Date: October 23rd, 2007

**** Organic Livestock E-Circular #8 ****

Dear industry member,

If you have news that you would like to submit for circulation in the Livestock Circular, please submit this at the link: http://www.bfa.com.au/index.asp?Sec_ID=203.

To submit a classified ad (free service for BFA members) visit http://news.bfa.com.au/classifieds/

We hope you find this circular of interest and look forward to your feedback as always.

Holly Vyner
PR Coordinator

**** CLASSIFIED – LATEST ADVERTISMENTS ****

SHEEP AND LAMB FOR SALE

Ewes
440 Merino ewes, 4, 5 and 6 yo, January shorn, USDA & ACO certified
Augathella QLD
Ph 07 4654 5454 John Elmes

Merino Sheep
R & J Unger
Heavy cutting, medium micron wool, fly & worm resistant. Biodynamically cert. BFA 2232bd
Ph Ray Unger 0268697635
ungers@gobushmail.com

CATTLE FOR SALE

Steers
Description 90 cross bred steers, 400kg approx, ACO certified.
Augathella QLD
Ph 07 4654 5454 John Elmes

Poll Hereford cattle
Steers, heifers & cows
R & J Unger
Quiet, good do-ers, biodynamically certified
BFA cert no 2232bd
Ph Ray Unger 0268697635; ungers@gobushmail.com

HAY FOR SALE

Silage
30 tonne of top quality roundbales available ACO A cert. Will be protein testing etc.
Located Grenfell, NSW.
Ph. 02 6343 2663, Email okara@bluemaxx.com.au

WANTED

Hay To Buy
Straw or similar for orchard mulch
To buy up to 200 round bales straw suitable for mulching young orchard
Southern NSW district near Albury
M Done (02) 6020 2061

Livestock for Agistment
Cattle Wanted for Feb '08
700 - 1000 dry cattle wanted for agistment from the first week of February till the first week of June '08. (18 weeks). We are also looking for a long term arrangement after that with an Organic producer. For up to Four years, 8 to 10 months per year.
18,000 acres set up for cell grazing, 35 kms North of Brewarrina in Western NSW. 130 Kms south of the QLD border.
Fully certified with ACO & USDA.
Currently de-stocking completely for the summer in anticipation of rain, and we offer full management with excellent quiet livestock handling techniques utilised.
Please forward tenders or expressions of interest to:
Graham & Cathy Finlayson
"Bokhara Plains"
Brewarrina NSW 2839
Ph: 0268744921 / 0428168407
Email: bokharaplains@bigpond.com
Web: www.bokharaplains.com

REAL ESTATE

New South Wales
Certified Biodynamic & Organic Farm
For Sale 310 acre farm currently running beef, sheep and agistment cattle. Situated on far south coast 15min from beach. Large 3 bedroom home close to town. Has potential development section, creek, dams, fences & great sheds. Ph: 0429 937232

ACO Certified 'A' Organic Farm - Grafton
Grafton 36.02 HA/89 acres ACO certified A organic farm, fully arable with good pasture and shade trees. The property has 2 klms of creek frontage with 3 dams and 2 bores supplying ample water for organic produce which is sent to the Sydney and Melbourne markets for the past 15 years. Sheds are a colorbond packing shed with a 2.4 x 2.6 coolroom and machinery shed. Timber post and rail horse yards with shelters and automatic water troughs and a separate block stable with yard. The home is double brick with 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, huge living areas and brand new kitchen. There is a separate 1 bedroom fully self contained flat. The property is situated 11 klms west of Grafton.
Price $675,000
Telephone - 02 66449500

Victoria
Organic Dairy Farm
This internationally recognised farm for its quality produce features:
Gently undulating and picturesque landscape
Certified organic by NASAA in 1989 as Australia’s first Organic Dairy Farm - NASAA Certified Bio-Dynamic.
3 Titles - 99.5Ha in 3 titles, good laneways to over 50 paddocks
1100mm (44 inch) average annual Rainfall, close to Wilson’s Promontory
Farm.
Located on Bitumen Rd 1km off the hwy 2 hours from Melbourne.
To read more please download the attached brochure including photos.
Contact: R & B Smith, ph 03 5683 2340, email orana@dcsi.net.au

Tasmania
Certified 'A' Grade Organic BFA/ OGA
Beside the Ringarooma River, zoned for rural residential, horticulture, tourism, education, this unspoilt five acre block offers superb views, an established herb garden, arable and grazing areas as well as enviable privacy despite its busy highway frontage.
It’s a perfect rural retreat, zoned to service tourists or just to enjoy. Why don’t you come and have a look, or look into it?
Contact Gwen on (03) 6354 2132. I’m selling because I’m over 80 - too old to cope.

