Falklands : Agricultural Advisory Committee (05/12/05)
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 08.12.2005 (Article Archived on 22.12.2005)
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AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
By J. Brock (FINN)
A meeting of the Agricultural Advisory Committee took place in the Library at the Department of Agriculture at 1400hrs on Monday, 05 December 2005. Present at the meeting were Cllr Ian Hansen (Chair) Cllr. Richard Stevens, Mrs. Phyl Rendell, Mr. Neil Judd, Mr. Jimmy Forrester, Mr. Justin Knight and Mr. Vick Epstein, the Senior Vet. Miss G. King took the minutes. There were no apologies for absence. After declaration of interest and confirmation of the minutes of the meeting that was held on Wednesday, 14 September 2005 was signed and matters arising from the minutes were discussed. Neil Judd reported that 120 Tonnes of rock phosphate had been delivered to the west and 120 to 130 tonnes were left in storage ready to be distributed.
The Director of Minerals and Agriculture, Mrs. Phyl Rendell, presented an extensive report about the Agriculture Department’s activities since the last meeting. It covered the pasture improvement programme, Managed grazing trial work, meat and wool production workshops, bio-security awareness, staff changes and concerns about farm income.
Considerable discussion about replacement fencing concerned the fact that some farms had not erected fencing that had been granted to them in 1998-1999. The materials, if not stored properly, would not be usable. A paper on the matter was circulated and paying farmers and spouses for erecting their own fencing was discussed and put on hold until other matters were resolved. Farmers are eligible for the Labour scheme and a grant of £1,000.00 per farm was discussed. Nyree Heathman had produced an exhaustive database showing when and where replacement fencing had been distributed.
A paper on the National Beef Herd had been received that outlined its current position as well as long-term goals. The herd had been transferred to White Rock on West Falkland, with 32 calves being born between 15 October and 30 April. Nineteen cows were selected for the AI programme in 2005 and a proposed AI/ET programme for 2006 was outlined. Along with the paper, a letter from the Falkland Islands Meat Company was discussed. It was decided to invite expertise from the Meat Company to various committee meetings where it was needed byt not to have a permanent representative from FIMCO on the Committee. It was hoped there would be a good exchange of knowledge and it was noted that perhaps the FIMCO Board could invite members of the Agricultural Advisory Committee to certain meetings where expertise was needed.
Animal identification tags brought considerable discussion, though no decisions were made. The Australian system of tagging each time a sheep was moved was alluded to but seemed to be difficult to implement. Another system of keeping the same tag and logging the number upon movement was discussed with it being suggested that spending money on tags to put on sheep just before slaughter was wasteful.
One committee member brought up a comment that five day burning permits for Camp were not long enough and would it be possible to issue a permit for ten days. Phyl Rendell said that the five day permits would stay because farmers could call the Department of Agriculture and ask for an extension if the burn could not take place during the specified period.
Farming Statistics would be put on hold as they were not ready yet. When they are ready they should be made public.
There were some stocks of calcified seaweed on farms. Neil Judd said that there were six farms on the East and some on the West who were spreading it for the Pasture Improvement Programme. The scheme had two months yet to run.
At the moment the labour scheme’s remit was fencing and painting as well as farm maintenance. It would be reviewed in the light of the whole camp economy.
The Gross Margin – Cattle is being worked on and Neil Judd said that there was no date set for its culmination but it would be a matter of weeks, perhaps at the end of January 2006.
UP AND COMING COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Health and Medical Services Committee - Tuesday 6th December at 12.15pm in Gilbert House
Education Board - Tuesday 6th December at 8.30am in the Education Office, Ross Road
Housing Committee - Wednesday 7th December at 1.30pm in the Liberation Room, Secretariat
Members of the public can attend but not speak at Committee meetings.
Copies of the Agenda and Reports can be seen in the Secretariat at least three working days before the date of the meeting.
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