Avocados Australia Limited’s Post

Today the Almond Board of Australia and other agricultural bodies are banding together to take a stand against the Biosecurity Protection Levy. The levy is proposed to be implemented in 24 days but farmers haven't been given details about how it will be collected or managed. Farmers support efforts to strengthen and better fund Australia's biosecurity system, but this tax isn't the way. Farmers already pay significant amounts in levies to underpin biosecurity programs and this proposal wants them to pay even more. Risk creators who bring pests and diseases to our shores need to contribute too. You can read more about the proposed Biosecurity Levy here: https://lnkd.in/gkW5EK6V #KeepFarmersFarming #ScrapTheTax

You might hear a bit about the Biosecurity Protection Levy today. We're not convinced it's the right way forward, either. Australia's biosecurity is precious, and its protection must be properly funded. But farmers, who already pay billions every year for biosecurity, are being asked to pay for risks they didn't create. We're urging the government to reconsider the levy, and shift the onus onto risk creators like big logistics and import companies who'd be happy to pay. #FarmersforClimateAction #BiosecurityProtectionLevy #AusAg #AgChatOz

🔥 Hot off the press TFA Mid-Week News Round-up on 19 June 2024 Don’t miss the latest news and updates from the Tenant Farmers Association 👉 https://bit.ly/3VK1DVK   In this issue, you’ll find: TFA General Election 2024 Roundup ·       Main UK Parties Muted on Manifesto Commitments to Tenanted Sector TFA summarises rural and agricultural positions from the main three parties: ·       Labour – Very Little Detail on Agriculture ·       Conservatives - Extra £1 Billion Promised for Farming Over Next Parliament - NO Clarity on How It Will Be Spent ·       Liberal Democrats - Additional £5 Billion of Funding for Farming Over Next Parliament - However Significant Environmental Focus   Plus, other news from this week: ·       TFA Announces Partnership with TIAH to Elevate Industry Training and Development ·       Ask the TFA Expert -The Importance of Written Agreements ·      Bluetongue Virus - Chief Vet Urges Vigilance

From 1 July 2024, nearly all of Australia's 85,000 farmers are being asked to pay a new tax for biosecurity through the Federal Government's Biosecurity Protection Levy. Join us in urging senators to #ScraptheTax and find fairer solutions. Together, let's protect the interests of Australian agriculture and #KeepFarmersFarming National Farmers' Federation Grain Producers Australia

From access to financial tools and safe working conditions to access to land and resources, farmers face numerous challenges that threaten their basic rights and dignity. Ensuring human rights for farmers isn't just a moral imperative - it's essential for building a sustainable and equitable food system. By advocating for policies that protect farmers' rights, promoting fair trade practices, and supporting initiatives that empower farming communities, we can create a more just and resilient agricultural sector. Let's stand in solidarity with farmers worldwide and work towards a future where everyone involved in food production is treated with dignity, respect, and fairness. #Agriculture #Farmers #FarmersRights #HumanRights

Please sign and share. "Republican lawmakers introduced the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act to curry favor with their Big Ag donors by shielding factory farms from regulation. Food & Water Action is organizing to stop EATS and other harmful, corporate-backed measures from passing in the Farm Bill. Send a message today urging your Senators to oppose the EATS Act!  Say NO to the EATS Act. This bill only encourages a dangerous race to the bottom in which consumers, animals, and our environment lose out to corporate greed."

Activists warn the global food system is on the brink of collapse. The #SAFSC proposes the People's Food Sovereignty Act, targeting legal changes to foster #FoodJustice and combat #ClimateCrisis effects on #FoodSecurity. Join us in backing sustainably led agriculture reforms. https://lnkd.in/dXZb_fE6

The final countdown has begun! ⏱   This election week, it's more important than ever to remember our elected representatives' positions on issues that matter to us all 👀 🗳   A really crucial one is how today's food and farming systems impact citizens - and especially #farmers 👩🌾 ⚖ 👨🌾    The reality? 🚨 80% of EU farming subsidies (the biggest EU budget) goes to just 20% of farms (the biggest and wealthiest). 🚨 In 2019, over 800,000 deaths in the EU were attributable to disease linked to unhealthy diets. 🚨 Many of Europe's major farming unions are led by influential power brokers who claim to represent farmers while shaping policies that actively hurt the majority of them/and the farming community.   It's clear. The EU's current farming model serves to 𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, at the 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘂𝗺-𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺𝘀 which represent the vast majority of farmers (with devastating consequences).   Elected MEPs have the power to change this. So... over the past five years, how have groups in the European Parliament voted on legislation that would bring social justice for farmers and all citizens ⁉   For the full assessment of how political groups performed across a range of #FoodSystems issues, see these scorecards we helped develop with the EU Food Policy Coalition 👉 https://lnkd.in/ewhy4diW   Discover more about the "strongmen" of agriculture and the reality behind the claims that big farming unions across Europe support the interests of most farmers' (spoiler: they do not) 👉https://lnkd.in/eZRrv9vU   #votefutureEU #UseYourVote #EUelections24

The future of a biosecurity bill in Australia is uncertain after the Greens announced they would not support it. The bill, which includes a $50 million levy on farmers, aims to secure biosecurity funding but faces strong opposition from farming groups who argue it could increase food prices. Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson criticised the bill as an unfair tax on farmers and suggested alternative funding methods. National Farmers' Federation CEO Tony Mahar also opposed the levy, advocating for a more transparent and collaborative approach. The government must now decide whether to withdraw or amend the legislation. See the article here: Future of controversial biosecurity bill in doubt as Greens refuse to back 'unfair' levy https://ab.co/4dWeivU

The Cost of Bad Governance: A Threat to Agriculture and Our Freedom Every day, we witness the damaging effects of bad governance, where those in power push harmful bills through parliament that threaten the very foundation of our society—our agriculture. These bills, often disguised as necessary reforms, are nothing more than tools of control, aimed at limiting our food sources and undermining the livelihoods of hardworking farmers. As these destructive policies take root, our agricultural sector—once the backbone of our economy—is left to wither. Farmers are being squeezed by regulations that benefit only the powerful, while the people who rely on these crops for sustenance face dwindling supplies and rising prices. But it doesn't stop there. The same leaders who claim to protect our interests are the ones robbing us blind, siphoning off taxpayers' money to line their own pockets. They are not just stealing our resources—they're stealing our future. We cannot stand idly by as our rights are trampled, our food security is compromised, and our hard-earned money is misappropriated. It's time to hold those in power accountable. It's time to demand governance that puts people before profit, and agriculture before self-interest. Let’s unite in calling for transparency, integrity, and policies that support, rather than destroy, our farmers and food sources. Our future depends on it.