel Wanaka Orchard Oakdale Ph. 0403174822
Posted on: Sun, 29 Sep 2013 06:46:52 +0000
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