R[0]="836"; T[0]="CSIRO report urges rural, urban water trading"; A[0]="By ... Editor"; Dn[0]="20060606"; Dt[0]="Tuesday 6 June 2006"; Acats[0]="a08a40"; B1[0]="      A major scientific report says city water authorities should be allowed to buy water from farmers to sustain the growing urban population.... "; B2[0]=" "; B3[0]=" "; B4[0]=" "; B5[0]=" "; S1[0]="      A major scientific report says city water authorities should be allowed to buy water from farmers to sustain the growing urban population.
"; S2[0]="       The CSIRO says without reform, water costs in metropolitan areas could rise more than 10 times over the next 25 years.
  "; S3[0]="     The report from the CSIRO and Monash University predicts Perth, Brisbane and Sydney will be the worst affected cities with the price of "; S4[0]=" water jumping up to 10 times unless better reforms are put in place.
      Three models have been tested and CSIRO says "; S5[0]=" the most successful would be a combination of urban and rural water trading, alongside more efficient water use including desalination plants.
      "; S6[0]=" And while farmers could make a lot of money from water trading, the system would change the face of agriculture in Australia.
      "; S7[0]=" The CSIRO's Mike Young says urban/rural water trading is already working in South Australia and WA farmers are leading the way in saving water.
"; S8[0]="       'Agriculture's a lot more skilful in improving water use efficiency and in 25 years time they've made a 50 per cent "; S9[0]=" greater advance than urban Australia, so there's a challenge for urban Australia to catch up and show they're actually as smart as our farmers are,' "; S10[0]=" Mr Young said.
      Bit some irrigators are worried about the social impact of water being diverted into the capital cities.
    "; S11[0]="   Although he believes some form of water trading with the cities is inevitable, Victorian dairy farmer Max Fehring says governments need to make sure "; S12[0]=" urban residents share the cost of water infrastructure with rural communities.
      'I think they've got some social responsibility if they wish to "; S13[0]=" exercise their right to water, that they make sure that those communities affected by this change are well looked after,' he said... "; R[1]="834"; T[1]="Tassie's Spirit III To Be Sold"; A[1]="By ... Editor"; Dn[1]="20060606"; Dt[1]="Tuesday 6 June 2006"; Acats[1]="a05a08a44a69"; B1[1]="      The State Government has decided to sell Spirit of Tasmania III and close down the Sydney ferry service.... "; B2[1]=" "; B3[1]=" "; B4[1]=" "; B5[1]=" "; S1[1]="      The State Government has decided to sell Spirit of Tasmania III and close down the Sydney ferry service.
      A "; S2[1]=" meeting of Cabinet in Hobart today agreed to end the service, two and a half years after it began.
      The last service "; S3[1]=" of the ferry will run on August 27.
      The Government has been advised that most jobs can be absorbed by the company.
"; S4[1]="       Premier Paul Lennon said today's decision had been difficult but unavoidable, given the hard facts the Government had been presented with.
  "; S5[1]="     'This is a decision not about this year's operation but the outlook for the next few years is extremely challenging,' Mr Lennon said.
"; S6[1]="       'Aggressively attacking the Sydney and Queensland tourism markets by introducing Spirit III was a bold move.
      'We have done "; S7[1]=" everything possible to support the service but we have to recognise now that it is not sustainable.
      'The Sydney service has allowed "; S8[1]=" us to make inroads into new tourism markets and has delivered Tasmania strong benefits - in terms of promotion of the State's image to tourists "; S9[1]=" who would never have otherwise considered visiting Tasmania.' Mr Lennon said the trigger for today's decision had been expert forecasts indicating a down-turn in patronage, "; S10[1]=" flowing from a forecast decline in national tourism expectations.
      'In the current year of operation alone, more than 80,000 travellers will have "; S11[1]=" used the Sydney ferry service,' he said.
      'However, the business case depends on passenger numbers building to around 115,000 per year.
  "; S12[1]="     Expert advice shows that those forecasts cannot be achieved.
      'Running costs have been rising - mainly driven by fuel cost "; S13[1]=" increases - and the numbers of passengers cannot keep pace with the increased costs.
      'Treasury's estimate is that TT-Line would require a "; S14[1]=" funding injection of more than $50 million each year to be able to operate both Melbourne and Sydney ferry services on a sustainable basis.
  "; S15[1]="     'That's effectively a subsidy of $5,300 for every additional passenger coming to Tasmania on Spirit III.
      'Against those benchmarks, cancelling "; S16[1]=" the service was a hard decision but a responsible one.' 'We cannot ignore the advice we have been given and responsibility to the taxpayers of "; S17[1]=" Tasmania demands no other alternative than to call an end to the service.' Mr Lennon also noted the Government's full support for the TT-Line Board "; S18[1]=" through the decision-making process.
      'The Board has demonstrated great integrity and professionalism in the way it has considered these issues and brought "; S19[1]=" them to the attention of the Government,' he said.
      Mr Lennon said the Government had set aside a contingency of $22.5 million "; S20[1]=" to cover the costs of ending the service and to ensure that the TT-Line would not be left with additional debt after the sale of "; S21[1]=" the ship... "; R[2]="805"; T[2]="Inventory Finance Beefs up Agricultural Production"; A[2]="By ... Editor"; Dn[2]="20060601"; Dt[2]="Thursday 1 June 2006"; Acats[2]="a07a08a27"; B1[2]="      Despite fluctuating agricultural commodity prices, inventory finance is injecting renewed confidence in Australia's rural sector, according to Provident Inventory Finance.... "; B2[2]=" "; B3[2]=" "; B4[2]=" "; B5[2]=" "; S1[2]="      Despite fluctuating agricultural commodity prices, inventory finance is injecting renewed confidence in Australia's rural sector, according to Provident Inventory Finance.
    "; S2[2]="   As a specialised lender, Provident Inventory Finance is Australia's only provider of inventory loans to businesses, assisting their acquisition of stock.
      "; S3[2]=" 'The latest rural confidence survey found 24 per cent of the nation's agricultural producers expect the rural economy to improve over the next 12 months
"; S4[2]="       *, requiring purchasers of Australia's produce to have increased cashflow access to capitalise on this opportunity,' said Mr Matthew Nolan, managing director, "; S5[2]=" Provident Inventory Finance.
      'Inventory finance is helping buyers of Australia's rural produce to increase their purchases, driving further growth for farmers nationwide,' "; S6[2]=" he adds.
      Provident Inventory Finance is currently assisting one of Australia's largest stone fruit purchasers, buying stock from over 100 growers "; S7[2]=" nationally, by providing a 120 day revolving finance facility which overcomes the working capital difficulties during seasonal peaks,' comments Mr Nolan.
      'Traditionally, "; S8[2]=" purchasers of agricultural products have experienced slim pickings in accessing additional working capital for inventory.
      Australian financiers rate rural lending as higher "; S9[2]=" risk, and are hesitant to lend against inventory, instead focusing on bricks and mortar security,' explains Mr Nolan.
      New to Australia, inventory "; S10[2]=" finance does not require real estate security or stock presales, instead assessing applications on the basis of businesses performance.
      'Agricultural customers have "; S11[2]=" unique circumstances, and Provident Inventory Finance caters for them, even in the case of co-op's where directors' guarantees are not available,' says Mr Nolan.
  "; S12[2]="     With trend estimates for beef production up to 181,300 tonnes
      *
      *, the flexibility of inventory finance "; S13[2]=" is also helping an abattoir to purchase more livestock for processing and export.
      'Turning over stock almost weekly, requires seamless cash "; S14[2]=" flow and for this customer we have been able to provide an evergreen line of credit of up to 90 per cent of the purchase "; S15[2]=" price of livestock, without the need to repay the loan until the sale proceeds have been received from overseas.
      'This allows the "; S16[2]=" abattoir to beef up production, significantly increasing their profit margin,' concludes Mr Nolan... "; R[3]="795"; T[3]="Generic label threat grows"; A[3]="By ... Editor"; Dn[3]="20060601"; Dt[3]="Thursday 1 June 2006"; Acats[3]="a07a08a10"; B1[3]="      Bundaberg Sugar, already forced off the shelves in Coles supermarkets, is considering abandoning its brand altogether.... "; B2[3]=" "; B3[3]=" "; B4[3]=" "; B5[3]=" "; S1[3]="      Bundaberg Sugar, already forced off the shelves in Coles supermarkets, is considering abandoning its brand altogether.
      The state sugar "; S2[3]=" producer, with countless other Queensland food manufacturers, is facing the fight of its life to stay afloat during a private label onslaught.
      "; S3[3]=" Woolworths and Coles have been gradually introducing a range of house-brand products in the past year that is forcing brand names off the shelves.
  "; S4[3]="     While many food manufacturers diversify into supplying for house brands as a business strategy, some could be forced to rely solely on generic "; S5[3]=" brands for survival.
      Bundaberg Sugar general manager of sales and marketing Alan Mooney said its product lines were already pushed out of "; S6[3]=" Coles supermarkets when the retailer became exclusive to CSR Sugar and its own house brands five years ago.
      He said the sugar "; S7[3]=" industry was already swamped with home-brand alternatives.
      'Home brands already take a large slice of sugar sales in Australia,' Mr Mooney said.
"; S8[3]="       'We supply some generic labels and have done so for about 20 years but we are obviously focused on keeping the Bundaberg "; S9[3]=" brand strong if we can.' A survey released by AC Neilson in April showed the number of home-brand products consumers were buying accounted for 18 "; S10[3]=" per cent of their grocery basket, an increase from 2.3 per cent on 2002.
      The plan by Coles to reach 30 per "; S11[3]=" cent private label penetration by 2007 would translate into clearing three lanes out of 10 in each supermarket to make way for the in-house products.
"; S12[3]="       Newly elected Golden Circle chairman Ern Pope said Golden Circle previously had too much complacency in their brand strength - something the "; S13[3]=" company was working on changing as private labels took their stronghold.
      'Brands must be kept relevant, innovative, convenient and value for money "; S14[3]=" and Golden Circle are focused on that right now,' he said.
      Golden Circle supplies a small percentage of product to home brand "; S15[3]=" labels, but Mr Pope said it would continue only if it made sense for the company financially.
      'If we have the capacity "; S16[3]=" we work with retailers through supplying some product under other brands but we don't do it a lot.' Mr Pope said fears that Woolworths veteran "; S17[3]=" Mike Luscombe would vigorously push the company's private label roll-out into overdrive when he took over as chief executive in October were baseless.
    "; S18[3]="   Woolworths had been more 'pragmatic' about the private label roll-out than Coles,and he doubted Mr Luscombe would change strategy when he moved into the "; S19[3]=" CEO role.
      'They (Woolworths) are certainly pushing private labels, but they are not saying they have to get to 30 per cent "; S20[3]=" like Coles are,' Mr Pope said.
      Buderim Ginger chairman John Ruscoe said many food manufacturers were resigned to the fact they had "; S21[3]=" to work with major retailers to survive a private label takeover.
      The 60-year-old company had more than a dozen product lines sold "; S22[3]=" in major retailers and independent grocers, and would work with Woolworths and Coles throughout the private label phase in an effort to stay in business.
"; S23[3]="       'Obviously we have spent a lot of time and money building our brand and we want to see returns on that,' Mr "; S24[3]=" Ruscoe said.
      ' But we will work with the retailers and do whatever it takes, so if that means supplying our products "; S25[3]=" under their private label brands then so be it.' A major concern for Buderim Ginger was the possibility its products would be bypassed under home-brand "; S26[3]=" labels for cheaper imported ginger products in the private label roll-out.
      'We are the only Australian grown and processed ginger producers at "; S27[3]=" this time and we hope that means something to retailers and consumers,' Mr Ruscoe said.
      PriceWaterhouse Coopers (PwC) price inflation expert Billy "; S28[3]=" Bennett said weaker brands were in serious danger of disappearing and smaller manufacturers should focus on 'saving' one or two strong lines.
      "; S29[3]=" 'Sell off your weaker brands and align your strategy to focus on your top one or two brands,' Mr Bennett said.
      PwC "; S30[3]=" retail and consumer leader and company partner, Mike James said Coles and Woolworths had a strategy to lift their margins and profitability through private labels "; R[4]="792"; T[4]="New tools available to help build beef profitability"; A[4]="By ... Editor"; Dn[4]="20060601"; Dt[4]="Thursday 1 June 2006"; Acats[4]="a07a08a27"; B1[4]="      Beef producers will be introduced to three new 'do-it-yourself' tools to boost profitability at Meat & Livestock Australia's (MLA) More Beef from "; B2[4]="Pastures regional expo at Naracoorte in June... "; B3[4]=" "; B4[4]=" "; B5[4]=" "; S1[4]="      Beef producers will be introduced to three new 'do-it-yourself' tools to boost profitability at Meat & Livestock Australia's (MLA) More Beef from "; S2[4]=" Pastures regional expo at Naracoorte in June.
      Producers will also have access to a range of consultants and service providers at the "; S3[4]=" expo to help them advance their enterprise along the proven MLA More Beef from Pastures path.
      The expo will be held at "; S4[4]=" Naracoorte Town Hall, running from 9 am to 4 pm on Friday, 16 June.
      Launched in August 2004, MLA More Beef from "; S5[4]=" Pastures is an innovative information and support program that gives beef producers across southern Australia a framework for incorporating world class strategies and tools into "; S6[4]=" their management.
      About 5,000 southern beef producers have already bought the program's comprehensive guide, The producer's manual, available through MLA.
    "; S7[4]="   The expo will show producers how to use the latest tools created around the three key areas of the business - how their business "; S8[4]=" is performing, how their pasture grows and its variability and what their herd requires to perform.
      'One thing is certain about "; S9[4]=" the beef business - it's not likely to get any easier,' said MLA More Beef from Pastures South Australian State Coordinator, Ben Hebart.
    "; S10[4]="   'MLA More Beef from Pastures gives producers a proven process to work through that isn't prescriptive, yet provides a decision framework from which almost "; S11[4]=" any beef enterprise can work to boost profits and sustainability.
      These new tools really make the decision making process easier.' The Cost "; S12[4]=" of Production Calculator helps producers quickly analyse their enterprise and bring it to a single point of focus: what it costs them to turn off "; S13[4]=" a kilogram of beef.
      The Feed Demand Calculator, developed in partnership with CSIRO, helps producers manage the pasture feed base for maximum "; S14[4]=" benefit to stock, the environment and the enterprise throughout the year's cycles.
      And helping tie pastures and animals together is the Rainfall "; S15[4]=" & Pasture Growth tool, which gives producers a historical perspective on seasonal feed growth and variability to help them make calculated decisions for the future.
"; S16[4]="       'Bringing the whole enterprise back to the cost of producing a kilo of beef shows producers their bottom line in very clear "; S17[4]=" and simple terms,' said MLA More Beef from Pastures National Co-ordinator, Dr David McNeill, of the Cost of Production Calculator.
      'Once they "; S18[4]=" have that cents-per-kilogram figure, they can start to look inside it and use The producer's manual to make the small changes that can have a "; S19[4]=" big effect on business profitability.' While the Cost of Production Calculator uses a simple pen-and-paper process, the Feed Demand Calculator is a powerful computer program "; S20[4]=" that absorbs the details of a livestock enterprise - both cattle and sheep if necessary - to help producers manage different classes of stock according "; S21[4]=" to pasture status.
      Matching feed demand to supply is one of the most challenging aspects of beef production, and yet, Dr McNeill "; S22[4]=" notes, doing it successfully 'delivers one of the biggest hits there is for a beef enterprise'.
      'The tool can calculate how much "; S23[4]=" pasture every animal on the place will need, and then plots those needs on pasture growth curves for the year,' Dr McNeill said.
    "; S24[4]="   'If you find that feed demand isn't matching supply, you can start to make management decisions toward a better match.
