Archive for the ‘Northern Territory News’ Category

Apr

7

Grazier Demands NT Government hold Impartial Inquiry into Gamba Grass

Northern Territory Grazier John KhanNorthern Territory Grazier John Khan (pictured) writes:

Regarding the media release by Garnett and McFadyen on March 31st demonizing Gamba Grass, and the subsequent announcement by Minister Mulherin a few days later that Gamba would be banned, I make the following statements.

Garnett and McFadyen may know something about environmental science, but it is clear that they are so engrossed on their own idealism that they are either ignorant or contemptuous of everything else. They claim their opinions have been proved correct by scientific research and experiment.

Environmentalism is an inexact science, based on personal opinions, with the concepts very open to debate, and the conclusions and teachings almost devoid of economic values. The experiments are easily tailored and fabricated to support the scientists own beliefs and aspirations.

Photo of Brahman Cows grazing Gamba pasture, note the diversity of species, with trees and other grasses present. Brahman cows grazing on Gamba grass in the Northern Territory

The Charles Darwin University and the Tropical Savannas CRC have not produced any plausible plans for control or eradication of Gamba. They have not succeeded in controlling Gamba on Crown land. They have not come up with any alternatives for the farmer. All that they have said implies a determination to eradicate farmers from the savanna and reduce the population. They have turned a blind eye to the scenario of farming co-existing with the natural environment.

The world is not growing any larger but the population is increasing, and 80% of the people do not get enough to eat. Global Warming may worsen the situation. If we do not grow more food, we will not survive to enjoy the savanna. Our national security depends on populating and using the North of Australia.

Most Asians see us as “Dogs in the Manger” who are either too lazy or stupid to use our resources or else so wealthy that we don’t need to. Either way we are sitting on land that they would like to use, as their population grows and they get hungrier they will probably decide to change the situation.

Instead of banning Gamba, Minister Mulherin would be better employed helping the agricultural industry to survive and grow, rather than pandering to a small group of radicals who have no logic or reasoning to back up their call.

The photo below is of Pure Spear Grass gone to seed and useless in March. Note there is no other grasses growing in the pure stand of spear grass.
Spear Grass growing in the Northern Territory

The Gamba Declaration is full of mistruths, exaggerations, and impossible predictions and if we had been given the time we could have pulled it to pieces. It questions the sincerity of the architects and shows the gullibility of those who support it.

Banning Gamba is only another Slice of the Salami, if you want to keep farming or as a consumer, you want to keep eating and buying imported goods you will have to make your voice heard.

DEMAND A STAY OF EXECUTION SO THE FACTS CAN BE PRESENTED TO AN IMPARTIAL COMMISSION.

Have your say!

Should the Northern Territory Government listen to graziers and  hold an Impartial Inquiry into benefits / impacts of Gamba grass before deciding to follow the WA & QLD governemnts in declaring it a Class 2 weed?

Leave your comment below or click on the Blue word Comments to bring up the reply box.

3 Comments

Apr

4

Greens 2, Farmers 0 in fight over Tropical Pasture

Tim Mulherin Labor MP Minister for Agriculture QLDAs predicted in Agmates articles over the last 3 months the QLD government moved yesterday to declare the tropical pasture Gamba grass a class 2 weed.

Following on from Western Australia’s lead Gamba Grass is now a Class 2 weed in Queensland following the announcement of The Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries, The Honourable Tim Mulherin State member for Mackay (pictured left) issued yesterday.

Click here to read the Minsters press release on the governments’ web site.

John Rains General Manager Southedge Seeds Mareeba North Queensland writes:

I believe this is the tip of the iceberg with Buffel, Panicums and Stylos next on the Eco hit list. It is a must for the industry peak bodies to get off their bums and take a worthwhile fight up to these alternative people. The Grazing and Seed Industry needs to get together to formalize and document a Code of Practice for the use of imported production plants.

This is a victory for nonsense, a defeat for commonsense. It was an ‘Rent a Crowd’ exercise. I commend the Minister for taking a balanced view.

