Major success on water, wild dogs

At its annual meeting at Roseworthy on Friday last week, Livestock SA president Geoff Power highlighted that numbers had grown to 2368 but he encouraged more producers to get involved.

"Livestock SA is all about its members," he said. "We want to hear your views, we want to have your input, we want you to stay in touch. We are only as strong as the information you give us." It had acted for the state's sheep, cattle and goat producers on "a huge range of issues" in the past year, including many submissions to state and federal governments - an area he believed livestock producers enjoyed the most value for their membership.

"Governments are looking at frequently trying to change laws and regulations and unless we as livestock producers are represented at the table we will miss out," he said. "If we find out later, it is very difficult to overturn it."

A major success was to gain $275,000 funding from the state government for water infrastructure and wild dog control in the northern pastoral areas. It was believed to be the first time a state farming organisation anywhere in Australia had been given the responsibility to administer a drought-support scheme.

The federal government also provided $375,000 for the project, in which 17 applications were approved.

Livestock SA also coordinated support for livestock producers affected by the Kersbrook and Sampson Flat bushfires, lobbied successfully to retain the Pastoral Board, and had input with Primary Producers SA into a 90-day transport project to ensure more efficient movement of livestock.

Mr Power said the organisation would continue to work with the state and federal governments to ensure expedient delivery of drought concessional loans for 2015-16 financial year with the North East Pastoral, areas west of the Flinders Ranges, and the West Coast very dry, and the South East on a "knife edge".

Another priority was to secure more support for PIRSA, SARDI and Biosecurity SA.

"Agriculture overall is going to be the saviour for this state and we want to see more resources go into those organisations," he said. "If we are going to grow and innovate we need research and development and we need extension.

"We are an exporting state so the industry would shut down overnight and we would be in real strife if we got an exotic disease, so we have to be vigilant on biosecurity."

Livestock SA was taking a strong stand against mining in highly productive agricultural areas of the state but the organisation and affected local communities had a "fight on their hands".

"We are not against mining per se but we don't want to see foodbowl areas of SA and aquifers ruined by mining," he said.

Most of Livestock SA's funding is derived from the state's sheep and cattle producers through the Sheep Industry Fund and Cattle Industry Fund - nearly $276,000 in 2014-15, but it was working on commercial opportunities for further support.