      It's "; S25[4]=" not just about turning off more beef: it's also about looking after your land better.' A first step toward using the Feed Demand Calculator is "; S26[4]=" working with the Rainfall & Pasture Growth tool, which supplies the historical rainfall and temperature patterns for 3,000 locations across southern Australia.
      "; S27[4]=" From these patterns, the program extrapolates probabilities and likely variability for future pasture growth.
      Further detail on the tools, their use, "; S28[4]=" and how they work in concert with MLA More Beef from Pastures and The producer's manual will be explained in detail during the expo.
  "; S29[4]="     All participants in the expo will receive The producer's manual and the new tools on CD ROM.
      The expo is "; S30[4]=" also hosting a trade display, which will give producers access to a range of service providers including MLA's EDGEnetwork - a national training program which "; R[5]="775"; T[5]="Wheat authority will never be the same"; A[5]="By ... Editor"; Dn[5]="20060526"; Dt[5]="Friday 26 May 2006"; Acats[5]="a05a07a08a22"; B1[5]="      Australia's wheat export regulator is expecting to be scrapped in the wake of the AWB kickbacks scandal.... "; B2[5]=" "; B3[5]=" "; B4[5]=" "; B5[5]=" "; S1[5]="      Australia's wheat export regulator is expecting to be scrapped in the wake of the AWB kickbacks scandal.
      The federal "; S2[5]=" Government's Wheat Export Authority, criticised for failing to fully investigate AWB's illicit payments to Saddam Hussein's government, is bracing for a huge shake-up.
    "; S3[5]="   'I think life will never be the same after Cole,' WEA chairman Tim Besley told a Senate estimates hearing yesterday.
      The "; S4[5]=" regulator has been widely tipped to be replaced or changed substantially after its executives gave embarrassing evidence to the Cole inquiry studying AWB's $290million in "; S5[5]=" kickbacks to Baghdad under the UN oil-for-food program.
      Senate committee chairman Bill Heffernan, a frequent critic of the authority's lack of investigative "; S6[5]=" powers, asked Mr Besley if his organisation's role should be reviewed - and Mr Besley delivered a frank response: 'If the growers would like to "; S7[5]=" see some body that could be, to use your phrase, a cage of gorillas rather than a bed of pansies, then that should also be "; S8[5]=" set in the (Wheat Marketing) Act.
      'If the body that succeeds us, because we are going to be changed one way or "; S9[5]=" the other ...
      is given that role then that should be clearly spelled out.' Authority officials told the Cole inquiry they did "; S10[5]=" not launch a full investigation into claims the wheat exporter was making illicit payments to Iraq because it was not the regulator's job.
    "; S11[5]="   The authority's role, they said, was only to monitor AWB's performance in terms of delivering favourable returns to growers.
      Mr Besley "; S12[5]=" said yesterday the authority's role was 'strange' and its capacity to examine contracts severely limited... "; R[6]="771"; T[6]="Japan beef stocks still tight"; A[6]="By ... Editor"; Dn[6]="20060526"; Dt[6]="Friday 26 May 2006"; Acats[6]="a07a08a27"; B1[6]="      As at the end of March, Japanese beef stocks remained threadbare.
      While record Australian shipments throughout March may have "; B2[6]="added to stocks in April, it is likely that stocks are still small... "; B3[6]=" "; B4[6]=" "; B5[6]=" "; S1[6]="      As at the end of March, Japanese beef stocks remained threadbare.
      While record Australian shipments throughout March may have "; S2[6]=" added to stocks in April, it is likely that stocks are still small.
      Low stocks and the continued absence of US beef "; S3[6]=" (until at least late July) suggests that Japanese buyers need to maintain their purchasing of Australian product over the next few months, particularly in the "; S4[6]=" lead up to the Obon holiday peak-demand period in early August.
      Total beef stocks for March were at 68,746 tonnes (boneless "; S5[6]=" equivalent) - down 2% on March 2005 levels, with stocks less than half of the high levels reached in March 2002, of 141,744 tonnes.
  "; S6[6]="     These high stocks in 2002 were before the major disruption caused to the Japan market by the discovery of BSE in the US.
"; S7[6]="       Relative to consumption levels, Japan's beef stocks appear tight.
      During March, stocks were virtually equivalent to the March consumption "; S8[6]=" level of 68,078 tonnes.
      Prior to US BSE in December 2003, beef stocks ranged between one and three month's beef consumption.
  "; S9[6]="     Limited supply - and the subsequent high retail prices - is constraining Japanese beef consumption levels.
      The likely return of "; S10[6]=" US beef to the market this July should see both supply and consumption levels begin to recover... "; R[7]="770"; T[7]="Understanding the China Energy Market: Trends and Opportunities"; A[7]="By ... Energy Business Reports"; Dn[7]="20060526"; Dt[7]="Friday 26 May 2006"; Acats[7]="a07a08a36"; B1[7]="      Energy Business Reports releases a comprehensive report on energy production, consumption, and trends in the world's fastest-growing economy.... "; B2[7]=" "; B3[7]=" "; B4[7]=" "; B5[7]=" "; S1[7]="      Energy Business Reports releases a comprehensive report on energy production, consumption, and trends in the world's fastest-growing economy.
      China's "; S2[7]=" economic trajectory has driven its growing energy appetite, and it is now the world's second largest energy consumer in the world.
      China "; S3[7]=" will continue to be a major player in world energy markets, but increasing energy demands pose tremendous challenges for China's people, its environment, and its "; S4[7]=" leaders, according to a new report on China's energy industry just published by Energy Business Reports, an energy industry think tank.
      This "; S5[7]=" comprehensive report is broken up into 4 Sections:
      * Section I - Overview of China Energy Market Historical Background; Market Value; "; S6[7]=" Consumption; Production; Reserves; Export and Import; Market Segmentation; and Market Forecast.
     
      * Section II - Market Analysis PEST "; S7[7]=" Analysis; Porter's Five Forces Analysis; Socio-Economic Trends; Consumption Trends
      * Section III - Market Segments - Electricity, Oil, , Natural Gas, "; S8[7]=" Liquefied Natural Gas, Liquid Petroleum Gas, Nuclear Power, Coal, Renewables, Photo Voltaics, Wind Power, and Hydroelectric Each Market Segment details current and planned projects, and "; S9[7]=" lists participants in that sector.
     
      * Section IV - Breaking Into the Market Regulatory Framework; Methods of Market "; S10[7]=" Entry; Foreign Investment; Challenges and Government Agencies.
      Report findings include: Energy demand in China: China's energy demand has surged since the beginning "; S11[7]=" of the new millennium when a new round of investment-driven economic growth began.
      China's energy sector has enormous potential, especially the coal, "; S12[7]=" petroleum and natural gas industries, yet China is currently a net importer of oil, and imports are expected to increase to more than 900 million "; S13[7]=" barrels in 2006, against a total demand of 1.993 billion barrels per year.
      China is looking to expand its production of coal, "; S14[7]=" natural gas, and renewable energy sources such as nuclear, solar and hydroelectric power to meet the enormous appetite for energy spawned by its massive industrial "; S15[7]=" complex and consumer sectors.
      It is estimated that in 2020, China will need 2.8 billion tons of coal and 600 million tons "; S16[7]=" of crude oil, two and a half times more than in 2000.
      Given this scenario, China will need to import 250 million "; S17[7]=" tons of petroleum, about 70%, from foreign sources.
      What's more, its carbon emissions will reach 1.94 billion tons, and China will likely "; S18[7]=" overtake the US as the nation with the highest greenhouse gas emissions.
      Industrialization coupled with greater consumer energy consumption has created "; S19[7]=" an energy crisis in China, and symptoms of shortage are visible throughout the country.
      New capital and international technology will be required, "; S20[7]=" opening the door to foreign investment and market entry.
      China opens itself up to global market forces: In recent years, China has "; S21[7]=" allowed market forces to play a larger role in its economy.
      Foreign investors are being encouraged by the government to participate in "; S22[7]=" exploitation of the country's natural gas resources, energy infrastructure construction, sales of natural gas, coal mining, gas-fired power generation and the production of petrochemical products.
"; S23[7]="       Shell, Exxon Mobil and BP are jostling for positions in China's gas market, where demand is expected to quadruple to account "; S24[7]=" for 8% of China's total energy supply by 2010.
      In order to tap China's growing energy market foreign companies are making heavy "; S25[7]=" investments.
      Environment: China is one of the biggest polluters of the developing world accounting for 12% of global carbon dioxide emissions.
"; S26[7]="       In recent years, as concern about climate change and rising carbon dioxide emissions has grown, China has sent confusing signals about its "; S27[7]=" willingness to clean up its energy production plant and tackle environmental pollution.
      China was among the 141 countries that ratified the United "; S28[7]=" Nations' Kyoto Protocol on global warming, which took effect in February 2005.
      The move enabled China to portray itself as a defender "; S29[7]=" of the environment while condemning the US, which withdrew from the treaty, as irresponsible.
      Yet despite throwing its weight behind the "; S30[7]=" Kyoto treaty, China has few short-term solutions to satisfying growing energy demand beyond bringing new coal-fired power pants on line.
      China is "; R[8]="767"; T[8]="Window Closing on Global Trade Reform"; A[8]="By ... Editor"; Dn[8]="20060526"; Dt[8]="Friday 26 May 2006"; Acats[8]="a05a08"; B1[8]="      National Farmers' Federation (NFF) President Peter Corish - in Washington lobbying for urgent and significant agricultural trade reform in the World Trade "; B2[8]="Organisation (WTO) - has enlisted the influential American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) to call for an ambitious outcome from the Doha round of WTO negotiations, "; B3[8]="particularly in the area of agricultural market access... "; B4[8]=" "; B5[8]=" "; S1[8]="      National Farmers' Federation (NFF) President Peter Corish - in Washington lobbying for urgent and significant agricultural trade reform in the World Trade "; S2[8]=" Organisation (WTO) - has enlisted the influential American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) to call for an ambitious outcome from the Doha round of WTO negotiations, "; S3[8]=" particularly in the area of agricultural market access.
      AFBF President Bob Stallman joined the NFF in issuing a joint statement asserting that "; S4[8]=" an ambitious deal on agriculture must be agreed in the coming weeks (by the end of July at the latest), delivering significant new and improved "; S5[8]=" access to markets.
      US and Australian farmers cannot be expected to support anything less.
      Political circumstances in the US "; S6[8]=" (with mid-term Congressional elections this November and the expiry of Trade Promotion Authority in 2007) dictate that if an outcome is not agreed by the "; S7[8]=" end of July, it may be up to five years before a package delivering global trade reform to farmers can be agreed.
      "; S8[8]=" 'In the US at present the opportunity for a positive, progressive outcome is within reach, but time is definitely not the friend of these negotiations,' "; S9[8]=" Mr Corish said.
      'We have a once in a generation opportunity to get this right and it is time for all WTO "; S10[8]=" members to reinvigorate these negotiations in line with the Doha mandate agreed to by all Ministers in 2001.
      'We should not kid "; S11[8]=" ourselves, the July 2006 deadline is very real.' The NFF welcomes and appreciates the continuing work of Prime Minister John Howard and Deputy Prime Minister "; S12[8]=" Mark Vaile who are both currently taking Australia's trade liberalisation agenda to the international community... "; R[9]="765"; T[9]="Seminar on South American market possibilities"; A[9]="By ... Editor"; Dn[9]="20060526"; Dt[9]="Friday 26 May 2006"; Acats[9]="a08"; B1[9]="      Market opportunities for Western Australian agri-businesses in Argentina and Brazil will be outlined at a breakfast seminar in Perth next month.... "; B2[9]=" "; B3[9]=" "; B4[9]=" "; B5[9]=" "; S1[9]="      Market opportunities for Western Australian agri-businesses in Argentina and Brazil will be outlined at a breakfast seminar in Perth next month.
  "; S2[9]="     The seminar, on Thursday, 8 June, is being organised by the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) with the Western Australian Latin "; S3[9]=" America Business Association Inc (WALABAI).
      DAFWA event organiser Thu Truong said guest speakers would include the Brazilian Ambassador to Australia, His "; S4[9]=" Excellency Frederico Cezar De Araujo, and the Argentinian Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Pedro Villagra Delgado.
      'The seminar will review opportunities "; S5[9]=" for commercial alliances in the agri-food sector between Western Australia and Argentina and Brazil,' Ms Truong said.
      'South America is a "; S6[9]=" growing market for Australia, and this will be a good forum where local agri-business can access the latest information on opportunities there from the Ambassadors "; S7[9]=" from Brazil and Argentina,' Ms Truong said.
      The seminar is a prelude to a September 2006 study tour to Argentina and "; S8[9]=" Brazil organised in conjunction with the WA Farmers Federation, the Pastoralists and Graziers Association, the CBH Group, with the support of the Kondinin Group and "; S9[9]=" DAFWA.
      Registrations for the seminar can be lodged with Carolyn Walton on 9368 3382 or email cwalton@agric.wa.gov.au for a registration form.
"; S10[9]="       Further information about the study tour can be directed to Tim Carew-Reid 0412 953 725 or email tim.cr@swiftdsl.com.au... "; R[10]="762"; T[10]="Market Prospects in China"; A[10]="By ... Editor"; Dn[10]="20060526"; Dt[10]="Friday 26 May 2006"; Acats[10]="a08a63"; B1[10]="      Market opportunities in Guangdong and Southern China will be outlined for industry representatives at a workshop at the Department of Agriculture and "; B2[10]="Food (DAFWA) in Perth next Tuesday, 30 May... "; B3[10]=" "; B4[10]=" "; B5[10]=" "; S1[10]="      Market opportunities in Guangdong and Southern China will be outlined for industry representatives at a workshop at the Department of Agriculture and "; S2[10]=" Food (DAFWA) in Perth next Tuesday, 30 May.
      The Senior Trade Commissioner/Deputy Consul General for Austrade, Australian Consulate General in Guangzhou "; S3[10]=" in China, Yvonne Chan, will present the free half day workshop 9am til 12pm, at the Department's theatrette in South Perth.
      Ms "; S4[10]=" Chan will also be in Perth to promote the Australian Lifestyle Expo 2006, which will be held in China in November.
      "; S5[10]=" 'Ms Chan has first hand of the Chinese market, and this will be an excellent opportunity for local industry to benefit from her visit to "; S6[10]=" Perth,' event organiser Thu Truong said.
      'All Western Australian companies are welcomed to this workshop, and can bring along their products "; S7[10]=" and pricing information where a quick on the spot market assessment of their suitability for the Guangdong and Southern China market will be provided' Ms "; S8[10]=" Truong said.
      Further information and registrations are available by emailing agrifood@agric.wa.gov.au... "; R[11]="752"; T[11]="Swiss take Uncle Tobys"; A[11]="By ... Editor"; Dn[11]="20060524"; Dt[11]="Wednesday 24 May 2006"; Acats[11]="a07a08a51"; B1[11]="      Another slice of the nation's food industry has fallen into foreign hands, with Swiss giant Nestle paying $890 million for the Uncle "; B2[11]="Tobys snack foods and cereals business... "; B3[11]=" "; B4[11]=" "; B5[11]=" "; S1[11]="      Another slice of the nation's food industry has fallen into foreign hands, with Swiss giant Nestle paying $890 million for the Uncle "; S2[11]=" Tobys snack foods and cereals business.
      The deal, struck yesterday, means brands such as Vita Brits, Uncle Tobys Oats, Uncle Tobys Muesli "; S3[11]=" Bars, Rollups, Le Snak and Country Cup soups, have fallen under Nestle's control as it moves to expand its global range of healthier foods.
  "; S4[11]="     The company has a history of buying up Australian food companies.
      In 1995, it paid $570 million for the ice-cream "; S5[11]=" and chilled dairy business of the ailing conglomerate Pacific Dunlop.
