MBL News July / August 2015 SA’S OLDEST CO-OPERATIVE CELEBRATES 110 YEARS in 2015 John’S Soaring!
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MBL news July / August 2015 SA’S OLDEST CO-OPERATIVE CELEBRATES 110 YEARS IN 2015 John’s soaring! You CAN soar with the eagles when you work with turkeys! Yet 25 years ago, sceptics slammed John’s “crazy” idea to start turkey farming, saying it wouldn’t get off the ground. John Watson’s Pooginagoric turkey business is flourishing, with increasing demand leading to double-digit growth. The story of John’s dogged triumph begins on page 6. key points - Butchers form a buying group, Forward, ho! liaising with selected farmers Planning evolves for visionary butcher-farmer alliance - Farmers supply carcasses to an A detailed discussion paper is being MBL News (online at www.mblsa.com.au) abattoir for MSA grading prepared to accelerate plans for a vision- ary alliance between retail butchers and The plan aims to wrest back some control - Carcass details including weight, farmers to counter escalating beef prices. of the supply chain to the benefit of partici- rib fat and colour are posted online pating butchers and farmers. The paper, to be finalised after input from - Butchers bid for individual butchers and farmers, will be the founda- Central would be online carcass auctions, carcasses in 12-hour overnight tion for talks with the State Government running 12 hours overnight and based on auctions and varied stakeholders, including MLA and overseas models. abattoirs. - Beef is delivered from the abattoir Participating butchers would access quality to successful butchers next day Farmers in the South-East have formed a beef at fair prices, working with farmers to steering committee which has begun broad get the grade they want and being able to people are saying it’s a great idea and now discussions with AMIC’s SA Retail Council tell the full “story” of the meat to increas- it’s time to get going,” Trevor says. chairman, Trevor Hill. ingly inquisitive customers. “We need to talk further with butchers and And plans are being discussed for a meeting Farmers, now being price squeezed by farmers who want to participate and of interested butchers, and possibly later supermarkets, would get fair prices for contribute, so a discussion paper can be meetings between butchers and farmers. superior quality as specified by butchers, prepared for the government and other and have no stock agent fees. possible stakeholders. Trevor and Richard Gunner are architects of the plan, which was revealed in the last “The response has been positive. Lots of Continued page 4 Beef hits $6kg, high prices are here to stay – page 4 talks with the government money for a three month trial… a mechanism to run the opera- through PIRSA, which makes tion and it will be up to butchers regular grants to the food indus- “Austral, which owns Strathal- and farmers to contribute to it, “But while things are moving, try including a recent round byn abattoir, may consider possibly through an annual fee. there needs to be a lot of totalling $500,000. putting in money and facilities if research and negotiations over they see the scheme being good “Maybe it might cost butchers how it all operates and how it’s “Another possibility is MLA on for them. $20 for each auction bid, or funded. maybe we could have Founda- tion Members who tip in “The system would start on a $10,000 which entitles them to small scale and would grow on-going benefits. according to demand. “It must be run as a business, “If it eventuates, it may not be not an industry-funded scheme, for another two or even five so it’s only for people who are years. There is much to be willing to put their hands in their considered and worked pockets to get the rewards.” through, but it’s well worth doing.” Trevor and Richard say butchers and farmers could initially meet Richard Gunner says, “I’ve had in a “Speed Dating” format. quite a few calls from interested people after the story (in MBL “We could get butchers on one News) and not everyone sees side of the table and farmers on the idea in the same way. the other and they talk, finding out about each other and “The conversations I’ve had moving around looking for involved different points of view matches,” Trevor says. - some people raised issues I hadn’t considered. “It’s about supply and demand issues, finding good matches “A discussion paper is the best between farmers and local starting point. Then all views butchers, and securing long and ideas can be put on the term relationships.” table and we can take it from there.” After a preliminary meeting in Adelaide in mid-July, Trevor will Trevor says securing funding of soon go to the South-East to the system, including adminis- talk with a steering committee tration and mechanisms