**** TRAINING DAYS WORKSHOPS AND FIELD DAYS ****

The BFA offers several training packages for the organic industry. A summary is provided on each including the next course date as follows.

Organic Advisors Training Course
When: 19 - 22 November 2007
Where:National Environment Centre – Riverina Institute of TAFE Albury NSW
Cost: Advisor $1,275.00 (including GST)
Information Sheet: http://www.bfa.com.au/_files/BFA%20Organic%20Advisors%20Course%20-%20Info%20Sheet.pdf
Application Form: http://www.bfa.com.au/_files/BFA%20Advisors%20Course%20-%20Application%20Form.doc

Organic Auditing Training Course
When: 19 - 23 November 2007
Where:National Environment Centre – Riverina Institute of TAFE Albury NSW
Cost: Advisor $1375.00 (including GST)
Course Outline: http://www.bfa.com.au/_files/BFA%20Organic%20Advisors%20Course%20-%20Info%20Sheet.pdf
Application Form: http://www.bfa.com.au/_files/BFA

Organic On Farm Food Safety Training Course
When: TBA
Where: TBA
Cost: Advisor $275.00 (including GST)
Course Outline: http://www.bfa.com.au/_files/BFA%20On%20Farm%20Food%20Safety%20Workshop%20-%20Info%20Sheet.pdfOn
Application Form: http://www.bfa.com.au/_files/BFA

JAS Training Courses
JAS training courses are a requirement of Japan's Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestries (MAFF) for those seeking certification to the Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS).
Training courses are generally held in main capital cities around Australia upon demand.
When: 30 November 2007
Where: Adelaide
Cost: Advisor $214.50 (including GST)
Application Form: http://www.bfa.com.au/_files/ACO_JAS%20Training_Processor_ADL_30NOV07.pdf

More information can be found at the following link; JAS Training Courses

Soil Health Workshops
A workshop is being held as part of Envirofund Round 7 Landcare project in conjunction with the BFA, for graziers interested in drought management using ecological approaches.
When: 3rd November between 9am and 3pm
Where: DPI Applethorpe Research Station, Stanthorpe QLD
Enquiries: Kristy Harvey, Stanthorpe Landcare Coordinator Ph. 4681 6145
All are asked to bring a cut lunch and morning tea/ drinks.

Soil Health Workshops
Workshops for addressing soil health with benefits for horticulture, grazing and cropping are being coordinated by BFA in conjunction with the Burekin Tropics NRM.
Clairmont & Bowen Workshops:
When & Where:
Clairmont, Qld Workshop: 13th November 2007, 9 till 3pm
Bowen Region, Qld Workshop: 15th November 2007, 9am till 3pm
Enquiries: Peter Arthofer, ph 07 4724 3544.
All are asked to bring a cut lunch and morning tea/ drinks.

Pialaway Workshop:
When & Where: Pialaway (between Surat and Condamine), Qld Workshop 28th November 2007, 9am till 3pm
Enquiries: Roger and Sandra Schwennesen, Ph 07 4623 5295
All are asked to bring a cut lunch and morning tea/ drinks.

To register your interest in a training course in your area Download an Expression of Interest Form

For more information on training contact the BFA Office
PO Box 530, Chermside Qld 4032
Ph. 07 3350 5716
Fax: 07 3350 5996
Email: info@bfa.com.au

**** NEWS AND STORIES OF INTEREST ****

The following articles appeared in the Queensland Country Life and Land Newspapers Markets Xtra Certified Organics Pages (written by the BFA and published the last Thursday of every month)
If you would like to contribute to these pages or advertise your business contact Adam Birkby at the BFA on (07) 3350 5716 Ext 236

