A NEW website has been launched by Cairns Group Farm Leaders to engage a wider audience on its global trade reform message.
The Cairns Group Farm Leaders website comes as Australia joins with other major exporting nations including New Zealand, Argentina, Brazil and Canada today to lead a fresh pitch for major agricultural trade reform during a meeting of the Cairns Group Farm Leaders in Geneva.
The Cairns Group Farm Leaders - a global coalition of farm organisations from the 19 Cairns Group countries which was established in 1998 - are meeting as part of the 30th anniversary celebrations of the formation of the Cairns Group. It is also part of a series of meetings in preparation for the next WTO Ministerial Meeting in Buenos Aires in 2017.
National Farmers’ Federation chief executive officer Tony Mahar said reform of agricultural trade subsidies was as urgent and crucial today as it was when the Cairns Group was first established 30 years ago.
“Australian farmers receive just 1.3 per cent of farm income from subsidies,” Mr Mahar said.
“The OECD average is 17pc. This is unsustainable and we simply cannot give up on seeking to get a more level playing field for Australian farmers.
CLICK HERE to visit the Cairns Group Farm Leaders website.
“While much has been achieved through bilateral and regional free trade agreements in recent years, the elimination of export subsidies at the last WTO Ministerial Conference in Nairobi was a positive step forward.
“There is still, however, a significant task ahead to create a truly fair and equitable trading environment for Australian farmers and agricultural exporters like Australia to truly prosper.
“Today’s meeting of the Cairns Group Farm Leaders, which the NFF has chaired since its inception, will continue to call for a coordinated and comprehensive approach for the removal of trade and production distorting domestic support measures within a mandated time frame.
“Our message to trade ministers and world leaders particularly in the current geo-political climate is loud and clear: Do not retreat to the comfort of protectionism, rather have a real crack and back serious reforms to trade rules that stimulate a vibrant sustainable agriculture sector.”
Mr Mahar said from an Australian perspective, it was vital that the group clearly engaged with and communicated its expectations for trade reform to a wide audience, including what the benefits were to the farm sector.
“We have no illusions that the next round of WTO negotiations for agriculture will be a walk in the park but we see an ongoing responsibility and opportunity to better explain the significant outcomes that could be achieved for rural communities and farm businesses from substantial trade reform,” Mr Mahar said.
“In helping us deliver that message, I wish to particularly thank the trade minister Steve Ciobo and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for their support. The NFF recognises and values the partnership with government to address agricultural trade issues.”