for representing a group of inter- online auctions, will be an issue. ested farmers. “It’s a great idea, but who’s two fronts – through its MSA “Another possibility is local He says, “This whole idea going to fund it and who’s going unit which wants to grow MSA, government funding, but these revolves around supply and to administer it?” he says. and through its agribusiness ideas all need exploring by demand, and it may fall over, unit,” Trevor says. butchers and farmers. but at the end of the day it’s He says the discussion paper conversation to make the indus- will form the basis for funding “MLA might say it will put up the “Funding help aside, we’d need try better.” A detailed discussion paper is being MBL News (online at www.mblsa.com.au) prepared to accelerate plans for a vision- ary alliance between retail butchers and The plan aims to wrest back some control farmers to counter escalating beef prices. of the supply chain to the benefit of partici- pating butchers and farmers. The paper, to be finalised after input from butchers and farmers, will be the founda- Central would be online carcass auctions, tion for talks with the State Government running 12 hours overnight and based on and varied stakeholders, including MLA and overseas models. abattoirs. Participating butchers would access quality Farmers in the South-East have formed a beef at fair prices, working with farmers to steering committee which has begun broad get the grade they want and being able to people are saying it’s a great idea and now discussions with AMIC’s SA Retail Council tell the full “story” of the meat to increas- it’s time to get going,” Trevor says. chairman, Trevor Hill. ingly inquisitive customers. “We need to talk further with butchers and And plans are being discussed for a meeting Farmers, now being price squeezed by farmers who want to participate and of interested butchers, and possibly later supermarkets, would get fair prices for contribute, so a discussion paper can be meetings between butchers and farmers. superior quality as specified by butchers, prepared for the government and other and have no stock agent fees. possible stakeholders. Trevor and Richard Gunner are architects of the plan, which was revealed in the last “The response has been positive. Lots of MBL’s contact details Showroom, warehouse, offices: Orders ph: (08) 8417 6000 Admin ph: (08) 8417 6002 203-215 Hanson Rd, Athol Park SA 5012 Orders fax: (08) 8417 6001 Admin fax: (08) 8417 6003 PO Box 46 Mansfield Park SA 5012 [email protected] www.mblsa.com.au Butchers rush MBL machinery MBL’s machinery department has had one of its busiest trading periods, sparked by the $20,000 tax break on new equipment. The new tax break came into demand was amazing,” says effect on Federal Budget night MBL Machinery Manager Chris on May 12 – seven weeks Mountford. before the end of the 2014-15 financial year. “As but one example, we sold all nine Henkelman benchtop Many butchers, bakers and vacuum machines we had here others moved quickly to gain at MBL and we took orders for the tax benefit for 2014-15. The more… tax break will continue until June 30, 2017. “The good news is the tax concession will continue, and Small business operators can we’ll be going out of our way to claim immediate tax deductions continue offering great deals.” for every business related purchase of up to $20,000. MBL’s generous interest-free Gary Cimarosti with his new $65,000 sausage machine. payment terms for approved Any number of purchases for Members can make it easy to under $20,000 each can be upgrade equipment to improve made, and each can be instantly and increase production while Gary’s dream machine written off. saving time. When a butcher of 45 years’ experience describes his new sausage machine as “fantastic”, take it as gospel. “We were rushed off our feet Chris says providing quality until the end of June – the service is a priority. Gary Cimarosti, pictured, of Cimarosti Brothers’ Colonel Light Meat and Smallgoods, recently purchased a $65,000 Handtmann VF608 “I aim to treat people as I would Vac Filler and Linker on an MBL payment plan. like to be treated, and this means doing everything to Publisher Standing 1.6 metres and weighing 600kg, it makes a breeze of ensure we maintain a high level Combined Industries Pty Ltd sausage making. ABN: 45 007 562 932 of service,” he says. Gary says, “It’s fantastic – I went to see one of these machines at Editor Chris, who took over as MBL Bruce’s Meat and I was very impressed. Peter Morgan Machinery Manager late last (08) 8251 2838 year, has visited interstate “When I got back here, I told the boys, ‘I’m buying a big new sausage manufacturers and suppliers to Advertising machine’ – from MBL, of course.” David Curtis introduce himself and “talk (08) 8417 6013 turkey”.