      The move brought Australian brands such as Yoplait yoghurt, Peters Ice Cream "; S6[11]=" and Vitari under its ever-expanding corporate wing.
      With Uncle Tobys now in the Nestle fold, the food giant will sell about $2.5 "; S7[11]=" billion worth of products a year to Australian consumers.
      Nestle will become No2 in the cereal market with a 30 per cent "; S8[11]=" share, second only to Kelloggs, at 34 per cent.
      Uncle Tobys was once part of the Goodman Fielder empire, which was refloated "; S9[11]=" on the stock exchange last year.
      The seller yesterday was Burns Philp, whose majority shareholder is New Zealand's richest man, the reclusive "; S10[11]=" Graeme Hart.
      Mr Hart, however, could reverse the flow of local businesses going into foreign hands.
      With the Uncle "; S11[11]=" Tobys sale, Burns Philp will have $3 billion to play with, and the company is looking to invest in food and other businesses in North "; S12[11]=" America and Britain, as well as in Australia and New Zealand.
      Burns Philp chief executive Tom Degnan said yesterday the company could "; S13[11]=" afford to spend more than $6.5 billion on the right deal... "; R[12]="748"; T[12]="Wheat deal slips away"; A[12]="By ... Editor"; Dn[12]="20060523"; Dt[12]="Tuesday 23 May 2006"; Acats[12]="a08a22"; B1[12]="      Wheat farmers have missed out on a $90 million contract with Iraq, casting new doubts on the chances of Australia regaining a "; B2[12]="foothold in one of its most lucrative markets... "; B3[12]=" "; B4[12]=" "; B5[12]=" "; S1[12]="      Wheat farmers have missed out on a $90 million contract with Iraq, casting new doubts on the chances of Australia regaining a "; S2[12]=" foothold in one of its most lucrative markets.
      Wheat Australia, a consortium put together to bid for a 350,000 tonne contract, confirmed "; S3[12]=" yesterday that it had failed to reach agreement with the Iraqi Grain Board.
      The consortium and the grain board struggled through 10 "; S4[12]=" weeks of negotiations since the Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile, went to Baghdad to ensure Australia could bid for the contract.
      A "; S5[12]=" spokesman for Wheat Australia, Rhys Ainsworth, said the failure was due to demands of the grain board.
      The sticking point appears to "; S6[12]=" have been a demand from Iraq to charge the consortium 20 US cents (26 cents) a tonne for every day shipments are delayed.
    "; S7[12]="   The consortium was created after the grain board refused to deal with AWB Ltd.
      Mr Vaile said while he was disappointed "; S8[12]=" at the decision it was not a deal that could be done at any cost.
      He criticised Labor's trade spokesman, Kevin Rudd, "; S9[12]=" who said he should fly to Baghdad on his way back from Paris, to push Iraq further... "; R[13]="732"; T[13]="Farmers keen to learn benefits of Grain Futures"; A[13]="By ... Editor"; Dn[13]="20060518"; Dt[13]="Thursday 18 May 2006"; Acats[13]="a07a08a22"; B1[13]="      Burnett farmers have shown keen interest in learning the benefits of trading in grain futures to provide better income security and ultimately "; B2[13]="improve the profitability of their farming businesses... "; B3[13]=" "; B4[13]=" "; B5[13]=" "; S1[13]="      Burnett farmers have shown keen interest in learning the benefits of trading in grain futures to provide better income security and ultimately "; S2[13]=" improve the profitability of their farming businesses.
      Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries senior extension officer Jim Barnes said two recent workshops "; S3[13]=" held at Kingaroy and Coalston Lakes assisted growers and other agribusiness personnel to gain a basic understanding of how grain futures work.
      "; S4[13]=" 'Dougal Hunter from the Australian Stock Exchange in Sydney addressed the groups and briefed them on the benefits of hedging on the grain futures exchange.
"; S5[13]="       Despite it being mid harvest, some 30 growers and agribusiness staff attended the meetings.' Mr Hunter said while it is early "; S6[13]=" days the potential for the Australian Stock Exchange could be to trade some six times the underlying physical crop size, which would equate to annual "; S7[13]=" volume of approximately 90 million tonnes.
      Mr Hunter's visit was organised by Mr Barnes and Nambour based principal agricultural economist Bill Johnston "; S8[13]=" following grower requests as part of the Red Soil Farming Systems project funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).
      Mr "; S9[13]=" Hunter explained to growers how it was possible to use grain futures to remove exposure to low prices or price 'troughs', but still be able "; S10[13]=" to take advantage of higher grain prices when they occur.
      He said while there was some risk involved, growers already face "; S11[13]=" substantial climatic and financial risk, such as drought and fluctuating grain prices .
      Mr Hunter said once the products are understood any "; S12[13]=" risks involved with trading derivatives can be managed.
      The aim of hedging is to reduce risk and this is achieved through the "; S13[13]=" use of either futures or options or a combination of both.
      Mr Barnes said growers indicated they were keen were keen to "; S14[13]=" attend a series of future more detailed grain futures workshops to a cost of $110 (including GST).
      He said to qualify for "; S15[13]=" a Farmbis subsidy $250 would have to be charged, so the course was good value.
      Mr Hunter said he would be happy "; S16[13]=" to run a series of future workshops during winter and be able to provide much more information than at the initial meetings.
      "; S17[13]=" Details on future meetings will be released when they are available.
      Producers interested in attending forthcoming grain futures workshops later this winter "; S18[13]=" can register their details by contacting Jim Barnes on 41 600 724... "; R[14]="725"; T[14]="Australian wine makers battle as UK shipments rise"; A[14]="By ... Reuters"; Dn[14]="20060518"; Dt[14]="Thursday 18 May 2006"; Acats[14]="a08a13"; B1[14]="      Australia ships over a third of its wine exports to Britain and has a dominant share of supermarket sales, but producers are "; B2[14]="struggling as a wine flood cuts prices... "; B3[14]=" "; B4[14]=" "; B5[14]=" "; S1[14]="      Australia ships over a third of its wine exports to Britain and has a dominant share of supermarket sales, but producers are "; S2[14]=" struggling as a wine flood cuts prices.
      Another bumper Australian grape harvest will add to a surplus of wine that has already "; S3[14]=" caused suppliers to discount prices to wine orders, playing into the hands of dominant UK retail chains who can choose wine from France to Chile.
"; S4[14]="       Australia sent 267 million litres of wine, about 37 percent of exports, to Britain in the year to April 30.
    "; S5[14]="   Volume has risen 21 percent over the past two years, but value per litre has fallen 6 percent to A$3.60.
      'The "; S6[14]=" unit price is falling, which is no good to anyone,' said Ivan Limb, managing director of small wine company Cockatoo Ridge Wines.
      "; S7[14]=" 'We have another near record crop this year, so we have another 300 million litres of wine on top of what we had that we "; S8[14]=" don't need.
      It is crazy.' Strength in the Australian dollar is adding to exporters' pain as the industry completes its 2006 grape "; S9[14]=" harvest, estimated at 1.9 million tonnes, the third-largest ever.
      Record crops were harvested in the two previous years.
      A "; S10[14]=" trend to ship wine in bulk to be bottled and labelled in Britain, often for supermarkets who have developed their own brands, is also a "; S11[14]=" factor in the falling price.
      Australia had the largest share of the UK retail store wine market by volume at 21 percent, "; S12[14]=" based on AC Nielsen data last September, while France has a 17 percent share, but it dominates the restaurant market The United States held 14 "; S13[14]=" percent of the retailing market, followed by Italy with 11 percent, South Africa with 10 percent, Spain with 7 percent and Chile with close to "; S14[14]=" 7 percent.
      Popular Australian wines include Jacob's Creek, owned by Pernod Ricard, Lindemans, Penfolds and Wolf Blass produced by Foster's Group, Hardys "; S15[14]=" Stamp and Banrock Station, owned by Constellation Brands and supermarket exclusive brands such as Tesco Finest.
      'It is actually a very good "; S16[14]=" market.
      It is growing.
      There is a tremendous amount of opportunity in terms of volume.
      The "; S17[14]=" problem is it's extraordinarily competitive,' said Martin Johnson, who took over last year as chief executive of wine maker Evans & Tate, whose brands include "; S18[14]=" Barramundi and its Margaret River range.
      'Those conditions, in my mind, are not going to change in the next couple of years.' "; S19[14]=" In February, the company said it had suffered 'significant losses' in its UK business during the first half.
      The majority of Australian "; S20[14]=" wine is sold through supermarkets owned by Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda and Wm Morrison.
      Their dominance puts companies under pressure to meet their "; S21[14]=" terms or lose out to competitors who will.
      'They set their margins and work backwards,' Cockatoo Ridge Wines's Limb said.
    "; S22[14]="   'People are so desperate they will do the deal to get in front of someone else.' Wine companies say the 4.99 pound retail price "; S23[14]=" is particularly sensitive for retailers and increased costs, such as excise rises, tend to be largely absorbed by suppliers... "; R[15]="710"; T[15]="Growth slows for Australian wine exports"; A[15]="By ... AWBC"; Dn[15]="20060511"; Dt[15]="Thursday 11 May 2006"; Acats[15]="a08a13"; B1[15]="      Export volumes for the year ended April 2006 grew 8% to 714 million litres.... "; B2[15]=" "; B3[15]=" "; B4[15]=" "; B5[15]=" "; S1[15]="      Export volumes for the year ended April 2006 grew 8% to 714 million litres.
      A new volume record was "; S2[15]=" not achieved for the first time in four months, on a moving annual basis.
      The value of exports grew marginally to A$2.77 "; S3[15]=" billion, despite a 7% decline in average price to A$3.89 per litre.
      Growth has slowed in the past 12 months.
    "; S4[15]="   In the corresponding period last year, volume growth was 17%, value growth was 11% and average price declined 5%.
      Australia's top "; S5[15]=" three markets, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, maintained a 75% share of total shipments.
      However, volume and value shipped "; S6[15]=" for the year ended April 2006 were below the records achieved recently in the three markets.
      The UK consolidated its position as "; S7[15]=" Australia's number one export market.
      Volume grew 3% to 267 million litres while value was down marginally to A$962 million.
    "; S8[15]="   The average price fell 3% to A$3.60 per litre.
      Volume shipped to the US grew 8% to 202 million litres while "; S9[15]=" value fell 2% to A$887 million and average price fell 9% to A$4.38 per litre.
      The reduction in value and average price "; S10[15]=" was driven by a shift in the mix from bottled reds to the less expensive bulk reds.
      Canada's performance was still strong, "; S11[15]=" although the rate of growth eased.
      Volume increased 20% to 51 million litres and value increased 4% to A$251 million.
    "; S12[15]="   The positive value growth was tempered by a 14% reduction in average price to A$4.92 per litre.
      China was the outstanding "; S13[15]=" performer during the period, recording the highest relative growth in both volume and value, albeit off a small base.
      Shipments to China "; S14[15]=" grew 349% in volume to 8 million litres and 16% in value to A$17 million.
      Bulk red shipments accounted for 76% of "; S15[15]=" the growth in volume and 44% of the growth in value.
      In absolute terms, China ranked fourth in volume growth and a "; S16[15]=" close second to Canada in value growth.
      The strong growth resulted in China moving into tenth position in volume and fourteenth position "; S17[15]=" in value shipped from Australia.
      Growth in white wine exports outstripped the growth in red wine exports.
      Total white "; S18[15]=" wine shipments grew 13% to 255 million litres and 3% to A$877 million.
      Bulk shipments accounted for around 85% of the growth "; S19[15]=" in white wine exports.
      By contrast, total red wine exports grew 6% to 443 million litres and fell 1% to A$1.8 billion.
"; S20[15]="       The growth in red volume was driven by an increase in bulk shipments while the fall in value was the result of "; S21[15]=" bottled red sales falling 3%... "; R[16]="693"; T[16]="Korean trade visit a golden opportunity for NQ agribusiness"; A[16]="By ... Editor"; Dn[16]="20060511"; Dt[16]="Thursday 11 May 2006"; Acats[16]="a08a63"; B1[16]="      North Queensland agribusiness wanting to expand into the South Korean market will have a golden opportunity to meet with one of that "; B2[16]="country's leading agribusiness figures when he visits Townsville in early May... "; B3[16]=" "; B4[16]=" "; B5[16]=" "; S1[16]="      North Queensland agribusiness wanting to expand into the South Korean market will have a golden opportunity to meet with one of that "; S2[16]=" country's leading agribusiness figures when he visits Townsville in early May.
      Professor Joo Ho Song is the director of the division of "; S3[16]=" livestock economics at the Korea Rural Economic Institute.
      He is in Queensland to meet agribusiness companies wanting to export their commodities and "; S4[16]=" technical expertise to South Korea.
      The visit is a business exchange program hosted by the Australian Government and the North Queensland leg "; S5[16]=" is being organised by the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries and James Cook University's School of Business.
      Professor Joo Ho Song "; S6[16]=" will give a presentation for potential exporters to South Korea at Townsville Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Oonoonba, from 9am to 10am on Tuesday "; S7[16]=" May 9.
      'Professor Joo Ho Song's visit to Townsville is part of a project that is also taking him to Rockhampton for "; S8[16]=" Beef 2006 and to Cairns,' DPI&F trade officer Roger Kaus said.
      'The Professor is an extremely well respected and high-ranking person in "; S9[16]=" his country.
      Prior to his joining the Korea Rural Economic Institute, he was the director of the multilateral cooperation division at the "; S10[16]=" Korean Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
      'His visit to Townsville will provide North Queensland agribusiness with a golden opportunity to meet with "; S11[16]=" him to profile their business, discuss the needs of Korean clients and establish valuable trade links.' For more information or to book a place at "; S12[16]=" the seminar, contact Deanne Cranitch at the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Townsville, on 47 222 688... "; R[17]="665"; T[17]="Brisbane chefs forge networks with leading Sunshine Coast producers"; A[17]="By ... Editor"; Dn[17]="20060410"; Dt[17]="Monday 10 April 2006"; Acats[17]="a08a10"; B1[17]="      A number of leading Sunshine Coast primary producers now have a significant opportunity to have their food served in Brisbane restaurants following "; B2[17]="the Savour the Sunshine event held on the Sunshine Coast this week... "; B3[17]=" "; B4[17]=" "; B5[17]=" "; S1[17]="      A number of leading Sunshine Coast primary producers now have a significant opportunity to have their food served in Brisbane restaurants following "; S2[17]=" the Savour the Sunshine event held on the Sunshine Coast this week.
      Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries regional director south east "; S3[17]=" Craig Mathisen said over a dozen innovative and unique products from Sunshine Coast primary producers were keenly sampled by visiting Brisbane chefs and restaurateurs at "; S4[17]=" the Savour the Sunshine luncheon held on Monday at the DPI&F's Maroochy Research Station, Nambour.
      'Savour the Sunshine which was held as "; S5[17]=" part of this week's Primary Industries Week activities was a successful, high level gathering of coast producers and Brisbane food industry and restaurant representatives which "; S6[17]=" highlighted a select sampling of the wonderful and refreshing produce coming out of the region,' Mr Mathisen said.
      The day began with "; S7[17]=" farm visits at Bethonga pines at Wamuran and John Templeton's Ginger farm at Eumundi before tour participants gathered at Maroochy Research Station to sample creations "; S8[17]=" by Noosa based chef Matt Golinski.
      'The day was a huge success in allowing participants to forge networking links between producers "; S9[17]=" and leading Brisbane restaurants.
      The early feedback from the event indicates that not only were there very useful contacts made but there "; S10[17]=" was also great enthusiasm for the coast's produce to be put before eager Brisbane diners to experience new tastes and textures.
