Submissions

Pre-Budget Submission

GrainGrowers welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the 2020-21 budget consultation process.

Daniel ReidDecember 23, 2019

GrainGrowers’ response to Modernising the RDC System Review

Another review is underway by the Australian Government into the Research and Development Corporations system. GrainGrowers’ has stated RDCs need strong governance, accountability and a well demonstrated value to levy…

Daniel ReidDecember 18, 2019

GrainGrowers Future Drought Fund Submission

GrainGrowers has provided a response to the Future Drought Fund draft plan. GrainGrowers believes the program should be used to accelerate activities or practice change that wouldn’t happen without it.…

Daniel ReidDecember 16, 2019

Policies Submissions - 2019

GrainGrowers submission to growing Australian agriculture to $100 billion by 2030

GrainGrowers supports the target of $100 billion growth in Australian agriculture by 2030 and considers Government has a role to ensure policy settings are appropriate and undertake strategic investments and…

Daniel ReidNovember 29, 2019

Homepage Publications - 2019 Submissions - 2019

Property Identification Reforms – GrainGrowers Feedback

The Department of Agriculture is proposing to expand the use of property identifiers (commonly referred to as PICs) to include the major plant production sectors. This will include properties that…

Shona GawelNovember 15, 2019

Industry update on China anti-dumping investigation against Australian barley

Read the joint statement from industry bodies with an update on the China anti-dumping investigation against Australian barley.

Shona GawelNovember 15, 2019

Grains Harvest Management Scheme submission

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has released an issues paper outlining an intention to harmonise the QLD, NSW, VIC and SA Grains Harvest Management Schemes (GHMS). To effectively respond…

Daniel ReidOctober 30, 2019

APVMA submission – Agriculture and veterinary chemicals critical uses

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has recently announced the review of a number of chemical active ingredients important to agriculture. The APVMA is reviewing critical agricultural (including…

Shona GawelOctober 3, 2019

ACCC submission for Viterra’s Wheat Port Code exemption

GrainGrowers' has made a submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) regarding Viterra's application to be exempt from the Wheat Port Code. GrainGrowers' submission emphasises the organisations existing…

Shona GawelOctober 2, 2019

GrainGrowers’ submission regarding the Moratorium on the Cultivation of GM Crops in South Australia

GrainGrowers strongly supports the South Australian Government’s plans to lift the moratorium on growing Genetically Modified (GM) Food Crops across the mainland. For many years, South Australian farmers have not…

Shona GawelSeptember 26, 2019

GrainGrowers Submission: Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement

The European Union is an important market for the Australian grains industry, valued at over A$1.1 billion, driven primarily by the export of Australian canola for use in the European…

Shona GawelSeptember 13, 2019

Presentation IA-CEPA JSCOT inquiry

Read in full the presentation from Luke Mathews, General Manager Policy and Research to the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties Inquiry to the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA)

Shona GawelAugust 26, 2019

China barley anti-dumping update

China’s anti-dumping investigation against the Australian barley industry is continuing and the potential outcomes remain uncertain. The investigation commenced on 19 November 2018, with the final decision due prior to…

Shona GawelAugust 26, 2019

Submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties inquiry to the IA-CEPA

Australia and Indonesia signed the long-awaited Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) in Jakarta earlier this year. IA-CEPA secures new access for Australian feed grains and this new market is…

Daniel ReidAugust 16, 2019

Grower update – grains levy payer register

GrainGrowers and Grain Producers Australia welcome the commencement of the levy payer register for the Australian grains industry. Please read the joint statement from Brett Hosking, GrainGrowers Chairman and Andrew…

Shona GawelAugust 13, 2019

Submission to Australia Pulse Standards Committee

Further to recommendations in 2018, that Pulse Australia amend the Defective Tolerances applied to No.1 Domestic faba beans to be more consistent with the other faba bean standards, GrainGrowers has…

Daniel ReidJuly 12, 2019

Correspondence to the Department of Agriculture & Water Resources

GrainGrowers has written to the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources on the matter of the importation of grains and grain products into Australia and has asked the Department to…

Shona GawelMay 21, 2019

Submission to Supplemental Comments on APVMA’s approach to spray drift management

As part of the APVMA’s ongoing spraydrift consultation, GrainGrowers provided a submission to supplemental comments on the APVMA’s approach to spray drift management – Stage 1. GrainGrowers and its National…

Daniel ReidApril 8, 2019

Submission to GTA Standards committee

GrainGrowers provided a submission to the GTA Standards committee. Key issues raised by GrainGrowers include: (1) changes to ANW2 standards; (2) nil contaminants; (3) manual vacuum sampling; and (4) moisture…