Having said that I consider the Northern grazing industry has every right to request a recommendation for a replacement grass that will give the same production and have the same attributes as Gamba.

While these ‘Ecoclowns” have been putting time, effort and money into bad Gamba grass they have overlooked, probably conveniently, the really bad, useless, invasive environmental weeds that are around. This whole Gamba debacle was started by one researcher from Darwin.

Not only have they curtailed the use of a highly productive pasture plant but potentially a very valuable one. One thing conveniently overlooked by these ‘Ecoclowns’ is Gamba can sequestrate over 200 mt of Carbon per ha from the atmosphere and produce massive quantities of Cellulose at the same time that will eventually be used for renewable Biofuel. It can do this without growing and maintenance costs.

Gamba is extremely drought tolerant. It produces its own Ammonium Nitrogen.

Southedge Seeds was the only seed company to put its hand up and fight for the right of the Northern grazing industry to utilize and plant this valuable plant.

Southedge Seeds Company Logo

From my company’s point of view, sales volume and turnover of Gamba is insignificant. Not having Gamba sales will not make any difference to our business. I feel saddened for the northern Graziers who will be denied the use of this great plant. Many of these graziers are Aussie battlers not the big glamour pastoral companies.

However much these environmentalists bleat the Australian native grass and legume species are not up to the job of giving the production required for viable grazing enterprises in Northern Australia.

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Update 04.04.08 @ 12.40pm

And now the pressure is ramped up on the NT Government to ban Gamba Grass. Click here to see the CRC media release.

Extract from the CRC media release:

The decision today by the Queensland Government to officially declare African Gamba grass a weed is a correct and courageous decision…
Dr McFadyen said that the fact that almost 200 scientists recently signed a declaration calling for the grass to be banned sends a clear wake-up message to the NT Government to pay attention to the evidence about the long-term risk this species poses to the natural environment and to other valuable assets.

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Have your say!

Are peak farming lobby groups AgForce, NT Cattlemen Assoc, Graziers and the Seed Industry doing enough to protect Graziers against these Anti-farming environmental groups?

Leave your comment below or click on the Blue word Comment to activate the comments box.

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Apr

2

Green’s demand Gamba Grass Ban - is Buffel Next?

Agmates Editor Steve Truman writes:

Anti - farmer Green groups & weed warriors and have unloaded the second volley at State and Federal politicians in their ongoing campaign to have the QLD & NT governments ban Gamba Grass.

This is no surprise as we flagged this was on in our article Greens Pressure QLD Government to ban Gamba, Buffel Grass & Leucaena on the 18th of March.

If you read the Green propaganda - Gamba grass is “Australia’s Worst Weed”. The only thing they don’t say but imply is that the fires of Hell are actually Gamba Grass fires - it’s so bad.

Gamba Grass Fire in the Northern Territory

On Monday with great fan fare they released this to the Media - It had also been delivered to the following politicians:

  1. Paul Henderson – Chief minister of the NT
  2. Anna Bligh – Premier QLD
  3. Peter Garrett – Minister for the Environment.
  4. Tim Mulherin – Minister Primary Industries QLD
  5. Andrew McNamara – Minister Climate Change and Sustainability QLD
  6. Craig Wallace – Minister Natural Resources and Water QLD
  7. Christopher Natt – Minister for Primary Industries NT
  8. Loenard Kiely – Minister Parks and Wildlife & Natural Resources – NT
  9. Senator Penny Wong – Minister Climate Change and Water

An Open letter from Scientists calling for a ban on Gamba Grass Across Northern Australia

The Agmates article exposed the tactics to be used by the greens and the issue has been picked up ABC rural radio and to a small extent by Rural Press.

One result of our exposing their tactics is that the CRC has removed Leucaena from their web site and does not mention it. I’m told this is because the Leucaena growers have in place a state government recognized code of practice.