      "; S11[17]=" The visiting chefs sampled a wide variety of foods including prime rib fillet from Gympie's Nolan's Meats, seafood from Spanner Crabs Noosa, Kenilworth Cheese, prawns "; S12[17]=" from Bullock Creek Prawn Farm, redclaw from Yandina's Paul Moriarty, jade perch from Bundaleer Barra at Kenilworth and gourmet tomatoes from Noosa Reds and capped "; S13[17]=" off with native rainforest fruits from Martha Shepherds Galeru business at Eumundi.
      Food consultant Alison Alexander was DPI&F's host on the "; S14[17]=" day and she applauded the broad range and high quality products presented to the tour participants and invited guests... "; R[18]="659"; T[18]="Farmers want $1bn for wheat"; A[18]="By ... Editor"; Dn[18]="20060331"; Dt[18]="Friday 31 March 2006"; Acats[18]="a05a08a22"; B1[18]="      Uncertainty over the future of AWB could force the federal Government to offer smaller farmers a $1 billion guarantee to cover sales "; B2[18]="of this year's harvest to the troubled wheat exporter... "; B3[18]=" "; B4[18]=" "; B5[18]=" "; S1[18]="      Uncertainty over the future of AWB could force the federal Government to offer smaller farmers a $1 billion guarantee to cover sales "; S2[18]=" of this year's harvest to the troubled wheat exporter.
      Farmers and Coalition MPs are concerned that the Cole inquiry into corruption in "; S3[18]=" the UN oil-for-food program could force radical changes on AWB, affecting its ability to buy and export wheat from farmers who are about to plant "; S4[18]=" their winter crop.
      An extension in time for the Cole inquiry to investigate claims of kickbacks to Saddam Hussein's regime has "; S5[18]=" meant the report will not be released until after farmers have committed themselves to their winter crop.
      Most smaller farmers deal "; S6[18]=" with AWB and there are concerns their commitments to sell the crop at an agreed price with AWB could be placed in jeopardy.
    "; S7[18]="   Farmers' groups have been warning ministers for the past two weeks that the extension of the Cole inquiry's reporting date from next month "; S8[18]=" to June could cause problems.
      Wheat farmers usually sow their winter crop after autumn rain.
      National Farmers Federation "; S9[18]=" president Peter Corish confirmed the body had been lobbying.
      'I am pleased that government ministers are starting to give this matter "; S10[18]=" some serious thought,' he said.
      A spokeswoman for the Grains Council declined to comment yesterday but said future export wheat arrangements "; S11[18]=" would be discussed at an upcoming conference.
      The federal Government is investigating whether to continue AWB's monopoly over Australian bulk wheat exports.
"; S12[18]="       A spokesman for Trade Minister Mark Vaile said last night AWB was a private company and 'if farmers are used to "; S13[18]=" dealing with AWB they should seek advice from AWB'.
      Liberal MP Wilson Tuckey, a long-term advocate of wheat industry reform, said "; S14[18]=" yesterday the Government needed to act before the end of the Cole inquiry.
      'In a legislative sense we can't wait for "; S15[18]=" the outcome of Cole,' Mr Tuckey said.
      He said that if a contingency plan were not put in place, the wheat industry "; S16[18]=" could face chaos if AWB were forced to stop operating.
      'Then we would have gridlock; you'd have a big pile of wheat "; S17[18]=" sitting somewhere because it would be unsaleable.' Business commentator Paul Kerin, from the Melbourne Business School, said he did not think underwriting the crop "; S18[18]=" was the best option and said introducing more competition into the market would be preferable.
      This meant allowing other companies to export "; S19[18]=" Australian wheat.
      'That's by far the best solution: if the Government won't do that then frankly it's for political reasons,' Professor "; S20[18]=" Kerin said, adding that the Government 'should bear some of the cost and underwrite the crop'.
      A 2004 report by the "; S21[18]=" Australian Bureau of Statistics found 'one of the biggest issues that AWB has in getting growers to forward contract is overcoming their attitude to production "; S22[18]=" risk; they are unwilling to commit to delivering grain that they have not yet grown because of uncertainty.' In parliament yesterday, the Opposition pursued "; S23[18]=" the Government over whether the Cole inquiry had sufficiently broad terms of reference.
      Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd also revealed "; S24[18]=" John Howard had received a subpoena for documents from commissioner Terence Cole.
      The Prime Minister defended the terms, saying they gave "; S25[18]=" Mr Cole sufficient powers.
      'If the Minister for Foreign Affairs has not done his job in relation to this matter, Mr "; S26[18]=" Cole will so find that,' Mr Howard said.
      'It is quite obvious that he will so find it in relation to the "; S27[18]=" Minister for Trade.'.. "; R[19]="633"; T[19]="Row brews over food market code"; A[19]="By ... Editor"; Dn[19]="20060324"; Dt[19]="Friday 24 March 2006"; Acats[19]="a04a08a10"; B1[19]="      The Federal Government is preparing to break an election commitment to give fruit and vegetable growers more clout when negotiating with supermarket "; B2[19]="chains, in a move set to inflame National Party tensions... "; B3[19]=" "; B4[19]=" "; B5[19]=" "; S1[19]="      The Federal Government is preparing to break an election commitment to give fruit and vegetable growers more clout when negotiating with supermarket "; S2[19]=" chains, in a move set to inflame National Party tensions.
      A new mandatory code of conduct for the fruit and vegetable industry "; S3[19]=" will be considered by cabinet within weeks, but large supermarket chains such as Woolworths and Coles, which buy about 70 per cent of Australia's farm "; S4[19]=" produce, will not be covered.
      The exclusion of the supermarkets comes despite a Nationals promise during the 2004 election campaign to enforce "; S5[19]=" new rules giving growers fairer terms of trade when negotiating with buyers, 'which are in many instances large supermarket chains'.
      'It demonstrates "; S6[19]=" the Nationals' commitment … to providing a fair deal for primary producers and small businesses in regional Australia,' then Nationals leader John Anderson said at "; S7[19]=" the time.
      The apparent backdown is likely to exacerbate tensions within the Nationals and further alienate their supporters.
      The "; S8[19]=" proposal, being taken to cabinet by Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran, is expected to be poorly received by Nationals senators Barnaby Joyce and Ron Boswell, who "; S9[19]=" have called for measures to slash the market dominance of Coles and Woolworths.
      'That level of market monopoly isn't allowed anywhere in "; S10[19]=" the free world and it shouldn't be allowed here,' Senator Joyce said.
      Some Queensland growers are reportedly warning they will not support "; S11[19]=" the Nationals at the next election if they are not satisfied with the mandatory code.
      Central Markets Association of Australia spokesman Andrew "; S12[19]=" Young said the policy 'could blow up in the Nationals' face', warning it would cost money and achieve nothing.
      'The code is "; S13[19]=" going to fall far short of what people expected it to be,' Mr Young said.
      'It's only going to cover part of "; S14[19]=" the industry … and it's going to be an anti-competitive outcome.
      'There are a lot of growers saying there should be one "; S15[19]=" code covering the entire industry or no code at all, yet minister McGauran seems hell-bent on pushing ahead with it.' Government insiders said the code "; S16[19]=" was likely to cost the industry about $15 million.
      National Farmers Federation vice-president Charles Burke said the code was only ever intended "; S17[19]=" to cover selling arrangements between wholesalers and producers, not retailers.
      He said growers were often unsure about whether they were dealing with "; S18[19]=" agents on-selling products or genuine wholesalers, with the growers bearing most of the risk.
      'The primary aim is to put some clarity "; S19[19]=" into contractual arrangements between produce growers and agents or merchants,' Mr Burke said... "; R[20]="626"; T[20]="Japan spending more on meat"; A[20]="By ... Editor"; Dn[20]="20060317"; Dt[20]="Friday 17 March 2006"; Acats[20]="a08a27a62"; B1[20]="      A five year decline in Japanese household beef consumption was marginally reversed in 2005, with household beef consumption increasing 55 grams per "; B2[20]="person, to total 2.3kg/person... "; B3[20]=" "; B4[20]=" "; B5[20]=" "; S1[20]="      A five year decline in Japanese household beef consumption was marginally reversed in 2005, with household beef consumption increasing 55 grams per "; S2[20]=" person, to total 2.3kg/person.
      However, consumption remained considerably down on the 2000 levels of 3.1kg/person, with both demand and supply disruptions affecting "; S3[20]=" the consumption of beef.
      Household expenditure on beef during 2005 was up 3% on 2004 levels, or 185 yen per person, at "; S4[20]=" 6,802 yen.
      However, expenditure was still 1204 yen (15%) down on 2000 levels.
      Chicken enjoyed the greatest household consumption "; S5[20]=" gains during 2005, reaching 3.6kg per person, up 251 grams on 2004.
      Household expenditure on chicken was also up, increasing by 186 "; S6[20]=" yen (6%) per person, to 3,379 yen.
      Both chicken consumption and expenditure were up 3% on 2000 levels.
      "; S7[20]=" Pork continued to be the most consumed of the three meats in Japanese households, enjoying the highest expenditure in 2005.
      Household consumption "; S8[20]=" increased 46 grams during 2005, to 5.4kg per person, up in 2000 4.9kg.
      Expenditure in 2005 decreased 30 yen (0.4%) on 2004 "; S9[20]=" levels, to 7,317 yen per person.
      Nonetheless, this was 10% above pork expenditure in 2000... "; R[21]="625"; T[21]="Record Australian lamb exports to US"; A[21]="By ... Editor"; Dn[21]="20060317"; Dt[21]="Friday 17 March 2006"; Acats[21]="a07a08a25a60"; B1[21]="      Australian lamb exporters shipped a record 4,294 tonnes to the US during February - 11% above year ago levels.
      "; B2[21]="The high tonnage is mainly in response to this year's late Easter (14-17 April)... "; B3[21]=" "; B4[21]=" "; B5[21]=" "; S1[21]="      Australian lamb exporters shipped a record 4,294 tonnes to the US during February - 11% above year ago levels.
      "; S2[21]=" The high tonnage is mainly in response to this year's late Easter (14-17 April).
      This year, exports could be concentrated in "; S3[21]=" the month of February (rather than divided between the second half of January and the first half of February) and still arrive on US shelves "; S4[21]=" prior to the high lamb consumption period of Easter.
      Australian exports to the US in the first two months of 2006 are "; S5[21]=" roughly on par with year ago levels, at 6,880 tonnes sw.
      Following last year's record lamb exports to the US - "; S6[21]=" up 27% on 2004 levels, to reach 40,700 tonnes sw - export growth in 2006 is expected to be moderate.
      MLA has "; S7[21]=" forecast that shipments will increase 6% in 2006, to reach 43,000 tonnes sw.
      The expectation of slower export growth in 2006 is "; S8[21]=" due to three main reasons: little expansion in Australian lamb supplies; increased competition from NZ in the US; and a likely reduction in prices for "; S9[21]=" imported lamb in the US (due to higher NZ and US supplies and the increasing disparity between lamb prices and other meats in the US).
"; S10[21]="       Another factor that could further impact on Australian exports in the coming year is the prevailing drought conditions in Texas (containing "; S11[21]=" 17% of the US sheep flock) and surrounding states.
      If conditions fail to improve, US lamb production has the potential to increase "; S12[21]=" prematurely, thwarting efforts of producers in drought affected areas to rebuild flocks... "; R[22]="623"; T[22]="Middle East and North Africa business opportunities expand"; A[22]="By ... Editor"; Dn[22]="20060317"; Dt[22]="Friday 17 March 2006"; Acats[22]="a05a08"; B1[22]="      Businesses from a range of industry sectors are encouraged to take part in Austrade's Winning Business in the Middle East and North "; B2[22]="Africa seminar series, from 1 to 19 May 2006... "; B3[22]=" "; B4[22]=" "; B5[22]=" "; S1[22]="      Businesses from a range of industry sectors are encouraged to take part in Austrade's Winning Business in the Middle East and North "; S2[22]=" Africa seminar series, from 1 to 19 May 2006.
      Austrade Chief Economist Tim Harcourt said Australian exporters can benefit as Middle East "; S3[22]=" and North African economies in the region continue to grow, giving rise to expanding consumer-middle classes and diverse export opportunities for Australian businesses.
    "; S4[22]="   'For example, in Bahrain, the city state has become a centre for off shore banking; Qatar is developing its extensive gas reserves; Oman is "; S5[22]=" concentrating on infrastructure, distribution and tourism; whilst Saudi Arabia is investing in light manufacturing and services,' Mr Harcourt said.
      'Of course, the "; S6[22]=" United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the best example of a transforming economy in the region, with Dubai now a major centre for tourism, education, financial "; S7[22]=" and trade services.
      'What this means is there are greater opportunities for exporters from a diverse range of industries.
      "; S8[22]=" Today, there are almost 3000 Australian exporters doing business with the Gulf States, with over 1400 Australian businesses exporting to the UAE alone.' Industries targeted "; S9[22]=" by the seminars include: ' food and beverage ' consumer products ' agribusiness ' "; S10[22]=" medical and pharmaceutical companies ' building and construction materials and services ' educational institutions providing business industry and "; S11[22]=" language training ' IT and telecommunications ' products and services for the oil, gas and mining industries.
    "; S12[22]="   Seminar participants will hear directly from market specialists about export opportunities; find out the 'dos and don'ts' of doing business in the "; S13[22]=" Middle East and North Africa; hear from companies that are successfully doing business in the region already; and network with experienced industry operators.
    "; S14[22]="   Businesses new to exporting will find out how Austrade's programs and services can help.
      The seminar schedule is: ' "; S15[22]=" Perth, Monday 1 May ' Regional WA, Tuesday 2 May ' Adelaide, Thursday 4 May ' "; S16[22]=" Regional, SA Friday 5 May ' Hobart, Monday 8 May ' Melbourne, Wednesday 10 May ' "; S17[22]=" Regional Victoria, Thursday 11 May ' Sydney, Friday 12 May ' Regional NSW, Monday 15 May "; S18[22]=" ' Brisbane, Wednesday 17 May ' Gold Coast, Thursday 18 May ' Darwin, Friday 19 May.. "; R[23]="617"; T[23]="Boosting dairy farm profits by producing improved Summer milk"; A[23]="By ... Editor"; Dn[23]="20060310"; Dt[23]="Friday 10 March 2006"; Acats[23]="a07a08a26"; B1[23]="      A Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries project is studying ways to reduce variations in milk composition brought about by high summer "; B2[23]="temperatures or nutritional changes in livestock feeds... "; B3[23]=" "; B4[23]=" "; B5[23]=" "; S1[23]="      A Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries project is studying ways to reduce variations in milk composition brought about by high summer "; S2[23]=" temperatures or nutritional changes in livestock feeds.
      DPI&F research scientist David Barber said the project supported by Dairy Australia, is studying the "; S3[23]=" impact of summer heat on dairy cattle and through reductions in feed or changes in feed quality 'The seasonal decline in milk protein during summer "; S4[23]=" in northern Australia shows that milk composition and its suitability for further processing are the result of not only heat, but changes in feed quality, "; S5[23]=" a reduction in dry matter intake by cattle and the physiological changes to livestock brought about by both heat and high humidity.
      "; S6[23]=" 'What we are investigating is what variations in milk composition and processing qualities can be minimised on-farm through manipulating the nutritional management of dairy cows "; S7[23]=" and introducing new farm management practices,' Mr Barber said.
      Australia's dairy industry is the third most important rural industry with a farmgate "; S8[23]=" value of $2.8 billion in 2002-03.
      The processed output of milk products is worth an estimated $8.5 billion while the dairy industry "; S9[23]=" employs some 200,000 people, mostly in rural areas.
      Mr Barber said ensuring a consistent supply of milk to processors and manufacturers would "; S10[23]=" mean that products could be manufactured more efficiently throughout the whole year, reducing the costs and the need for processors to add protein to milk "; S11[23]=" to meet the required composition and processing standards.