Shona GawelMarch 25, 2019

Submission to the PM’s Drought taskforce

GrainGrowers supports the need for a commonwealth strategy for drought preparedness and resilience (as outlined in the Taskforce consultation paper February 2019), and recommends an additional priority area called “Enhance…

Shona GawelMarch 21, 2019

2018

Policy Submissions - 2018

Grain import policies, protocols and permits

GrainGrowers has written to the Australian Government today reaffirming we do not oppose the importation of grains or processed grain products, as long as biosecurity is not compromised. Australia’s long-standing…

Shona GawelDecember 20, 2018

GTA Standards

GrainGrowers outlines improvements required to the GTA Standards. Key issues raised by GrainGrowers include: (1) nil contaminants; (2) moisture tolerance in Tasmania; (3) manual vacuum sampling; (4) defective tolerance in…

Shona GawelNovember 22, 2018

The independence of regulatory decisions made by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority

GrainGrowers welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to this inquiry into the independence of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA)...

Shona GawelNovember 20, 2018

GrainGrowers supports lifting of SA ban on GM crops

GrainGrowers has supported Grain Producers SA's proposal to lift the current moratorium on the cultivation of GM crops in South Australia...

Shona GawelOctober 26, 2018

Inquiry into FTA access

GrainGrowers encourages the Government to support preferential trade agreements with capacity building initiatives that create opportunities and capture values for Australian grain exports. Preferential trade...

Calendar Comp EditorJune 26, 2018

Phase 3 of the Third Review of the National Gene Technology Scheme

GrainGrowers supports the need for the National Gene Technology Scheme, however for continuation and improvement in its operation, national consistency is essential.

Calendar Comp EditorMay 24, 2018

Policies Production Submissions Submissions - 2018

GTA 2018/19 Standard Review

GrainGrowers outlines improvements required to the GTA Standards. Key issues discussed by GrainGrowers include: (1) standards database and statement of standards; (2) snail tolerance in barley; (3) feed barley name…

Calendar Comp EditorMay 21, 2018

Defective Tolerances in Faba Beans

GrainGrowers has shown that the current faba bean receival standards unfairly penalise farmers and has recommended amendments to Pulse Australia...

Calendar Comp EditorMay 10, 2018

Inputs Policies Submissions - 2018

Australian Consumer Law Review

GrainGrowers is recommending better protections and, where necessary, remedies for farmers under the Australian Consumer Law. This includes: - an increase in the dollar value of goods which are covered…

Calendar Comp EditorApril 23, 2018

Submissions Submissions - 2018

Inquiry into the TPP-11

GrainGrowers welcomed the current Joint Standing Committee on Treaties inquiry into the TPP-11 agreement, saying that the TPP-11 was a positive step and will help boost prices for Australian grain…

Calendar Comp EditorApril 19, 2018

Policies Production Submissions - 2018

Response on Food Derived using New Breeding Techniques

GrainGrowers believes New Breeding Techniques (NBTs) should be excluded from regulation if the outcomes they produce are similar to, or indistinguishable from the products of conventional breeding.

Calendar Comp EditorApril 12, 2018

GTA 2018/19 Standards Review

GrainGrowers recognises the need for Trading Standards to reflect the requirements of domestic and export markets and supports: - Revision of the tolerance for snails in barley to 1 snail…

Calendar Comp EditorApril 9, 2018

GTA Technical Guideline Document on Sampling

Members have reported a significant variation in grain sample discrepancies across many receival sites in the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons. In particular, there is reported to be significant discrepancy in…

Calendar Comp EditorApril 9, 2018

Draft Plant Export Cost Recovery

GrainGrowers encourages the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources to ensure the efficiency of its internal operations, given any charges imposed on industry directly impact the international competitiveness of Australian…

Calendar Comp EditorMarch 29, 2018

Inputs Policies Submissions - 2018

Spray Drift Management

In relation to the APVMA's proposed approach, GrainGrowers supports the need for: - reasonable buffer zones, - clearer label instructions, - the use of spray drift reducing technologies and tools, and…

Calendar Comp EditorMarch 28, 2018

Policies R&D Submissions - 2018

Response to the GRDC 2018-2023 Research, Development and Extension Plan Discussion Paper

GrainGrowers supports enduring profitability as the key driver of the GRDC strategic plan, and the associated investment in the five identified priority areas - yield, price, on-farm and post farm-gate…

