Farmers left ploughed under by silly politicians
THE Abbott regime and Barnaby Joyce are keen to help the Aussie farmer; or so it appears. They have grand plans to build dams, especially in the North. But will this be the panacea they think it to be? What good are these initiatives while we are beholden to free trade agreements that dictate as to what we can and cannot do?
Southern farmers are having trouble selling their crops and some are even ploughing them into the ground. Fruit orchards are disappearing rapidly from Queensland’s Granite Belt because of poor markets and prices paid that don’t meet their costs. Supermarket chains are responsible for some of the take- itor- leave- it prices.
Markets are heavily controlled for the benefit of the buyers, but Australia could easily supply all its food products instead of the imports that now occur. But we don’t have an administration that wants self- sufficiency.
Things need to change dramatically if we are not to starve if the day comes when imports are stopped because of war or other reasons.
JAY NAUSS,
Glen Aplin.