      Researchers at DPI&F's Mutdapilly research station are conducting a series of trials on dairy "; S12[23]=" cattle to investigate the effect of heat and changing nutrition on milk protein concentration and composition.
      Project worker and Phd student Frances "; S13[23]=" Cowley said the affect of heat and humidity stress on the levels of milk protein and the impact of a nutritional management on cattle performance "; S14[23]=" is being evaluated.
      'As well the study will look at the changes in the milk casein, which is the main milk protein "; S15[23]=" that can affect processing properties of a range of dairy products being made.
      The level and composition of casein can affect products "; S16[23]=" such as Mozzarella cheese with changes to texture, colour, melt and stretch,' Mrs Cowley said.
      Mr Barber said it is expected project "; S17[23]=" results will assist Queensland dairy industries to identify management options that minimise variations in milk composition, milk processing properties and the range of dairy products.
"; S18[23]="       He said outcomes from the project could assist dairyfarmers to adjust their farm management nutrition practices and to produce milk of consistent "; S19[23]=" composition and quality.
      They could also allow processors to manufacture more products with greater efficiency over an extended manufacturing season,boosting their business "; S20[23]=" returns... "; R[24]="599"; T[24]="China to cap price on iron ore imports"; A[24]="By ... Editor"; Dn[24]="20060308"; Dt[24]="Wednesday 8 March 2006"; Acats[24]="a05a08a41"; B1[24]="      China has threatened to block Australian shipments of iron ore and cap the price it pays BHP and Rio Tinto in a "; B2[24]="trade dispute that could stall the nation's fastest-growing export market... "; B3[24]=" "; B4[24]=" "; B5[24]=" "; S1[24]="      China has threatened to block Australian shipments of iron ore and cap the price it pays BHP and Rio Tinto in a "; S2[24]=" trade dispute that could stall the nation's fastest-growing export market.
      In a brazen bid to hold down prices during annual talks on "; S3[24]=" iron ore contracts, China has already blocked shipments from other countries and is threatening to stop Australian ships carrying ore at prices above its new "; S4[24]=" cap.
      China is citing a new ruling that caps import prices at a level BHP claims is below the current price "; S5[24]=" it receives for its ore.
      BHP and Rio Tinto, which dominate Australia's $19 billion-a-year export trade in iron ore, infuriated China last "; S6[24]=" year when they demanded, and ultimately won, a record increase in iron ore prices for 2005-06.
      The Chinese Commerce Ministry has "; S7[24]=" reportedly modified an iron ore licensing system, introduced last year, to ban imports of contracted ore at a higher price than the base negotiated a "; S8[24]=" year ago.
      This means that, because freight rates have risen, some Australian consignments are being denied official approval.
      "; S9[24]=" The new ruling is believed to have been delivered verbally to Chinese steel mills by officials of the Commerce Ministry - almost certainly aware that "; S10[24]=" it could be pursued strongly as a breach of World Trade Organisation agreements.
      Australia has been one of the biggest beneficiaries "; S11[24]=" of China's strong economic growth, with Australian iron ore and coal feeding the steel mills churning out products for the country's construction boom.
    "; S12[24]="   Soaring iron ore prices and volumes have helped underpin Australia's economic growth, keeping the trade deficit under control and underwriting the massive federal "; S13[24]=" budget surpluses that have fuelled calls for tax cuts.
      Rio and BHP were yesterday trying to confirm reports coming from Chinese "; S14[24]=" traders and shipping officials that ships carrying ore at prices above the 2005-06 negotiated prices would be refused import permits.
      If "; S15[24]=" correct, the move would be the clearest sign yet that Beijing is prepared to play hardball in resisting calls from the world's big miners for "; S16[24]=" further contract price rises in 2006-07 after being forced to swallow last year's unprecedented 71.5 per cent hike.
      The rumours came "; S17[24]=" as Japanese steel mills walked out of the latest price talks with the miners.
      That raises the prospect of China and Japan, "; S18[24]=" the nation's two dominant iron ore customers, presenting a united front.
      If BHP and Rio cannot reach agreement with Beijing, the "; S19[24]=" issue is likely instead to be taken up at a political level.
      Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will visit Canberra early next month, "; S20[24]=" and the iron ore spat is now set to take centre stage in his talks with Prime Minister John Howard.
      BHP "; S21[24]=" yesterday said the reported cap on delivered Australian iron ore of $US54 a tonne - up to 20 per cent below prices on international 'spot' "; S22[24]=" markets - was below its contract prices.
      If correct, the new price cap 'would be very concerning', it said.
      "; S23[24]=" 'We are hearing rumours of such restrictions being imposed on the Chinese import licences for iron ore but we have received no official confirmation,' "; S24[24]=" BHP said.
      'We continue to seek confirmation via our customers and government channels.' Rio and BHP, along with Brazil's CRVD, the "; S25[24]=" world's biggest iron ore producer, control more than 70 per cent of the global seaborne trade in iron ore.
      Last year's "; S26[24]=" price rise, which was driven by China's surging steel production, threatened to spark a diplomatic row between Canberra and Beijing when BHP tried to secure "; S27[24]=" an additional increase.
      BHP eventually backed away from its demands.
      Late last year China's ambassador to Australia, Fu "; S28[24]=" Ying, warned that last year's price increases had been 'painful', and that China would in the future be careful over where it chose to source "; S29[24]=" supplies.
      A Chinese move to cap prices would appear to be designed to take the heat out of the strong spot "; S30[24]=" market.
      The miners have been using the high spot-market prices to justify another price increase, and analysts generally have been tipping contract "; R[25]="578"; T[25]="DPI&F encourages grass-fed beef export potential"; A[25]="By ... Editor"; Dn[25]="20060303"; Dt[25]="Friday 3 March 2006"; Acats[25]="a08a27"; B1[25]="      Hugh Amoyal and central Queensland grazier Ian McCamley inspecting cattle and pastures and talking to beef producers, to assess the north's potential "; B2[25]="for producing grass-fed beef... "; B3[25]=" "; B4[25]=" "; B5[25]=" "; S1[25]="      Hugh Amoyal and central Queensland grazier Ian McCamley inspecting cattle and pastures and talking to beef producers, to assess the north's potential "; S2[25]=" for producing grass-fed beef.
      A recent visit of cattle and beef experts to north Queensland may herald export opportunities for grass-fed "; S3[25]=" beef.
      Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) international marketing general manager Hugh Amoyal and central Queensland grazier Ian McCamley, a member of AgForce's "; S4[25]=" cattle board, were on the Atherton Tablelands to inspect cattle and pastures and talk to beef producers.
      Department of Primary Industries and "; S5[25]=" Fisheries beef extension officer Bernie English, who is based at the Kairi Research Station, accompanied the visitors on their tour of the Tablelands.
    "; S6[25]="   Mr Amoyal and Mr McCamley had toured Mount Garnet, Greenvale, Charters Towers and Burdekin River cattle areas including Tom Mann's Hillgrove property and Don "; S7[25]=" Heatley's Byrne Valley.
      'They were assessing the north's potential for producing grass-fed beef and were impressed with what they inspected,' Mr English "; S8[25]=" said.
      Mr Amoyal, who is based in Sydney, said the grass-fed production systems of Northern and Central Queensland are great examples of "; S9[25]=" why Australia leads the world when it comes to producing nutritious, clean beef.
      'These systems underpin the integrity of our red "; S10[25]=" meat products in overseas markets, and provide Australia with a distinct point of difference,' Mr Amoyal said... "; R[26]="564"; T[26]="Extra $2bn in wine exports expected within five years"; A[26]="By ... Editor"; Dn[26]="20060302"; Dt[26]="Thursday 2 March 2006"; Acats[26]="a08a13"; B1[26]="      Australia's annual wine exports are expected to rise strongly to 1.3 billion litres worth $4.89 billion by 2010-11.... "; B2[26]=" "; B3[26]=" "; B4[26]=" "; B5[26]=" "; S1[26]="      Australia's annual wine exports are expected to rise strongly to 1.3 billion litres worth $4.89 billion by 2010-11.
      This "; S2[26]=" compares to a forecast of 749 million litres worth $2.9 billion for the current financial year.
      However, despite strongly growing demand, "; S3[26]=" prices are forecast to continue falling in reaction to the abundance of wine supplies from other countries and falling demand in some key European countries.
"; S4[26]="       The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics estimates the weighted average price for white-wine grapes will slowly fall from $522 "; S5[26]=" a tonne in 2005-06 to $466 a tonne by 2010-11.
      At the same time, the price of red-wine grapes is forecast "; S6[26]=" to rise from $413 a tonne to $525 a tonne... "; R[27]="561"; T[27]="End of single desk ruled by trade talks"; A[27]="By ... Editor"; Dn[27]="20060302"; Dt[27]="Thursday 2 March 2006"; Acats[27]="a08a22"; B1[27]="      The controversial single-desk wheat exporting arrangements could be dismantled by the end of the year if key trade concessions can be gained "; B2[27]="from international competitors... "; B3[27]=" "; B4[27]=" "; B5[27]=" "; S1[27]="      The controversial single-desk wheat exporting arrangements could be dismantled by the end of the year if key trade concessions can be gained "; S2[27]=" from international competitors.
      Trade Minister Mark Vaile yesterday outlined the conditions and a possible schedule for the removal of Australia's single desk, "; S3[27]=" a monopoly exporting scheme started in 1939 when growers pooled wheat to maximise their profits.
      Speaking for the first time since "; S4[27]=" returning from Iraq, Mr Vaile told the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics's annual Outlook conference that Australia would abandon its monopoly wheat export "; S5[27]=" regime if trade liberalisation were achieved in Doha Development Round talks.
      'There may come a day when we no longer need "; S6[27]=" a single desk for Australian wheat growers,' he said.
      'That day will only come if the world agrees to free up agricultural "; S7[27]=" trade through the Doha round.' Australia required increased opportunities in European Union markets before it would reduce other trade barriers, Mr Vaile said.
  "; S8[27]="     'The Australian Government will defend the wheat single desk until that day comes when the subsidies, domestic supports and tariffs that distort "; S9[27]=" the wheat market come to an end,' he said.
      Research presented at the ABARE conference yesterday claimed Australian wheat growers' income "; S10[27]=" and exports would increase if the Doha talks secured a 'market-focused outcome'.
      There is pressure to complete the talks by the "; S11[27]=" end of this year.
      Mr Vaile will resume agriculture negotiations with the US, EU, Japan, India and Brazil in London next "; S12[27]=" week after the talks stalled at the Hong Kong World Trade Organisation ministerial conference last December.
      'We have to reach a "; S13[27]=" conclusion to the round by the end of this year or put off any hope of an agreement until 2009 at the earliest,' Mr Vaile "; S14[27]=" said.
      US Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Under Secretary JB Penn told The Australian yesterday Mr Vaile's speech indicated the single "; S15[27]=" desk could be reviewed.
      'I listened to minister Vaile quite closely this morning and he said there was a certain rationale "; S16[27]=" for using the single desk and when the conditions are eliminated in the world wheat market that gave rise to that (rationale) then he could "; S17[27]=" see the possibility of no longer having the single-desk seller,' Mr Penn said.
      'So we'll see what kind of result we "; S18[27]=" might get out of the WTO.
      My sense is that it could well be sufficient enough to take a look at the "; S19[27]=" single desk here.
      'It certainly indicated to me the possibility of very carefully examining the issue (of the single desk) in "; S20[27]=" light of the fact that export subsidies are to be eliminated by 2013.' Mr Penn rejected partial reforms of the single desk, such as "; S21[27]=" seeking regular tenders for the monopoly wheat export licence as proposed by Liberal MP Wilson Tuckey... "; R[28]="559"; T[28]="Bilateral free trade agreements reinforce WTO negotiations"; A[28]="By ... Editor"; Dn[28]="20060302"; Dt[28]="Thursday 2 March 2006"; Acats[28]="a07a08"; B1[28]="      Australia's bilateral and regional trade agenda is ambitious and involves the pursuit of trade liberalisation objectives not immediately available through the multilateral "; B2[28]="system, Mr Michael Mugliston, Head of the Asia Trade Task Force, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said at the OUTLOOK 2006 conference... "; B3[28]=" "; B4[28]=" "; B5[28]=" "; S1[28]="      Australia's bilateral and regional trade agenda is ambitious and involves the pursuit of trade liberalisation objectives not immediately available through the multilateral "; S2[28]=" system, Mr Michael Mugliston, Head of the Asia Trade Task Force, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said at the OUTLOOK 2006 conference.
    "; S3[28]="   Australia's simultaneous pursuit of WTO trade reforms and bilateral free trade agreements (FTA) is mutually reinforcing.
      Comprehensive trade creating bilateral agreements "; S4[28]=" deliver access gains faster to key markets and can act as building blocks for WTO trade liberalisation, Mr Mugliston added.
      Macquarie Street "; S5[28]=" Barton ACT 2600 Australia's four existing FTAs, with New Zealand, Singapore, the United States and Thailand, cover 24 per cent of Australia's current two-way trade "; S6[28]=" in goods and services.
      Current negotiations with the countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a group, China, "; S7[28]=" Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates will provide coverage for a further 19 per cent of Australia's total twoway trade, Mr Mugliston told the conference.
"; S8[28]="       Discussing developments in Chinese agriculture and the implications for Australia's trade with China, Dr Bin Lu, Manager, Market Development China, Victorian Department "; S9[28]=" of Primary Industries, informed OUTLOOK delegates that Australia has significant advantages in meeting growing demand in China for food products, particularly for beef, dairy products "; S10[28]=" and wine.
      'China's rapid economic growth and urbanisation are bringing about profound changes in demand for agricultural products; as a result the "; S11[28]=" country has, for the first time, become a net food importer in 2004,' Dr Bin Lu told the conference.
      Dr Bin Lu "; S12[28]=" added that robust Chinese vegetable and fruit industries will be challenging competitors for Australia's industries particularly after a FTA with China, however the limited arable "; S13[28]=" land in China and increasing domestic demand will reduce this challenge within a decade.
      John Wainio from the Economic Research Service of "; S14[28]=" the US Department of Agriculture told the conference that the U.S believes that continued progress in multilateral trade negotiations is critical to the world trading "; S15[28]=" system.
      However while multilateralism remains the ultimate foal for trade reform, bilateral and regional trade agreements can be complimentary and mutually reinforcing.
"; S16[28]="       Mr Wainio further noted that the US has established criteria for deciding which partners to engage in bilateral and regional FTAs that "; S17[28]=" go beyond the size and the importance of the economy to the US.
      The country's willingness to negotiate a comprehensive agreement that "; S18[28]=" expands and deepens economic ties is important as well as whether the agreement will help advance the WTO negotiations... "; R[29]="558"; T[29]="Australian saleyard prices of cattle to fall in 2006-07"; A[29]="By ... Editor"; Dn[29]="20060302"; Dt[29]="Thursday 2 March 2006"; Acats[29]="a07a08a27"; B1[29]="      Saleyard prices for Australian beef cattle are forecast to fall by 9 per cent in 2006-07 to average around 295c/kg, due to "; B2[29]="increased Australian beef production and increased supplies in the Pacific Rim, Andrew Dickson, ABARE, told delegates at the OUTLOOK 2006 conference... "; B3[29]=" "; B4[29]=" "; B5[29]=" "; S1[29]="      Saleyard prices for Australian beef cattle are forecast to fall by 9 per cent in 2006-07 to average around 295c/kg, due to "; S2[29]=" increased Australian beef production and increased supplies in the Pacific Rim, Andrew Dickson, ABARE, told delegates at the OUTLOOK 2006 conference.
      'Australian "; S3[29]=" exports to Japan, Korea and the United States are set to come under increasing pressure from alternative suppliers.