**** AuctionsPlus delivers premium price for central Qld coastal bred certified organic cattle ****

AuctionsPlus provides an ideal facility to sell organic store cattle and sheep as the integrity of the cattle’s organic status is not threatened while allowing access to a broader market providing exposure to potential buyers nationally
This month ACO certified Cattle producer Nobbs Cattle Co received excellent results via the exposure and competition provided by AuctionsPlus Online weekly Internet sale.
Allan and Brett Nobbs offered and sold 292 steers from their Fitzroy Vale property on the Queensland Central Coast east of Rockhampton.
Bidding resulted in 94 steers being sold to EU producer John Howard, Mountain View, Biloela, weighing 320 to 390 av 349kg for 168.6c.
Two B/Doubles were purchased by Capella graziers Roger and Carolyn Lee to restock their Organic property Caroa paying 176.4c for 100 Brahaman steers weighing 280 to 320 av 309kg and another line of 96 steers weighing 320 to 390 av 350kg paying 166.8c.
The final bid price was some 16c to 26c above the vendor’s reserve. Up against trends influencing prices paid for cattle including the current price of grain, the Australian dollar and the season, it was an unexpected but very positive result with in the vendors receiving a larger than expected gross premium.
For enquiries into organic sales via AuctionsPlus please contact Landmark’s Queensland and Northern Territory AuctionsPlus State Coordinator Col Campbell on mob 0429 068 810 or email col.campbell@landmark.com.au.

**** Total clearance at organic wool sale ****

A feature sale of more than 220 bales of certified and accredited organic and “eco” wool in Melbourne has attracted strong demand from the international wool buying community which bought every bale on offer.
The total clearance of organic and eco wool was yet another clear indication that the increasing demand for Australian-grown organic wool shows no sign of abating. Elders Wool Portfolio Manager Geoff Redden said the feature sale generated premiums of up to 5 per cent above prices for corresponding non-organic wools offered on the day.
Mr Redden said the major buyers were Lempriere Australia and BWK Elders. Wool purchased by BWK Elders will be sent to its Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) fully-accredited organic wool processing facility in Bremen, Germany. The first wool mill in the world to receive GOTS certification.
Conducted in conjunction with the Elders Premier Wool catalogue, the feature sale comprised 122 bales of certified organic and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) accredited wool. The bulk of the wool was sourced from the western division of New South Wales and South Australia’s Upper North.
Mr Redden said large retail organisations were currently seeking out commercial quantities of Australian wool as they developed their lines of organic clothing and homewares. “In response to the growing demand for these organic and eco wools an open auction is the best platform for marketing organic wools as it generates awareness and competition among the wool buying community and exposes organic wool to all buyers, markets and supply chains.” He said.
Meanwhile, Elders has received numerous inquiries from woolgrowers interested in conversion to organic production, according to Elders Wool Marketing Manager, Michael Blake. “In response, Elders has aligned itself with an organic certification facilitator to assist growers who want to know more about the steps involved in becoming accredited organic wool producers,” Mr Blake said.

**** Strong Market for Organic Lamb and Wool ****

With the trying times of the drought good premiums are still being received for organic lamb and wool clips. Mt Westwood Organics is an organic wool and prime lamb producer based 140KMS north of Broken Hill in NSW. Their wool is sourced from pure merino sheep and their organic prime lamb comprises of four different breeds – Damara, Merino, Dorper and Van-Rooy.
Over the past two years 120 bales of organic wool and 1700 organic lambs have been sold through the domestic market. Brendan Cullen of Mt Westwood says he has been impressed with the current organic market.
Their wool is sold through two different brokers, via auction with Elders and through the Australian Wool Networks tender process. “We have gained premiums of 10-15% above market value on the day the organic wool was sold. It is a nice change to be able to compete with the elite wools in the industry with our bread and butter pastoral wools. Our wools tested at 21-22 micron, 55-65% yield depending on conditions 40nkt”. Brendan says. At present organic wool only represents a very minor percentage of the industries wool clip. Brendan believes this will change rapidly in the next 10 years as more and more producers achieve similar success to his.
Their organic lamb is producing significant premiums as well. The 1700 lambs have been able to get premiums of $3 per kilo above conventional markets, maintained the entire two years. Brendan admits that over the past 6-8 months with the conventional price coming down, the organic price has followed suit but the gap between the two has been consistent. Brendan has found that the specifications for organic lamb are generally the same regardless of who you sell through. A premium price for 2-3 score lambs between 17-24kg. “You do not have to produce a fat lamb to compete with the elite lamb producers. As a general rule, pastoral country can not produce the fat lamb but we are very good at growing out large framed lambs due to the natural and non chemical promoted pastures”. Brendan says.
Brendan says two things organic lamb has not been able to do at this stage, or do very well have been to tap into the export market with any great conviction. “There is a lot more that needs to be done as the transparency between the growers and the exporters needs to happen on a more regular basis”. He says. “Organic mutton is another avenue needing attention. The other market that need to happen is “The domestic and export market of organic mutton is non existent. If someone was able to develop this and run with it the sky’s the limit “. Brendan says.