Calendar Comp EditorMarch 13, 2018

Compensation for Economic Loss to Farmers in WA caused by GM Contamination

GrainGrowers is opposed to a separate mechanism to consider Genetically Modified (GM) contamination as it is likely to compromise a farmer’s ability to choose to grow Office of the Gene…

Calendar Comp EditorFebruary 27, 2018

R&D Submissions - 2018

Proposed Amendments to the Gene Technology Regulations 2001

GrainGrowers seeks a subcategory of regulations for plant breeding that exclude certain new technologies from regulation, based on the outcomes they would produce, to enable plant breeding sciences to advance…

Calendar Comp EditorFebruary 7, 2018

Submissions Submissions - 2017 Transport

Review of the Industry Code – Port Terminal Access (Bulk Wheat)

GrainGrowers believes that the Port Terminal Access Code (the Code) is necessary to support fair and transparent access to port terminal services and should be retained. It must continue to…

Calendar Comp EditorJanuary 1, 2018

2017

Response to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator Issues Paper

A national, comprehensive and practical Class 1 Notice is essential for the grains sector: it will reduce red tape and can facilitate industry efficiency within an appropriate risk management framework.…

bradpittNovember 22, 2017

Industry Development Policies Submissions Submissions - 2017

Regional Development and Decentralisation

GrainGrowers strongly believes that decentralisation and the relocation of agencies can provide benefits to agricultural industries and regional Australia. Successful decentralisation can only be achieved if all appropriate infrastructure is…

bradpittSeptember 22, 2017

Policies R&D Submissions - 2017

Review of the Gene Technology Scheme

The ability to access gene technology is essential for the continued development and growth of the grains industry in Australia. GrainGrowers believes that access to gene technology is necessary for…

Calendar Comp EditorSeptember 14, 2017

Policies Submissions - 2017 Transport

Inquiry into National Freight and Supply Chain Priorities

With Australia's total grain production worth $17.3 billion at the farm gate, and total agricultural production forecast to be worth $63.8 billion in 2016-17, the grains industry's ability to compete…

Calendar Comp EditorAugust 4, 2017

Industry Development Policies Submissions - 2017

IA-CEPA Negotiations – Feed Grain Market Access

Although Indonesia is Australia’s largest export market for wheat, valued at $1.3 billion per annum, the current grain trade is almost exclusively for flour milling purposes. GrainGrowers estimates the underlying…

Calendar Comp EditorJuly 26, 2017

Policies Submissions - 2017 Transport

Independent Pricing of Heavy Vehicles Discussion Paper Submission

There is a significant freight task associated with moving, on average, 45 million tonnes of grain produced each year to market and this involves transport by both road and rail…

Calendar Comp EditorJuly 12, 2017

Response to the Statement of Issues regarding AGT proposed acquisition of InterGrain

GrainGrowers is not opposed to the acquisition of InterGrain by AGT from proceeding (with certain undertakings) as it will provide long term stability to barley breeding and will preserve essential…

Calendar Comp EditorApril 30, 2017

NBN roll-out and the experience of grain farmers

Digital farming is the next frontier of gains for the Australian grains industry. However, the true developmental opportunity will only be realised once it is underpinned by reliable and cost-effective…

Calendar Comp EditorApril 7, 2017

Industry Development Submissions - 2017

2017/18 GTA Trading Standards Review

GrainGrowers supports a review of the existing Visual Recognition Standards Guide, recommends easy access to the Standards Database, and supports the development of a national procedure for an oat varietal…

Calendar Comp EditorMarch 21, 2017

Operation, Effectiveness and Consequences of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Order

GrainGrowers strongly believes that relocation of agencies may provide benefits to agricultural industries and the broader public, but this must be considered on an individual basis and supported by a…

Calendar Comp EditorMarch 10, 2017

Market Access / Trade Policies Submissions - 2017

DFAT Inquiry into the EU Free Trade Agreement

GrainGrowers priorities for all trade negotiations are tariff elimination and removal of all quota barriers on all grains and all grain products; that agreements include measures to minimise the risk…

Calendar Comp EditorFebruary 26, 2017

Letter to the ACCC on the Proposed Acquisition of Intergrain by AGT

Whilst not opposed to the acquisition of InterGrain by AGT on the basis that it will preserve essential germplasm in Australian breeding programs and that the market can support two…

Calendar Comp EditorFebruary 17, 2017

Growth Potential in Australia’s Trade and Investment Relationship with Indonesia

Australian wheat exports to Indonesia are valued at $1.3bn annually, accounting for more than 20% of Australia’s total wheat exports. Indonesia is a growing market, with its total wheat imports…

