PORTFOLIO NEWS

$12.1 million Asia-Pacific Investment

The Australian Government will invest $12.1 million in forest management and reducing carbon emissions in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Applications are open for projects to improve forest management and reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, under the second phase of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Skills and Capacity Building Program. Read the media release at http://maff.gov.au/media/media_releases/2009/july_new/fighting_illegal_logging_in_the_asia-pacific_and_reducing_carbon_emissions. Visit http://www.daff.gov.au/forestry/international for further information.

Bigger and better

The grains industry will benefit from a new government initiative to identify opportunities for productivity improvements. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said the $1.9 million Harvesting Productivity initiative, to be undertaken by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE), will help determine productivity drivers and constraints. While opening the 2009 Australian Grains Industry Conference in Melbourne last week, Mr Burke said improved productivity was the key to a competitive and sustainable grains industry. Read the media release at www.maff.gov.au/media/media_releases/2009/july_new/bigger_and_better_-_helping_the_grains_industry_increase_productivity

Over 130 delegates in Wangaratta last week

More than 130 delegates attended ABARE’s 2009 Victorian Regional Outlook conference in Wangaratta 29 July. Delegates, drawn from local business, banks, regional development and government sectors, heard from 12 speakers across four sessions. Speakers included ABARE's Jammie Penm, Vince O’Donnell and Catherine Tulloh. Delegates also heard first-hand business case studies from Beechworth Honey, Rutherglen Estates, Corboy Fresh Fruit and Q-Exports, and John Gray, from BRS, discussed soil carbon for productivity or trading . ABARE’s next Regional Outlook conference is in Clare, South Australia on 26 August. For further information visit www.abare.gov.au/regional/

Cooking up support

Many Australian farmers have been struggling with drought for years – with some regions being EC declared since 2002. Their hardships were magnified earlier this year by the bushfires and floods that devastated a large part of Australia’s eastern states. We can all do our bit to support those affected by using Australian-grown produce to create the delicious celebrity chef recipes supplied to Minister Burke by Bill Granger and Donna Hay. View the recipes at http://www.maff.gov.au/content/recipes_to_support_farmers_affected_by_the_heatwave,_fires_and_floods

Drumroll please...

Congratulations to Tony L. of South East Queensland, Tim M. of Singapore and Peter R. of Southern Victoria who are the lucky winners of our Fun Fifty Quiz! Each will receive a DAFFnews prize pack featuring an award-winning documentary Flow ..., which investigates the world water crisis, and four-DVD set Wine lovers guide to Australia, a critically-acclaimed look at Australian winemaking and wine etiquette. Congratulations!