      This is likely to "; S4[29]=" occur as US and Australian beef supplies are forecast to increase, and Australian saleyard prices are projected to ease over the medium term,' concluded Mr "; S5[29]=" Dickson.
      Dr Peter Barnard, General Manager, Economic Planning and Market Services, Meat and Livestock Australia, commented that there has been significant growth "; S6[29]=" in demand for Australian beef domestically and internationally over the past five years, as consumers seek higher quality, safe, tasty and beef.
      "; S7[29]=" 'With around 40 per cent of Australian beef produced from cattle finished on grain, the lot feeding sector is now a significant and critical part "; S8[29]=" of the Australian beef industry.
      With the possibility of a 25 per cent increase in the level of grain fed beef exports "; S9[29]=" over the next nine years, there is significant potential in the grain feeding industry in Australia,' Dr Barnard said.
      'However, in order "; S10[29]=" for grain feeding to further expand to meet customer needs over the medium term, access to world parity priced grain is required,' concluded Dr Barnard.
"; S11[29]="       John Mactaggart, beef producer, Queensland, reported on a fact finding tour of Brazil, Chile and Argentina.
      He told delegates "; S12[29]=" that he did not see Brazil as a short term threat to Australia's premium export markets, due to poor storage and transport infrastructure and the "; S13[29]=" porous nature of borders.
      Similarly Chile and Argentina were not considered to be major competitive threats in the short term.
    "; S14[29]="   'However, over the medium term, Australia will need to continue to work hard to ensure customer satisfaction and that we are the suppliers of "; S15[29]=" preference,' Mr Mactaggart concluded... "; R[30]="557"; T[30]="Challenges and prospects for the seafood industry"; A[30]="By ... Editor"; Dn[30]="20060302"; Dt[30]="Thursday 2 March 2006"; Acats[30]="a08a10a83"; B1[30]="      The OUTLOOK 2006 session discussing challenges and prospects for the Australian seafood industry was opened in Canberra today by Senator the Honorable "; B2[30]="Eric Abetz, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation... "; B3[30]=" "; B4[30]=" "; B5[30]=" "; S1[30]="      The OUTLOOK 2006 session discussing challenges and prospects for the Australian seafood industry was opened in Canberra today by Senator the Honorable "; S2[30]=" Eric Abetz, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation.
      ABARE speaker Peter Gooday described to delegates the current economic situation the Australian fishing "; S3[30]=" industry finds itself in.
      Edmund Barton Building Macquarie Street Barton ACT 2600 'Recent movements in fuel prices and exchange rates have shown "; S4[30]=" how susceptible the Australian fishing industry is to changes in variables that are outside the control of managers and fishers.
      However, for "; S5[30]=" many fisheries the key to lowering costs will be implementing effective fisheries management.' Mr Gooday reported that despite the present low profitability of many wildcaught "; S6[30]=" fisheries, the outlook is brighter.
      'The value of fisheries production is forecast to increase to $2.15 billion in 2005-06, and this is "; S7[30]=" likely to increase further over the medium term as the Australian dollar weakens and export markets grow.' Favorable movements in key variables will coincide with "; S8[30]=" new management arrangements for many fisheries.
      Paula Shoulder, AFMA, outlined the short to medium terms objectives of the management authority following the "; S9[30]=" unprecedented Government directive of December 2005 to improve the ecological and economic viability of fisheries resources.
      'We must move quickly to address "; S10[30]=" overfishing and minimise the impacts of fishing on the marine environment.
      The cornerstone of our approach to sustainability is the development and "; S11[30]=" implementation of a Commonwealth Harvest Strategy Policy with clearly defined targets and reference points,' Ms Shoulder told delegates.
      Ms Shoulder warned delegates "; S12[30]=" to expect the new management arrangements to be 'fairly confronting for the commercial fishing industry, not only in regards to the changes to fishing practices "; S13[30]=" and possible reduction in catch levels, but also because the timeframe is expected to be relatively short.' Uncertainty about the state of Australia's fishing industry "; S14[30]=" makes lending to some fishers difficult for banks, according to Bill Cordingley, Rabobank.
      'Forecasting production, sales and profits in fisheries is hard "; S15[30]=" because these tend to highly variable and contingent on so many things.' Mr Cordingley also identified the lack of strong asset backing in some fisheries "; S16[30]=" as causing concerns about loan security for banks.
      Mr Tony Smith, CSIRO, outlined the recently developed Harvest Strategy Framework and its application "; S17[30]=" in the southern and eastern scalefish and shark fishery saying it 'provides much more certainty in the decision making process, improves incentives for industry to "; S18[30]=" reduce discards, and also provides a clearer incentive structure for investment in monitoring and research.'.. "; R[31]="554"; T[31]="World dairy prices set to ease"; A[31]="By ... Editor"; Dn[31]="20060302"; Dt[31]="Thursday 2 March 2006"; Acats[31]="a07a08a26a57"; B1[31]="      Australian dairy farmers and exporters should expect progressively lower returns over the next five years, according to John Hogan, Manager, Agriculture Forecasting "; B2[31]="program, ABARE... "; B3[31]=" "; B4[31]=" "; B5[31]=" "; S1[31]="      Australian dairy farmers and exporters should expect progressively lower returns over the next five years, according to John Hogan, Manager, Agriculture Forecasting "; S2[31]=" program, ABARE.
      Speaking at the OUTLOOK 2006 conference, Mr Hogan noted Australian dairy export earnings are forecast to be higher in 2005-06 "; S3[31]=" but will ease over the medium term.
      Macquarie Street Barton ACT 2600 'Global supplies are projected to outstrip demand in the major "; S4[31]=" international dairy markets such as south east Asia, the Russian Federation, the Middle East and north Africa,' Mr Hogan said.
      ABARE forecasts "; S5[31]=" indicate an easing in both farm gate prices and the value of Australian dairy exports over the next five years.
      Mr Hogan "; S6[31]=" concluded that farm consolidation and enhanced productivity will be key factors shaping the longer term export competitiveness of the Australian dairy industry.
      "; S7[31]=" Mr Chris Phillips, Manager Trade and Strategy, Dairy Australia, discussed the emerging importance of south American dairy producers with competition from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay "; S8[31]=" likely to increase over the next five years.
      For example, dairy exports from Argentina doubled between 2001 and 2005, while Uruguay's dairy "; S9[31]=" exports have grown by 7 per cent in recent years.
      'As cost effective, pasture based producers they are well placed to compete "; S10[31]=" in international markets.
      They also stand to benefit from improvements in world markets and prices due to international trade reform,' he said "; S11[31]=" Mr Barry Irvin, a dairy farmer from Bega, noted that profitable dairy farming required farmers to improve their farm business, marketing and operational skills.
  "; S12[31]="     'I am optimistic about the future of the Australian dairy industry because of the advances we have made in pasture productivity, natural resource "; S13[31]=" management and the adoption of technology, such as on-farm automation.
      We have to work hard to develop and maintain a competitive market "; S14[31]=" advantage and the key to that will be increasing the skills of our farmers,' Mr Irvin said.
      Speaking on the challenge faced "; S15[31]=" by exporters, Mr John Williams, General Manager Sales and Marketing, Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory, said the biggest problem faced by Australian exporters was restricted "; S16[31]=" access to high value markets.
      'Due to trade barriers and regulations, only 8 per cent of world milk production can be traded "; S17[31]=" openly in the global market and just a little more access would make all the difference.
      The Doha round of WTO trade "; S18[31]=" negotiations is a real last ditch effort to make a change,' Mr Williams said... "; R[32]="551"; T[32]="State eyes wheat sales unit"; A[32]="By ... Editor"; Dn[32]="20060301"; Dt[32]="Wednesday 1 March 2006"; Acats[32]="a08a22"; B1[32]="      Queensland could set up its own single desk selling operation for wheat if the Howard Government decides to scrap monopoly sales for "; B2[32]="the scandal-plagued AWB... "; B3[32]=" "; B4[32]=" "; B5[32]=" "; S1[32]="      Queensland could set up its own single desk selling operation for wheat if the Howard Government decides to scrap monopoly sales for "; S2[32]=" the scandal-plagued AWB.
      The Grains Industry Restructuring Act passed four years ago gives the state the power to review export marketing arrangements "; S3[32]=" should AWB lose its monopoly.
      State Parliament unanimously agreed to the step when there was uncertainty over AWB's single desk approach "; S4[32]=" and speculation that Canberra would scrap it.
      That uncertainty has arisen again as a result of the Cole inquiry into AWB performance "; S5[32]=" and kickbacks paid to Iraq.
      Although the possibility of Queensland going it alone has not been discussed at ministerial level, senior bureaucrats "; S6[32]=" within the Primary Industries Department have dusted off the legislation.
      When it was introduced by then Primary Industries Minister Henry Palaszczuk, "; S7[32]=" he said: 'The review will be of particular significance if the Commonwealth Government was to repeal or suspend the national single desk arrangements for wheat.' "; S8[32]=" The state's wheat growers are being surveyed for their support of a single selling desk.
      Rural lobby group AgForce has asked "; S9[32]=" more than 2000 farmers if they continued to have faith in the existing approach.
      An AgForce spokesman said: 'Our survey is designed "; S10[32]=" to ensure that people are still in support of the single desk and to what extent the Cole inquiry may be having on that.
  "; S11[32]="     'Early results indicate that people can differentiate between the single desk approach and the AWB's management of the single desk.
    "; S12[32]="   'As a general rule growers are quite comfortable with how things were undertaken.
      They may not opt for the status "; S13[32]=" quo but definitely like the single desk.
      People still believe they need a single marketer to compete on the world market.' "; S14[32]=" If the single desk is scrapped grain handler GrainCorp has indicated it is prepared to become involved in the export of Australia's bulk wheat crop.
"; S15[32]="       With 350 operating sites and seven of the eight grain export terminals in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, the grower-controlled "; S16[32]=" company is confident it could source the tonnages required for overseas sales.
      GrainCorp was ready to take up the challenge if "; S17[32]=" the step benefited growers which held 80 percent of shares in the company, chairman Don Taylor said.
      It already exports wheat "; S18[32]=" in bags and containers to countries including China, Japan, south-east Asia , Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
      The AgForce spokesman said South "; S19[32]=" Australian and West Australian grain handlers and marketers were probably interested also.
      'Around the country there are probably four big players "; S20[32]=" who are ready to get into the ruck,' the spokesman said... "; R[33]="540"; T[33]="Qld cattle markets lift"; A[33]="By ... Editor"; Dn[33]="20060227"; Dt[33]="Monday 27 February 2006"; Acats[33]="a08a27"; B1[33]="      Cattle prices continued their rise this week, led by Queensland markets.
      Stronger interest from Japan and the US lifted "; B2[33]="Japan steer and export cow prices, while strong feeder and store demand also raised young cattle rates... "; B3[33]=" "; B4[33]=" "; B5[33]=" "; S1[33]="      Cattle prices continued their rise this week, led by Queensland markets.
      Stronger interest from Japan and the US lifted "; S2[33]=" Japan steer and export cow prices, while strong feeder and store demand also raised young cattle rates.
      Store interest from areas with "; S3[33]=" pasture and feedlot demand appear to be preventing a drought-induced price decline, at this stage, as most of Queensland and western/northern NSW remain dry.
  "; S4[33]="     Seasonal conditions dictate cattle supplies Cattle numbers at MLA's NLRS reported saleyards fell 13% this week.
      WA throughput returned "; S5[33]=" to normal, after the bolstered numbers following the special Midland weaner sale last week, with SA pennings also lower.
      Some agents "; S6[33]=" are anticipating an influx of numbers onto the physical market in the next two or three weeks if seasonal conditions do not improve, particularly in "; S7[33]=" western Queensland and central NSW.
      Compared to last year, the deterioration of both feed and water supplies is not as widespread, with "; S8[33]=" areas that have received some rain over the past few months a viable agistment option for many producers.
      Strong restocker demand in "; S9[33]=" these better conditioned regions is likely to assist in stabilising the cattle market, particularly in offsetting those producers being forced to offload cattle due to "; S10[33]=" feed constraints.
      The quality of cattle offered has been mixed across most eastern states centres, with the exception of some Queensland "; S11[33]=" offerings.
      In WA, most cattle are showing the effects of the favourable seasonal conditions, with some well finished stock coming forward.
  "; S12[33]="     The southern agricultural districts of WA have received scattered thunderstorms, as have northern parts of the state, with the entire eastern wheat belt "; S13[33]=" reportedly covered in solid pasture.
      Young cattle rates in the west jumped 32˘ this week, with the WA trade steer indicator finishing "; S14[33]=" the week at 179˘/kg lwt, while the national indicator settled at 192˘/kg lwt.
      Young cattle prices were solid overall, with the benchmark "; S15[33]=" Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) reaching its highest level for the year during the week, finishing Thursday at 364˘ - up 3.75˘/kg on last week.
"; S16[33]="       Despite quotes for paddock consignments weakening slightly last week, feeder demand in the physical markets has been strong for suitable lines, with "; S17[33]=" the national feeder steer indicator increasing 3˘, to 190˘/kg lwt.
      Grown steer rates bolstered Medium grown steers experienced the largest price "; S18[33]=" gains across all categories this week, with the better conditioned C-muscled lines attracting strong interest.
      The national medium steer indicator was 5˘ "; S19[33]=" dearer this week, finishing Thursday at 183˘/kg lwt.
      The Japan ox indicator also improved, up 4˘ to 185˘/kg lwt, while the US "; S20[33]=" cow indicator gained 2˘ this week, to settle at 137˘/kg lwt.
      Export trading appears to have strengthened to both Japan and the "; S21[33]=" US.
      Another major contributing factor to the higher market is the low proportion of grown steers on offer.
      Grown "; S22[33]=" steers only made up 12% of all cattle offered this week, while cows made up 24%... "; R[34]="539"; T[34]="US submits report to Japan on Meat"; A[34]="By ... Editor"; Dn[34]="20060227"; Dt[34]="Monday 27 February 2006"; Acats[34]="a08a27a60a62"; B1[34]="      On Friday 17 February, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) presented a 475 page investigative report to the Japanese government, which "; B2[34]="explained the circumstances surrounding the US beef shipment containing cattle backbone and veal offal discovered at Narita airport during January... "; B3[34]=" "; B4[34]=" "; B5[34]=" "; S1[34]="      On Friday 17 February, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) presented a 475 page investigative report to the Japanese government, which "; S2[34]=" explained the circumstances surrounding the US beef shipment containing cattle backbone and veal offal discovered at Narita airport during January.
      In "; S3[34]=" the report, the USDA stressed the incident was 'unique' and that US meat-processing, inspection and export systems are not weak.
      The report "; S4[34]=" did suggest, however, that government-level confusion over the terms of export prevailed until the last minute before trade resumed.
      Growing numbers "; S5[34]=" of Japan's ruling party officials are arguing that advance inspections of US meat processing facilities by Japanese inspectors be a condition of trade resumption.
  "; S6[34]="     The US has indicated it would welcome such inspections.
      Of the 37 US facilities permitted to export beef to Japan, "; S7[34]=" just 11 had been inspected by Japanese personnel after imports resumed in December.
      Now the investigative report has been submitted, it is "; S8[34]=" expected the US will increase pressure on Japan to resume beef imports.
      However, after a meeting with Prime Minister Koizumi on "; S9[34]=" Monday, Japanese Agriculture Minster Nakagawa said the USDA report was 'insufficient'.
      The Japanese government now faces a highly political balancing act, taking "; S10[34]=" into account public opinion and US-Japan relations.
      A February survey by Intage shows 90% of Japanese consumers support the reinstatement of the "; S11[34]=" US beef ban, and 77% believe that, even if it takes some time, the Japanese government should implement measures in order to prevent a recurrence.