Calendar Comp EditorFebruary 14, 2017

2016

Technical Review of the Gene Technology Regulations

GrainGrowers supports the exclusion of certain new technologies from regulation on the basis of the outcomes they produce, which would therefore see organisms exluded from regulation as GMOs if the…

Calendar Comp EditorNovember 14, 2016

Response to the Trade Advice Notice & Approved Permit from the APVMA for Glyphosate Use on Feed Barley Pre-Harvest

GrainGrowers supports the permit application from Grain Producers Australia to allow the use of glyphosate on barley (except malting barley) as a harvest aid and for weed control, and that…

Calendar Comp EditorOctober 28, 2016

Opening Statement to the Inquiry into the Trans Pacific Partnership

The Trans Pacific Partnership group of nations includes two of Australia’s top 5 export grain markets, which in total account for approaching 20% of Australia’s grain exports. If the Trans…

Calendar Comp EditorOctober 11, 2016

Review of the Exemption Provided to Managed Investment Schemes which include Grain Pools

GrainGrowers supports ASICs position, as without exemptions that are currently in place for grain pool operators, significant inefficiencies would be introduced to the grain pool market. Grain pool operators would…

Calendar Comp EditorSeptember 1, 2016

Inputs Policies Submissions - 2016

Australian Government Working Holiday Maker Visa (Backpacker Tax) Review

GrainGrowers offers several solutions-based recommendations, including implementation of a 19 per cent tax rate for backpackers on every dollar earned, superannuation not be paid to backpackers, an Agricultural Apprenticeship Scheme…

Calendar Comp EditorAugust 26, 2016

Inquiry into Regulation in Agriculture

Regulations around agriculture need to align with the long term objectives of the industry. Any regulatory reform that assists in sensibly reducing the costs of production and getting grain to…

Calendar Comp EditorAugust 16, 2016

Impending New Hazard Labelling Recommendations

New hazard labeling requirements will this will impose additional obligations on agricultural chemicals that already comply with comprehensive labeling requirements that reflect rigorous risk assessments, which are undertaken by the…

Calendar Comp EditorMay 30, 2016

GTA’s Grade Trading Standards for the 2016/17 Harvest

This submission details several recommendations made by GrainGrowers to the second round of submissions for the 2016/17 GTA Trading Standards Review.

Calendar Comp EditorMay 27, 2016

Inquiry into Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection

GrainGrowers supports the use of levy payer information by Representative Organisations for the purpose of engagement and consultation, and encourages the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources to consider opportunities…

Calendar Comp EditorMarch 30, 2016

Inquiry into Regulation in Australian Agriculture

Regulation in Australian agriculture as it currently stands is unduly complicated, duplicative and overly burdensome. As a result, we have a situation where agricultural productivity is being restricted by the…

Calendar Comp EditorMarch 16, 2016

Inquiry into the Trans Pacific Partnership

If Australia does not join the TPP, countries who do join the TPP will be afforded the benefit of more efficient supply chains, and the benefits that our industry has…

Calendar Comp EditorMarch 16, 2016

Role of Development Partnerships in Agriculture and Agribusiness in the IndoPacific Region

GrainGrowers recognises the value of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research's work for facilitating development in the Indo-Pacific region. However, there is room to add further value be ensuring…

Calendar Comp EditorJanuary 11, 2016

2015

Changes to Farm Management Deposit Scheme Draft Legislation

This submission provides feedback on the following improvements to the Farm Management Deposit scheme: a doubling of the deposit limit for FMDs from $400,000 to $800,000; the removal of legislative…

Calendar Comp EditorDecember 30, 2015

Inquiry on the Role of Technology in Increasing Agricultural Productivity

This submission addresses the Terms of Reference for the Committee’s inquiry into the role of technology in increasing agricultural productivity in Australia, including: improvements in the efficiency of agricultural practices…

Calendar Comp EditorOctober 30, 2015

Inquiry into the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement

GrainGrowers supports the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. The deal is extremely important to the grains industry because of the preferential tariff access achieved for other important Australian grain exports. The…

Calendar Comp EditorAugust 27, 2015

Draft Cost Recovery Implementation Plan

GrainGrowers provided comments on the consultation, including the CRIS provides inadequate explanation and no quantitative evidence for the need to increase fees and charges; despite opportunities for efficiencies, overall fees…

