Australia
August 25, 2008
Council of Grain Grower Organisations Ltd (COGGO) has taken
the initial steps to join Grains Council of Australia (GCA) so
that WA growers can once again have a voice at the national
policy making table.
 Announcing the decision, Bindi Bindi grower and COGGO Chairman,
Bruce Piper (photo) said last week’s COGGO Board meeting unanimously
supported the initiative.
“For too long, various grower organisations have made WA growers
be spectators and not players and COGGO can no longer stand by
and see this situation continue.
“Without WA representation at the national level on GCA, WA
growers are, effectively, being denied a real voice on funding
and policies surrounding such critical areas as research and
development and biosecurity, in particular.
“As COGGO imports germplasm and supports R&D projects and
investments here and abroad, we are committed to protecting our
members’ best interests,” he said.
Mr Piper has held preliminary talks with GCA Chairman, Murray
Jones, who has welcomed the COGGO approach.
According to Mr Jones, the GCA’s current focus is on five
important areas that require a united national approach:
bioscurity & quarantine, trade, climate change, research &
development and national transport infrastructure. Legislation
requires that GCA consults and recommends on R&D, plant health
and the national residue survey.
Mr Piper said that although membership of GCA would not come
cheap, it was an essential investment by COGGO, on behalf of all
WA growers, in their industry’s future.
With about 2000 WA members, COGGO covers approximately half the
state’s growers and, where possible, seeks its members’ views
across a broad spectrum of issues.
All COGGO Board members are growers: Bruce Piper, Bindi Bindi,
Aiden Obst, Mingenew, Bruce Eyres, Kulin, Christopher Roberts,
Esperance, Steven Rowe, Mullewa, John Carstairs, Perenjori and
Gerard Paganoni, Broomehill.
COGGO supports a number of grower groups and partners the Grains
Research and Development Corporation in Canola Breeders WA and
Australian Grain Technologies.
Other news
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