"; S12[34]="       The issue is smouldering in Japan, with opposition parties continuing to question the government's lifting of the import ban in December.
  "; S13[34]="     A recent Nihon Keizai newspaper opinion poll showed the Koizumi cabinet's approval rating has fallen to 45% - down 14% from last December.
"; S14[34]="       The plunge in popularity has been attributed to several incidents, one of which is the rebanning of US beef... "; R[35]="531"; T[35]="Fruit and veges not high on menu"; A[35]="By ... Editor"; Dn[35]="20060224"; Dt[35]="Friday 24 February 2006"; Acats[35]="a08a10a17a18"; B1[35]="      Only 7 per cent of Queenslanders eat the recommended daily amounts of vegetables, and just over half eat enough fruit, according to "; B2[35]="new research... "; B3[35]=" "; B4[35]=" "; B5[35]=" "; S1[35]="      Only 7 per cent of Queenslanders eat the recommended daily amounts of vegetables, and just over half eat enough fruit, according to "; S2[35]=" new research.
      Nutritionists say the recommended daily amounts should be five serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit.
      "; S3[35]=" A serve is equivalent to a cup of salad vegetables, half a cup of cooked vegetables, a medium potato or a piece of fruit.
  "; S4[35]="     Research by Queensland Health and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare show half of adults are eating the recommended amount of fruit, "; S5[35]=" while only 7 per cent of people are eating the recommended amount of vegetables.
      Dieticians Association of Australia executive director Claire Hewat "; S6[35]=" said getting people to eat more vegetables was the single most important nutrition message in Australia today... "; R[36]="522"; T[36]="Country of Origin Labelling on Packaged Vegetables Stalls at FSANZ Study"; A[36]="By ... Editor"; Dn[36]="20060224"; Dt[36]="Friday 24 February 2006"; Acats[36]="a08a17"; B1[36]="      The FSANZ report on the feasibility of extending Country of Origin labelling laws to cover packaged foods, released earlier this month, has "; B2[36]="fallen far short of consumer and vegetable industry expectations... "; B3[36]=" "; B4[36]=" "; B5[36]=" "; S1[36]="      The FSANZ report on the feasibility of extending Country of Origin labelling laws to cover packaged foods, released earlier this month, has "; S2[36]=" fallen far short of consumer and vegetable industry expectations.
      'I am extremely disappointed in the short comings of the feasibility study presented "; S3[36]=" by FSANZ.
      The economic arguments put forward appear to be some what bias and have little regard to the social and health "; S4[36]=" benefits of accurate country of origin labelling,' Michael Badcock, AUSVEG Chairman said.
      'The FSANZ report states that 'Information to satisfy the community's "; S5[36]=" right to know would be of low value' based on the premise that manufactures rarely receive calls asking for the information.
      'Does "; S6[36]=" this then mean that because people don't always ring and ask a cigarette company or a fast food outlet if their product is good for "; S7[36]=" them that it doesn't matter and is not of value to know?' Michael said.
      A recent Auspoll survey overwhelmingly highlighted the value "; S8[36]=" that Australian consumers place on accurate labelling, with over 97% of respondents declaring that they believed accurate information is needed on where food products are "; S9[36]=" grown.
      'If this dismissal of social values is much of the rational, I question FSANZ's conclusion that there is a strong case "; S10[36]=" that the costs of the proposed extension to country of origin labelling (CoOL) would exceed the benefits from its implementation.
      'Consumers have "; S11[36]=" the right to know where their food comes from.
      Without this they cannot make an informed decision, regardless if it is a "; S12[36]=" health choice, a cost choice, a patriotic choice or one of principle,' Michael said.
      AUSVEG willl submit a formal response to the "; S13[36]=" FSANZ study by early March.
      For more information visit www.ausveg.com.au.. "; R[37]="519"; T[37]="Invitation to Australian Food & Beverage Businesses"; A[37]="By ... Editor"; Dn[37]="20060224"; Dt[37]="Friday 24 February 2006"; Acats[37]="a05a08a10"; B1[37]="      A joint initiative to help Australian food and beverage suppliers become a part of the rapidly expanding global halal food trade, currently "; B2[37]="worth $204 billion has been launched by the Australian and Brunei Governments... "; B3[37]=" "; B4[37]=" "; B5[37]=" "; S1[37]="      A joint initiative to help Australian food and beverage suppliers become a part of the rapidly expanding global halal food trade, currently "; S2[37]=" worth $204 billion has been launched by the Australian and Brunei Governments.
      Austrade's Regional Director, SE Asia, South Asia and the Pacific, "; S3[37]=" David Twine said a series of industry briefings will be held around Australia to help identify suitable Australian suppliers (seminar details below).
      "; S4[37]=" 'The combined effort between Austrade and the Brunei Government has been developed to help Australian businesses identify whether their food and beverages are suitable "; S5[37]=" for global halal consumption according to Brunei's stringent halal certification standards,' Mr Twine said.
      'With about 22 per cent of the "; S6[37]=" world's population being Muslim, around 1.9 billion people, and growing at close to 2.9 per cent each year, the halal consumer segment is well worth "; S7[37]=" pursuing.
      'The halal sector presents enormous scope for Australian food and beverage companies and Austrade is helping to position Australian companies "; S8[37]=" to leverage our existing capability and global reputation to translate these opportunities into sustainable business growth,' he said.
      Presently, the two strongest "; S9[37]=" markets for halal products are South East Asia and the Middle East.
      These regions represent over 400 million Muslim consumers, but marketing "; S10[37]=" efforts to supply certified halal products throughout these regions in a consistent manner are still evolving.
      It is worth noting that there "; S11[37]=" are many Islamic consumers with high disposable incomes in the USA and European markets also.
      This bilateral initiative aims to introduce "; S12[37]=" a new premium market segment to halal consumers by combining the highly respected Brunei halal credentials with Australia's 'clean and green' international food reputation.
  "; S13[37]="     An Australian company with extensive experience in international marketing and Islamic commerce, Bayliss Associates of Sydney, has been contracted to project manage the "; S14[37]=" initiative on behalf of the Brunei Government.
      Australian food and beverage producers of quality processed foods (including for example cereal-based products, such "; S15[37]=" as biscuits, snack foods, confectionary, jams, baby foods, dairy products and non-alcoholic beverages) are invited to a briefing on the project, and register their interest "; S16[37]=" in being involved commercially... "; R[38]="487"; T[38]="Natural Products - The growing global phenomenon"; A[38]="By ... Editor"; Dn[38]="20060222"; Dt[38]="Wednesday 22 February 2006"; Acats[38]="a08a10a24a55"; B1[38]="      Global demand for natural products including functional foods and organics is currently undergoing exponential growth..... "; B2[38]=" "; B3[38]=" "; B4[38]=" "; B5[38]=" "; S1[38]="      Global demand for natural products including functional foods and organics is currently undergoing exponential growth.
      Market research in Switzerland "; S2[38]=" recently found that 80% of all purchases are influenced by health-related issues.
      Strong worldwide demand for natural products is being driven by "; S3[38]=" consumer need for assurance over the quality, integrity, health and safety in food products and a growing interest in improving lifestyle.
      To "; S4[38]=" capitalise on this growth area, a joint project was developed more than four years ago between the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) and "; S5[38]=" the Department of State Development, Trade and Innovation that has assisted companies to successfully build business networks with United Kingdom distributors and buyers.
    "; S6[38]="   Building on knowledge gained from the market research, the Natural Products UK project will focus on developing supply chains into the niche Health food/Natural "; S7[38]=" products segment of the UK market.
      Health and wellbeing concerns are a growing trend in Asia and the DPI&F is working closely "; S8[38]=" with Queensland companies to expand activities in these markets and capitalise on the growing demand.
      DPI&F is linking with the new National "; S9[38]=" Food Industry Strategy (NFIS) and Austrade project which is focused on expanding opportunities with major UK supermarkets.
      A highly successful seminar on "; S10[38]=" Natural Products was facilitated by Jacquie Bodger (Senior Trade and Investment Officer) on the Sunshine Coast in November 2005 followed by a joint meeting hosted "; S11[38]=" by DPI&F and NFIS which was attended by over 40 participants.
      There will be further seminars highlighting the market opportunities for the "; S12[38]=" natural products early this year.
      For details please contact Jacquie Bodger 323 93307 or email Jacquie.bodger@dpi.qld.gov.au... "; R[39]="485"; T[39]="Export trial signals potential profits for cane growers"; A[39]="By ... Editor"; Dn[39]="20060222"; Dt[39]="Wednesday 22 February 2006"; Acats[39]="a08a19a20"; B1[39]="      A trial shipment of Burdekin-grown soybeans to Indonesia could signal a lucrative complementary crop for Queensland cane growers..... "; B2[39]=" "; B3[39]=" "; B4[39]=" "; B5[39]=" "; S1[39]="      A trial shipment of Burdekin-grown soybeans to Indonesia could signal a lucrative complementary crop for Queensland cane growers.
      The "; S2[39]=" 22-tonne trial soybean shipment left from the Port of Townsville on 14 October 2005 bound for the Indonesian food market.
      The Department "; S3[39]=" of Primary Industries and Fisheries' (DPI&F) FutureCane project encourages cane growers to use a fallow legume crop, such as soybeans, as part of an integrated "; S4[39]=" farming system.
      Up until now, the benefits of growing soybeans have been realised through supply of organic matter and nitrogen following cane "; S5[39]=" crops, enhanced soil health and the breaking of monoculture disease cycles.
      Grain crops have also in the past been marketed to the "; S6[39]=" domestic market.
      With domestic transport costs rising, securing an export market for the soybean crop could mean a diversified income stream for "; S7[39]=" growers.
      Having an export option for a fallow crop illustrates an ability to value-add to implementation of a complementary farm enterprise with "; S8[39]=" cane that diversifies income streams and manages business risks for growers.
      The trial shipment of a container of the soybeans, all loaded "; S9[39]=" into separate one tonne bags, marked the end of five months of negotiations with an export agent that included input from shipping agents John Swire "; S10[39]=" and Sons, the Townsville Port Authority, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service and the regional DPI&F FutureCane team.
      Cane growers in Burdekin "; S11[39]=" are capable of growing commercial soybean grain crops, and the FutureCane team are keen to build on the trial shipment.
      This trial "; S12[39]=" export shipment has created much interest that can only be seen as positive for cane growers looking at income diversification.
      Ultimately an "; S13[39]=" ideal mix of domestic and export market options for soybean grain from the Burdekin is the aim, so as to ensure that cane growers are "; S14[39]=" making use of their fallow legume cropping systems to optimise financial returns.
      Growers interested in finding out more about the export chain "; S15[39]=" initiative for soybeans from the Burdekin can contact Stephen Sinclair or Dave Brown via the DPI&F Call Centre ph: 13 25 23... "; R[40]="479"; T[40]="Value of beef exports to US falls in 2005"; A[40]="By ... Editor"; Dn[40]="20060222"; Dt[40]="Wednesday 22 February 2006"; Acats[40]="a05a07a08a27"; B1[40]="      Australia exported 319,751 tonnes of beef to the US during 2005 - 8.6% below year ago levels..... "; B2[40]=" "; B3[40]=" "; B4[40]=" "; B5[40]=" "; S1[40]="      Australia exported 319,751 tonnes of beef to the US during 2005 - 8.6% below year ago levels.
      There are "; S2[40]=" a number of reasons explaining the decline for the year, including the diversion of Australian exports to North Asian markets subdued spending on beef by "; S3[40]=" US consumers due to higher oil prices and competitively priced chicken and pork and the removal of the Australian Government's quota management scheme.
    "; S4[40]="   It is estimated that these exports for the year were valued at A$1.19 billion - 13.7% below 2004.
      Apart from "; S5[40]=" lower volumes exported, the 3.8% appreciation of the A$ explains the lower export beef revenue.
      In 2005, trends in FOB prices (A$ "; S6[40]=" terms) for Australian manufacturing beef items in the US (collected by MLA) were mixed, with many items recording lower rates or no change on 2004 "; S7[40]=" price averages.
      The average price for the most commonly traded item to the US, 90CL cow, fell 0.5%.
      However "; S8[40]=" landed or CIF prices for Australian beef in the US (US˘lb terms) rose in 2005 for all items collected by MLA.
      Prices "; S9[40]=" for 90CL rose 3.4%, to average 127.9US˘/lb CIF, while fattier items rose by higher magnitudes, with 65CL trimmings increasing by 15%, to average 85.1US˘/lb CIF.
"; S10[40]="       Australia exported 13,538 tonnes sw of beef to the US during January 2006 - 18% above year ago levels.
      "; S11[40]=" Shipments of both chilled (1,084 tonnes) and frozen beef (12,454 tonnes) increased on volumes exported in January 2005 by 155% and 13%, respectively... "; R[41]="453"; T[41]="End wheat monopoly sales, US urges"; A[41]="By ... Editor"; Dn[41]="20060222"; Dt[41]="Wednesday 22 February 2006"; Acats[41]="a06a08a22a60"; B1[41]="      Australia should end its wheat export-marketing monopoly, US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns has said, and other nations with single desk sellers should "; B2[41]="do the same... "; B3[41]=" "; B4[41]=" "; B5[41]=" "; S1[41]="      Australia should end its wheat export-marketing monopoly, US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns has said, and other nations with 'single desk sellers' should "; S2[41]=" do the same.
      'By the nature of things, monopolies tend to be trade-distorting,' Johanns told reporters.
      'We (the United "; S3[41]=" States) have worked for the elimination of those single-desk monopolies.
      But, again, it doesn't relate just to Australia.' Johanns did not respond "; S4[41]=" to a question about Australia's investigation of allegations that wheat marketer AWB Ltd paid kickbacks to Iraq during the 1990s.
      Instead, he "; S5[41]=" pointed to US attempts at world trade talks to end farm-export monopolies in a number of countries.
      'It's a long-held position,' he "; S6[41]=" said.
      'We just regard those as monopolies, and they are.'.. "; R[42]="449"; T[42]="Uranium to China could go in nukes"; A[42]="By ... Editor"; Dn[42]="20060222"; Dt[42]="Wednesday 22 February 2006"; Acats[42]="a05a08a09a36a42a63"; B1[42]="      Government officials negotiating the sale of Australian uranium to China admit there is no guarantee it will never be used in nuclear "; B2[42]="weapons... "; B3[42]=" "; B4[42]=" "; B5[42]=" "; S1[42]="      Government officials negotiating the sale of Australian uranium to China admit there is no guarantee it will never be used in nuclear "; S2[42]=" weapons.
      Australian diplomats, due to meet their Chinese counterparts today in Canberra, are expected to push for China to agree to safeguards "; S3[42]=" similar to those signed by other nuclear weapons states that buy Australian uranium, such as the US, Britain and France.
      The agreements "; S4[42]=" are designed to prevent the use of Australian uranium in nuclear weapons.
      However, they allow countries with both nuclear power and nuclear "; S5[42]=" weapons programs to mix Australian uranium with uranium from different sources.
      The safeguards state only that an equivalent amount of uranium bought "; S6[42]=" from Australia - designated Australian obligated nuclear material (AONM) - is not used in nuclear weapons.
      This means Australian uranium can be "; S7[42]=" mixed with uranium from other sources provided a portion of the total, matching the size of the Australian export, is used only for nuclear energy.
"; S8[42]="       Australian officials admit the system means it is possible for Australian uranium to end up being used in the production of nuclear "; S9[42]=" weapons.
      'On an atom-for-atom basis it is theoretically possible,' a government source said.
      A spokesman for the Department of "; S10[42]=" Foreign Affairs and Trade said yesterday Australian negotiators would insist that safeguards preventing the use of AONM in weapons production would be a condition of "; S11[42]=" any trade in uranium to China.
