How lucky are we?

Gavin Hegney, is often interviewed on ABC Local Radio for his expertise in property investment. He quoted some figures, partly to justify the expensive housing market in Australia, but also showing how lucky we are.
The most wealthy 10 per cent of people in the world have assets of more than $77,000. This compares to average Australian wealth of $225,000 per person. Also, the top 1 per cent of the world has assets of only $798,000 or more.
World-wide, to be middle class, annual income would need to be more than only $3,600.
Of course, this raises the further question of whether this degree of wealth in Australian makes us happier - a much more complex question to be answered.

Great quotes from Gough

Some of Gough's great quotes have recently been replayed -
What will you do, if you find out after you die, that God is real and you have to face him?
" I would treat him as an equal, of course".

And -
"People seem to think I act as if I am immortal. Of course I am not, but I am eternal."

In recent years, (is it decades?), Gough has played to his image of an arrogant, self-important person. However one of his achievements was to reform the Labor party before being elected as Prime Minister. To achieve this, he must have been a skilled negotiator, and some of the eulogies support this assumption.

The best Eagle in 2014 ? - depends on how you measure things

Eric Mackenzie was chosen as the Eagles top player for 2014, despite Matt Pridis winning the AFL highest award, the Brownlow.

Different voting systems favour different styles of play, Umpires votes favour spectacle and involvement in the play, with midfielders scoring better. On the other hand, the club voters may know the real contribution to a game plan, for example recognising a defender who has nullified and important opponent.
New coach Adam Simpson and the Eagles match committee slightly modified their voting system this year, Instead of a consensus match committee vote, now each of the five members contributes one, two or three votes - a potential total of 15 votes for a player for each game. This will reward consistency, and recognise defensive play.
Discussion of the merits of different voting systems adds to the interest of the game, and with all the complexities of the game, the system will never be perfect.
In farming, complexity is perhaps even greater, and annual bench-marking of farm data is published which discusses the "fairest and best" - characteristics of the top 25 per cent of businesses. Like judgments about who is the top footballer, such discussion about the most successful farm business needs to be tempered by recognition of what you are trying to measure.

Doubts across the world about Genetic Modification

Two bits of news I found today show doubts across the world about genetically modified crops.
One is from China -  the world's most populous, and single party State. Apparently, they have bowed to public opinion and banned imports of genetically modified soybean variety -
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/09/26/china-grains-gmo-idUKL3N0RK1C420140926

The other story from the United States, is a second discovery of unauthorised genetically modified wheat, which has caused several Asian countries to temporarily ban imports of wheat from the United States.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/usda-makes-2nd-discovery-gmo-wheat-25784235

Forget that GM crops may be quite safe - just watch the price signals. W.A. farmers seem to be doing this - after five years, only 17 per cent of the canola crop is planted to GM varieties.
http://davidreesconsulting.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/where-is-gm-profit-margin.html

Are the Chinese better farmers than us?

I now have a couple of newspaper stories suggesting that the Chinese think they can farm better than the locals. The latest one was this one, targeting the dairy industry -

http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/business/dairy/chinas-dairy-churn-we-can-get-more-milk-out-of-your-cows/story-fnkeqg0i-1227061082840


Presumably they will not be constrained by lack of capital - that will be a good start to doing a better job. The other key seems to be their plan to bring in Chinese workers, who may work harder for less money, which would also help.

A similar story was published about the Beidahuang Group's Ongerup plans -

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/24193062/china-riding-on-sheeps-back/


Again, with plenty of capital to achieve the economies of scale, together with their own labour force, they would be off to a good start.

From previous attempts by outside investors, we might have the advantage of local knowledge, but this may not always be the case. You could argue that sometimes outsiders have been more innovative than locals such as newland farmers in Western Australia several decades ago, who pioneered innovation such as no-till. Our challenge will be to continue such innovation, without abandoning lessons already learned.

No horses for Albany parade

Apparently, public safety now demands that horse representing the Light Horse Brigade will not be able to participate in the Albany Anzac centenary celebrations on November 1st. Yet local politician, MHA Peter Watson has some 30,000 signatures to support including the horses.
Billy Kingston (pictured below) has been parading on his horses for years in Albany parades up York Street. Now this has become a public risk.



This decision may seem absurd, but such concerns about public safety have become established in all parts of society. Farming has been relatively isolated, but the new corporate investors are much more attuned to what is required, and may help with guidance for locals.

University of Western Australia - research proposal?

For the last year, I have been working on a research proposal to the University of Western Australia, titled "Farmer engagement in the development of innovation". I think it is of major importance to farming in Western Australia, but it is a moving target, and I am happy to share with anyone interested, as it takes shape.