SEPTEMBER 2020 

A word from Rob Massina, President of RGA

With contracts filled early last month and the recent release of a pool for C21, there is optimism about the rice season ahead.  Continued increase in allocation, downward pressure on water prices, some access to supplementary water and an indicative price range firms up planning for a successful summer rice program that supports our businesses and communities.

Some members have called me over the past two months asking whether the RGA support the water transparency bill introduced to the NSW parliament by our local member. Can I please assure you, that the RGA has had a policy on water transparency long before any bill was introduced to parliament. We form our policy based on the views of a members and we will not support any particular individual or political party. We are working with all sides of politics to ensure a bill is put up that supports our policy, is transparent and has no unintended consequences to us as irrigators in the long term. We are currently working on these amendments with our elected representatives.

The ACCC interim report into water markets also clearly outlines deficiencies with regard to transparency. Together with SunRice, we are working on a robust submission into their findings prior to the end of October. You have recently received a survey from us, asking for your views more broadly on water markets, its architecture and regulation. I encourage you all to participate as it will help us prioritise key areas of the 544 page report that impact growers.  (Link to survey).

Last week you also received a copy of our submission to the Productivity Commission’s review of the National Water Initiative (NWI). This submission was put together collaboratively between the RGA Water Committee, SunRice and the assistance of RMCG, looking at water reform impacts on the NWI. Our submission delves into the failings to create a clear vision for irrigated agriculture in Australia, and manage the transition in an equitable way which ensures diversity of commodities and industries, and the communities and the economies which rely on irrigated agriculture.


I would like to finish off by congratulating those that were successfully elected to positions within the RGA last week.  Erin Draper (Yanco) and Kellie Crossley (Deniliquin) were nominated and elected to the RGA board for the first time, well done on your appointment. We have some great people around the table, an effective team that will continue to work even harder on behalf of our members for the next 12 months.

A word from Martin van der Sluys, RGA Victoria Branch President  

Winter forced me into the shed to attend to machinery maintenance and repairs, but now with drier conditions, I am able to venture out and knock over some gardening duties for the head gardener, mainly rolling out rice straw for garden mulch and preparing paddocks for rice sowing around mid-October.  Recently, I’ve been ripping banks to fill in cracks and mouse holes and cleaning out toe furrows with the delver...  

Your RGA team advocating for you

An update on RGA's recent, significant engagements with Federal and State Ministers, Government Departments, Peak Bodies, and other major stakeholders.

Find out more about the ACCC Survey for the Water Market Inquiry, what's happening in the advocacy space, and RGA's contribution to the conversation on water allocations...  READ THE FULL ARTICLE

A Word from Neil Bull, RGA Environment Projects Manager

The RGA Environmental Sustainability Committee have been overseeing a number of initiatives on behalf of RGA members,  the priorities of the committee include supporting Landcare, continuing the Bitterns in Rice Project, and contributing to National Farmers Federation NFF sustainable Development Committee and Climate... READ THE FULL ARTICLE

A Word from Charleton Glenn, RGA Policy Officer

The RGA Productivity and Industry Affairs (PIA) committee have been working hard behind the scenes on behalf of RGA members, the main focus of the committee has been the rice vesting review, transformational change for the future of the rice R&D program and engaging with the National Farmers Federation.  READ THE FULL ARTICLE

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR RGA MEMBERS

READ THE FULL ARTICLE

RGA Rice Industry Leadership Program

The Rice Leadership Program was due to be completed in September 2020, due to COVID the program has been granted an extension through to June 2021. The first programs to be offered are three short, sharp introductory level online workshops and will be conducted on-line this year due to COVID-19 constraints. READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Rice Extension Preseason Webinar recordings now available.

Online. 

Regional Investment Corporation Loans Available. 

 

Deniliquin Kolety Lagoons Landcare Working Bee.

Sunday 20th September: 1.00 pm – 3.00 pm

RGA Next Gen Workshop: Time Management, Online

Tuesday 22nd September: 9.00 am – 2.00 pm

Caring for the Land: Farm care networks and adoptability of soil improvement techniques and practices, Online, Soil CRC

Tuesday 22nd September: 11.00 am – 11.45 am

Murray Landcare Collective Meeting.

Wednesday 30th September: 10.00 am – 12.30 pm

RGA Next Gen Workshop: Communication Skills, Online

Tuesday 6th October: 9.00 am – 2.00 pm

RGA Next Gen Workshop: Public Speaking, Online

Tuesday 20th October: 9.00 am – 2.00 pm

PARTNERS

RGA thank our Partners for their generous support throughout the year.

As our growers are thinking about their plans for the C21 crop, the SunRice Board is pleased to have announced the opening of a pool for the 2021 Riverina rice season, with an estimated range of $390 to $450 per metric tonne for medium grain Reiziq. We have all been watching the rainfall very closely over the past few weeks and the results have been mixed.  READ THE FULL ARTICLE


H2OX outline their latest water report: Excellent August rains saw above choke prices decrease from $260/ML to $155-$160/ML. Below choke prices dropped from $360/ML to $230-$235/ML. Murrumbidgee prices tumbled from $350 to $140/ML with the significant increases in determinations. The Goulburn received lower than average rainfall and prices only reduced slightly from $200/ML to $170/ML. Supplementary events throughout NSW helped maintain the lower prices... READ THE FULL ARTICLE 


This year has been like no other. Talk of recovery continues to dominate the national agenda, and at Telstra we believe it’s time to strengthen our economy and our communities. Australia now has a significant digital economy and for many Australians, communicating through technology is part of their everyday experience. The pandemic has accelerated digital adoption, from at-home working and learning to telehealth and online shopping...  READ THE FULL ARTICLE




Rice Marketing Board update: RMB Chair, John Culleton discusses the RMB's decision regarding reducing the size of the SunRice Board, verification of 2018-19 export price premium and freight scale advantage and the Vesting Review ... READ THE FULL ARTICLE





 

Local Land Services update: Boosting the Bunyip Bird Yield: Expressions of Interest Now Open! The incentive program is open to all rice farmers who live in the project area. The area includes the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, Coleambally Irrigation Area and farms in the nearby mid Murrumbidgee... READ THE FULL ARTICLE


 

Murray Darling Basin Authority update: The MDBA Chair, Sir Angus Houston, has welcomed the announcement on 4 September by the Minister for Water Keith Pitt that the government will bring greater focus to Basin communities, as the Basin Plan moves towards its final stages of the implementation. The initiatives address some of the issues the MDBA has been hearing about from communities for some time. The government’s new investment package has three themes... READ THE FULL ARTICLE

 

 

Murrumbidgee Landcare update: Any farmers who are looking to protect any native habitat on their farm or to plant their own special piece of paradise are very welcome to Kathy Tenison ( Local Landcare Coordinator for the Bidgee Irrigation area) and have a chat about potential projects. Of course, it great to have a big group of people that are like minded to have a large impact on the environment but small groups or just one person can make a big difference... READ THE FULL ARTICLE