      'Use of AONM for nuclear weapons, nuclear explosive devices, military nuclear propulsion (or) depleted uranium munitions "; S12[42]=" will be proscribed,' he said.
      Responsibility for monitoring the use of AONM is held by the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office, whose "; S13[42]=" director-general, John Carlson, is leading the talks in Canberra.
      The office already accepts there is public concern the AONM principle means Australian "; S14[42]=" uranium may end up being used in nuclear weapons.
      'This overlooks the realities of the situation, that uranium atoms are indistinguishable from "; S15[42]=" one another and there is no practical way of attaching flags to atoms,' it says in a 2000 report.
      Critics of the "; S16[42]=" current negotiations also argue that any export deal will allow China to use Australian uranium for its energy, diverting more of its existing uranium supplies "; S17[42]=" to its weapons program.
      In December, Chinese ambassador to Australia Fu Ying told an audience at the Melbourne Mining Club that China "; S18[42]=" had enough uranium resources to support its weapons program but would need to import more to meet its power demands.
      China is "; S19[42]=" planning a significant expansion of its nuclear energy program.
      The Uranium Information Centre says China gets about half its uranium needs from "; S20[42]=" its own mines - about 750 tonnes - with the balance imported.. "; R[43]="436"; T[43]="EU announces 2006 sheep import quotas"; A[43]="By ... Editor"; Dn[43]="20060222"; Dt[43]="Wednesday 22 February 2006"; Acats[43]="a08a25a61"; B1[43]="      The European Commission regulation has announced its 2006 community tariff quotas for sheep, goats, sheepmeat and goat meat..... "; B2[43]=" "; B3[43]=" "; B4[43]=" "; B5[43]=" "; S1[43]="      The European Commission regulation has announced its 2006 community tariff quotas for sheep, goats, sheepmeat and goat meat.
      New "; S2[43]=" Zealand retains the overwhelming majority of the quota in 2006, with 227,854 tonnes, followed by Argentina (23,000 tonnes), Australia (18,650 tonnes), and Uruguay (5,800 tonnes) "; S3[43]=" and Chile (5,600 tonnes).
      According to the European Market Survey, New Zealand and Chile were the only countries to be allocated additional "; S4[43]=" quota in 2006 - up 1,154 tonnes and 183 tonnes, respectively.
      During 2005, 92% on the total EU quota was filled.
  "; S5[43]="     Australia filled 96% of its quota by December 2005, exporting just under 18,000 tonnes sw - down 4% on 2004 levels.
    "; S6[43]="   New Zealand filled 94% of its quota in 2005, at 223,000 tonnes, compared with 92% during 2004.
      Uruguay was the only "; S7[43]=" country to fill its entire quota, while Argentina only filled 38% of its quota... "; R[44]="435"; T[44]="EU ends live export subsidies"; A[44]="By ... Editor"; Dn[44]="20060222"; Dt[44]="Wednesday 22 February 2006"; Acats[44]="a08a25a27"; B1[44]="      According to the European Market Review, on 23 December 2005 the European Commission s beef management committee decided to immediately eliminate refunds "; B2[44]="on all EU exports of live cattle... "; B3[44]=" "; B4[44]=" "; B5[44]=" "; S1[44]="      According to the European Market Review, on 23 December 2005 the European Commission's beef management committee decided to immediately eliminate refunds on "; S2[44]=" all EU exports of live cattle.
      The decision was taken just days after the World Trade Organisation agreed to eliminate all export "; S3[44]=" subsidies in agriculture before the end of 2013 as part of its global deal to promote international trade.
      In addition to the "; S4[44]=" more positive outlook for EU beef, reflected by higher prices in 2005, the European Commissioner fro Agriculture and Rural Development, Mariann Fisher Boel, said that "; S5[44]=" the proposal gives a clear message on animal welfare, and called upon other countries exporting live animals to abide by the same standards.
    "; S6[44]="   In the first nine months of 2005, the EU-25 exported 237,000 head of live cattle to non-EU destinations.
      Twenty-nine per cent "; S7[44]=" of the total shipments for the period went to Lebanon, 27% to Croatia and a further 20% to Bosnia and Herzegovina... "; R[45]="434"; T[45]="Record year for Uruguayan beef exports"; A[45]="By ... Editor"; Dn[45]="20060222"; Dt[45]="Wednesday 22 February 2006"; Acats[45]="a08a27"; B1[45]="      According to the World Beef Report, Uruguayan chilled beef exports set a new record in 2005..... "; B2[45]=" "; B3[45]=" "; B4[45]=" "; B5[45]=" "; S1[45]="      According to the World Beef Report, Uruguayan chilled beef exports set a new record in 2005.
      According to customs "; S2[45]=" data and based on export requests, Uruguay exported 293,000 tonnes of chilled beef during 2005, valued at US$769.8 million - an increase of 17% in "; S3[45]=" volume on 2004 levels.
      Overall chilled and frozen beef exports increased 19% compared with last year, to 321,000 tonnes.
      "; S4[45]=" The main destinations for Uruguayan chilled beef exports in 2005 were the US (69%), EU (8%), Israel (3%), Chile (2%) and Brazil (2%).
    "; S5[45]="   The record exports for the year were assisted by very high slaughter rates during December, with rates up 30% on December 2004 levels.
  "; S6[45]="     Brazil and Chile almost doubled their monthly purchases of Uruguayan beef in December, with the additional demand a direct consequence of the recent "; S7[45]=" foot and mouth disease outbreak in some Brazilian states.
      According to the South American Meat Market Report, the latest data from US "; S8[45]=" customs shows that Uruguay has now surpassed New Zealand in terms of volume shipped to the US market, and is now the third largest beef "; S9[45]=" supplier to the US, behind Canada and Australia.
      It has achieved this level despite having to pay a 26.5% tariff on about "; S10[45]=" 90% of all product shipped to the US... "; R[46]="433"; T[46]="Live cattle exports up"; A[46]="By ... Editor"; Dn[46]="20060222"; Dt[46]="Wednesday 22 February 2006"; Acats[46]="a08a27"; B1[46]="      Strong live cattle exports to Indonesia and the Middle East during November saw total shipments for the month jump 17% on November "; B2[46]="2004 levels, to 58,933 head... "; B3[46]=" "; B4[46]=" "; B5[46]=" "; S1[46]="      Strong live cattle exports to Indonesia and the Middle East during November saw total shipments for the month jump 17% on November "; S2[46]=" 2004 levels, to 58,933 head.
      The increased shipments during November followed an extremely slow October, with only 20,776 head exported.Australian live cattle "; S3[46]=" shipments for the first 11 months of 2005 stand at 538,169 head - 9% below the same period in 2004.
      The value "; S4[46]=" of shipments for November totalled A$46 million FOB, similar to the previous year, when large numbers of high value dairy cattle were exported.
    "; S5[46]="   Indonesia was again the major market for Australian cattle, receiving 37,574 head for the month - making up almost 64% of total shipments during "; S6[46]=" November.
      The other major South-East Asian markets were weaker, with no exports to the Philippines and only 2,700 head to Malaysia.
  "; S7[46]="     November shipments were also strong to Israel (6,198 head) and Saudi Arabia (5,772 head), while reduced numbers were sent to Mexico (2,300 head), "; S8[46]=" the United Arab Emirates (1,070 head), Kuwait (917 head), Brunei (330 head) and Oman (250 head)... "; R[47]="425"; T[47]="Inglewood forum to help manage sheep worms"; A[47]="By ... Editor"; Dn[47]="20060222"; Dt[47]="Wednesday 22 February 2006"; Acats[47]="a02a08a25a86"; B1[47]="      With smart pasture management becoming an increasingly important part of worm control programs, there will be considerable interest in a related forum "; B2[47]="in Inglewood on February 17... "; B3[47]=" "; B4[47]=" "; B5[47]=" "; S1[47]="      With smart pasture management becoming an increasingly important part of worm control programs, there will be considerable interest in a related forum "; S2[47]=" in Inglewood on February 17.
      Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries senior technical officer Wayne Ehrlich said testing by the National Integrated "; S3[47]=" Parasite Management-sheep project (IPM-sheep) showed drench resistance is much more widespread than commonly believed.
      He said even directly neighbouring farms could have "; S4[47]=" different drench resistance profiles.
      'Making strategic use of clean pastures in worm control programs is vital for gaining good worm control and "; S5[47]=" reducing pressure for further development of drench resistance,' Mr Ehrlich said.
      He said the multi-state Australian Wool Innovation-funded project IPM-sheep would hold "; S6[47]=" a major Parasite control towards 2010 forum on worms, lice and flies and non-chemical mulesing strategies, at the Inglewood Memorial Bowls Club on February 17 "; S7[47]=" from 9.30am.
      'One of the key speakers on the day will be Dr Lewis Kahn, a senior research scientist at the University "; S8[47]=" of New England, and a pasture consultant, he said.
      Dr Kahn will discuss the latest research on grazing management, controlling Barbers Pole "; S9[47]=" worm, and strategies to increase stocking rates without increasing risk,' he said.
      'With most districts currently experiencing warm, wet conditions we're encouraging "; S10[47]=" producers to remain alert to rapidly rising worm levels and conduct regular worm checks.
      'If worms are not being killed by effective "; S11[47]=" drenching and good pasture management, clinical disease, productivity losses, breaks in the wool and sheep deaths can occur,' Mr Ehrlich said.
      'A "; S12[47]=" clean pasture is one that is not contaminated with worm eggs, and can be a pasture spelled for some time, a new pasture or forage "; S13[47]=" crop, a cropping paddock or stubble, or possibly one where adult cattle have been grazing.
      'On-farm testing by IPM-sheep shows that cooperator "; S14[47]=" farmers who use clean pastures as part of their control programs have significantly reduced worm levels for longer, and generally achieve better results from their "; S15[47]=" drenches,' Mr Ehrlich said.
      More information on the day is available from DPI&F senior technical officer Wayne Ehrlich (3362 9595)... "; R[48]="411"; T[48]="Nutrition and management of goats in drought"; A[48]="By ... Editor"; Dn[48]="20060222"; Dt[48]="Wednesday 22 February 2006"; Acats[48]="a08a35a80"; B1[48]="      Drought is a feature of the Australian farming landscape.
      Until 2002 the Australian goat industry had not previously reviewed "; B2[48]="the requirements and practices needed during drought feeding of goats... "; B3[48]=" "; B4[48]=" "; B5[48]=" "; S1[48]="      Drought is a feature of the Australian farming landscape.
      Until 2002 the Australian goat industry had not previously reviewed "; S2[48]=" the requirements and practices needed during drought feeding of goats.
      RIRDC Publication No 05/188 Research objectives and general approach This project revises "; S3[48]=" and updates the interim manual produced in 2002 (DAV 202A).
      This work now completes the objectives of the project 'Objective drought feeding "; S4[48]=" guidelines for caprines' that was divided into three stages: 1.
      Production of an interim technical manual and advisory bulletin on drought management "; S5[48]=" of Australian non-milch goats 2.
      Review of water provision and water quality needs for goats and 3.
      Implement three "; S6[48]=" of the strategic actions recommended in the report DAV 202A namely: o Canvass the wider goat industry to capture farmers recent learning and experiences from "; S7[48]=" the 2002-03 drought o Validate the suitability, implications and appropriate methods of feeding whole grain wheat to goats under simulated drought conditions and o Revise "; S8[48]=" and republish the drought manual for goats incorporating all relevant findings and the review of water provision and quality for goats.
      This "; S9[48]=" manual has identified and developed information for the best practice of goats during drought.
      Wherever possible reference has been made to original "; S10[48]=" scientific data.
      Where relevant data is available for goats, the recommendations provided often differ to those provided for sheep.
      "; S11[48]=" This project has enabled the first determination of critical live weights for goats.
      Where relevant data for goats is not available, the "; S12[48]=" information is based on research undertaken with sheep.
      The review has updated and revised the energy requirements for goats for maintenance and "; S13[48]=" growth based on published and unpublished research with Australian goats.
      A number of useful existing and potential practices for improving the nutritional "; S14[48]=" management and welfare of goats during drought have been identified.
      The impacts of cold and heat stress on the energy requirements of "; S15[48]=" goats have been reviewed.
      Research on water requirements of goats has been included based on new Australian data.
      Welfare "; S16[48]=" requirements of goats during drought have been briefly reviewed.
      New information on the role, impact and assessment of body condition scoring in "; S17[48]=" goats has been included.
      The manual could never claim to be exhaustive but represents a comprehensive amount of technical information pertaining to "; S18[48]=" the drought management of Australian goats.
      The manual has identified a number of deficiencies in knowledge regarding best practice and welfare of "; S19[48]=" goats during drought that should be rectified.
      Recommendations On the basis of the findings the following recommendations are made: 1.
    "; S20[48]="   That the manual be published and made available to goat producers and advisory agencies.
      2.
      That industry.. "; R[49]="407"; T[49]="Marketing Research: Individual Words"; A[49]="By ... James D. Brausch"; Dn[49]="20060222"; Dt[49]="Wednesday 22 February 2006"; Acats[49]="a04a05a08a46a53"; B1[49]="      We all know that phrases like Who else wants to know in a headline can improve our sales.
      Have "; B2[49]="you ever thought about the individual words and their impact on your profitability?.. "; B3[49]=" "; B4[49]=" "; B5[49]=" "; S1[49]="      We all know that phrases like 'Who else wants to know' in a headline can improve our sales.
      Have "; S2[49]=" you ever thought about the individual words and their impact on your profitability? I recently performed a statistical analysis on several thousand ads while looking "; S3[49]=" at individual words and profitability.
      The first task was to determine the profitability of each ad being analyzed.
      This "; S4[49]=" was done using the age-old mailorder marketing method.
      Basically, if you see an advertisement month after month and year after year, it "; S5[49]=" is probably profitable.
      If you see an ad only once or twice and then it changes or disappears completely, the advertisement was "; S6[49]=" probably not very profitable.
      The next task was to simply look for the occurrence of a list of words in each ad "; S7[49]=" while noting whether the ad was profitable or not.
      The results were tallied and lots of words were removed from the list "; S8[49]=" because there simply wasn't sufficient data to come up with a statistically significant result.
      I won't bore you with the rest of "; S9[49]=" the details.
      Here is a list of some of the words found much more often in profitable ads than in ads that "; S10[49]=" didn't produce a profit.
      accessories, an, best, blue, buy, by, causes, cheap, discount, discover, easily, fast, find, guaranteed, has, improve, increase, lower, "; S11[49]=" more, nationwide, near, need, of, on, one, order, payments, powered, pricing, rates, reduce, stop, superb, the, view, what, with.
      Here is a "; S12[49]=" list of the words found much more often in ads that were NOT profitable.
      affordable, after, and, as, at, before, better, help, "; S13[49]=" here, how, else, excellent, experience, for, led, listings, loan, method, money, mortgage, naturally, now, options, photos, search, secret, secrets, sell, step, to, try, unlimited, us, "; S14[49]=" who, you, your.
      Now keep in mind that correlation can not prove causality.
      This research isn't saying that all "; S15[49]=" ads that use the word 'excellent' are doomed to being unprofitable.
      However, it is saying that a statistically significant percentage of ads "; S16[49]=" that use the word 'cheap' are profitable and a majority of those that use the word 'affordable' are not profitable.
      If your "; S17[49]=" ad copy currently uses the word 'affordable' (a word from the 'bad' list above) and you change that word to 'cheap' (a word from the "; S18[49]=" 'good' list above), will your profitability increase? There are no guarantees.
      There are an unlimited number of factors that could impact that "; S19[49]=" result.
      Not ALL ads that use the word 'cheap' were profitable.
      Not ALL ads that use the word 'affordable' "; S20[49]=" were unprofitable.
      However, the use of the word 'cheap' instead of 'affordable' is more likely to improve your profitability... ";