Farm Diary

Australia is a vast country, rich in minerals, means the economy looks strong for the future, but with all that cheap yellow wet coal from open cast mines being burnt in power stations, they do have an emission problem.

The big question is will 22 million people be allowed to inhabit such a vast area of land in the future, given the pressure of population growth and climate change?

The answer is probably not. Others whom are well adapted to living in areas that even Australians consider uncomfortable if not inhospitable could live in areas that are uninhabited at present.

Back home, I attended a farm walk at Jim Harrison and his family farm in Rudgwick, and I was instantly struck by the difference between milk production in the two countries.

Jim and the rest of us have massive capital investment in concrete, sheds, silage clamps, slurry storage and all the labour and machinery that goes with all of that, where in Australia you have a dairy for milking the cows and storing the milk and that's it (cows stay outside all year).

Some do have concrete feed pads, and of course the irrigation takes capital and extra work; but the costs are vastly lower and we could never compete on milk price.

What we do have however is a massive market both at home and in Europe. Australia and New Zealand need to export most of their milk production, and are involved in basic commodities in the main, where we have huge opportunities to add value and supply a sophisticated marketplace, which is always wanting something different or more convenient.

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette March 26