Calendar Comp EditorAugust 14, 2015

Joint Standing Committee on Treaties Inquiry to ChAFTA

GrainGrowers outlines the significant benefits of ChAFTA will be heightened if: ChAFTA comes into force sufficiently ahead of other trade agreements with China; technical barriers/SPS measures do not replace tariffs…

Calendar Comp EditorJuly 27, 2015

Regional Telecommunications Review

Our submission outlines that 55 per cent of growers responded to GrainGrowers' recent technology survey that their mobile speed and coverage was marginal, poor or non-existent; and 75 per cent…

Calendar Comp EditorJuly 20, 2015

Australia–India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement

GrainGrowers is supportive of an enhanced trade environment between Australia and India because: India has a large and growing population, with increasingly Western diets; Indian grain supply can be variable…

Calendar Comp EditorJuly 15, 2015

Response to the Re:Think – Tax Discussion Paper

GrainGrowers recommendations include the development of Tax Policy needs to address and reflect the circumstances of farm businesses, in particular the volatility associated with agricultural production in Australia and the…

Calendar Comp EditorMay 15, 2015

Feedback on the Options Paper for Strengthening Australia’s Foreign Investment Framework

GrainGrowers supports the National Farmers Federation submission, including the need to re-balance Competition Policy settings to ensure the proposed Foreign Investment Framework adequately addresses issues arising from consolidation and possible…

Calendar Comp EditorMarch 30, 2015

Response to GrainCorp and Emerald Logistics Applications Seeking Exemption from Provisions of the Port Terminal Access Code

GrainGrowers considers there will likely be insufficient competition to warrant exemption under the two applications, and recommends that exemptions be reserved until the successful initial operation of the Bunge facility,…

Calendar Comp EditorJanuary 28, 2015

2014

Response to the Agricultural Competitiveness Green Paper

GrainGrowers is supportive of 16 of the policy solutions, identifying five of these in recognition that not all approaches can be pursued immediately. The submission identifies that the issue of…

Calendar Comp EditorDecember 12, 2014

Inquiry into Industry Structures and Systems Governing the Imposition and Disbursement of Marketing and R&D Levies

62 per cent of respondents to GrainGrowers preparatory survey to the submission indicated that they want the levy to remain the same. GrainGrowers recommends a regular review of the levy…

Calendar Comp EditorNovember 30, 2014

Inquiry into the Rural R&D Legislation Amendment Bill 2014

In order to support the Bill, GrainGrowers seeks greater involvement of the grains industry representative bodies. The Department of Agriculture International Grains Council (IGC) representative should report back to industry…

Calendar Comp EditorOctober 17, 2014

Grain Export Networks

GrainGrowers makes several recommendations to address the need for coordination and oversight of the system to deliver greater benefits to stakeholders, noting that this will not be achieved if left…

Calendar Comp EditorJuly 30, 2014

Market Access / Trade Policies Submissions - 2014

Competition Policy Review

GrainGrowers supports the findings of the Productivity Commission's report and concludes that a code of conduct regulating the export of bulk wheat from Australia is leading to a more competitive…

Calendar Comp EditorJune 30, 2014

Port Terminal Access (Bulk Wheat) Regulation

GrainGrowers supports the introduction of a mandatory code that can adjust to competition levels and vertical integration with a pathway to full deregulation within a five-year time frame.

Calendar Comp EditorJune 24, 2014

Agricultural Competitiveness Issues Paper

GrainGrowers examines the critical issues of competitiveness in the supply chain, which are attracting private capital, future productivity and competitiveness, supply chain competitiveness, enhanced access to high-value markets, and internationalisation…

Calendar Comp EditorApril 17, 2014

Preliminary Assessment of Wheat Export Quality Management Practices Discussion Paper

GrainGrowers recommends improvement in breeding research lag times, the formation of a technical advisory committee, that End Point Royalties are reflective of the yield and price received for a variety…

Calendar Comp EditorFebruary 12, 2014

2013

Stocks Information Requirements

GrainGrowers' encourages the Government to reinstate funding for ABS Stocks data and provides a recommendation for funds held in the Wheat Industry Special Account.

Calendar Comp EditorAugust 16, 2013

Recommendations to the Australian Farm Institute Research Agenda

GrainGrowers proposes five themes to be incorporated into the Australian Farm Institute's Research Agenda. These are Productivity of the Grains Industry and Future Returns; Importance of Traceability from the Farm…

Calendar Comp EditorJune 1, 2013

Australia in the Asian Century Country Strategies

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Australia asked GrainGrowers to contribute to the development of country strategies for Japan, China, Indonesia, India and South Korea, as mandated by…

Calendar Comp EditorMay 30, 2013