However if you go to their site you’ll see Buffel grass listed as a major weed that must be stamped out: Below is the photo and text from the site:

Buffel grass at Uluru (Ayres Rock NT)

Buffel grass growing at Uluru Ayres Rock NT
Cenchrus ciliaris
Like gamba grass and mission grass, buffel grass is an African native introduced to Australia as a pastoral species. Highly competitive and drought tolerant, buffel grass has opened vast tracts of land to grazing, increasing carrying capacity in central and northern Australia. But the spread of buffel grass has been disastrous for the environment as it out-competes native grasses and spreads fire into ecosystems not naturally accustomed to frequent burning. It also threatens the environmental integrity of landmarks like Uluru (Ayers Rock), NT (seen here). Projections are that buffel grass could cover 58% of mainland Australia.

——————————————————————————————–

What we need is a Gamba grass growers association, that can develop an industry ‘code of practice’ that will satisfy State Governments. We don’t need State Governments passing legislation that hurts producers and economic productivity, all to satisfy the Anti - farming Green Hysteria and their supposed green vote.

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Update 1. 03/04/08 @ 11pm

The Qld Government today declared Gamba Grass a Class 2 Weed. There are 3 categories: The definition of a C2 weed is:

C2 Weeds: plants are established in the State and have, or could have, an adverse economic, environmental or social impact. Landowners must take reasonable steps to keep land free of Class 2 plants. It is an offence to keep or sell Class 2 plants without a permit

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Update 2. 04/04/08 @ 11.30am

Ministers Statement on the ban. John Rains calls for action from Peak bodies to protect Tropical pastures.

Have your say!

Should the NT Governments follow WA & QLD and Ban Gamba Grass?

Leave your answer below of click on the Blue word Comments and leave your reply.

2 Comments

Apr

2

Cattle live export is the life blood of the NT cattle Industry.

Northern Territory grazier Rashida Khan writes:

I am sick of hearing from self styled environmentalists, animal rights campaigners and other highly emotive anti-farm people, who whine in the spotlight and yet offer no viable solutions or alternatives to the issue they are raising.

I feel the need to comment on the Anti Live Export movement. Live Export represents the sole market for many northern graziers like my family. If this is stopped, then what do the animal lobbyists suggest graziers do with our cattle?

That’s me in the photo below on my horse mustering at our place near Batchelor in the Northern Territory. 

Rashida Khan - NT Grazier

Most of our beef goes to Indonesia; the animals are held in feedlots and then slaughtered according to consumer demand. Refrigeration is not wide spread in much of Indonesia and Live Export means people can still have access to high quality protein in their diet.

We can’t afford to import or grow grain for feedloting and our slaughter houses have all closed one after the other, leaving northern graziers with limited marketing options.

Photo of our Brahman and Brahman cross steers ready to go to the live Export trade. 

Live Export Brahman x Steers

Darwin is closer to Indonesia than it is to Alice Springs, Townsville or Adelaide. When exported our cattle are traveling for the minimum amount of time, they gain weight on the boat (a sign of unstressed healthy animals) and they are handled carefully when they arrive. Unfortunately, you don’t see any film crews watching the cattle walk calmly off a boat, or photos of healthy cattle chewing their cuds mid voyage.

Photo of our Brahman cross breeders with calves at foot in the paddock. 

Brahman cross cows with calves

Here’s something to ponder. If live export stops; then cattle will have to be sent interstate.

-To minimize stress they will have to stay loaded till they reach their destination which means traveling unnecessary long distances without feed or water.

-How will we fill the current labour shortage to slaughter and process these cattle?

-Who will build facilities to accept cold stores in Indonesia? Remembering that currently 80% of beef is bought in the wet market

-What will happen to the Indonesian feedlot industry when they have feedlots but no cattle? They will buy elsewhere of course. Our biggest competitor, Brazil, will step up to the plate with cheaper beef and to address the new market they will log some more of the Amazon Jungle. This means Aussies out of jobs and monkeys out of trees.

When the lobbyists have answers and plausible alternatives to Live Export then they should state their case. I suspect that if they succeed in stopping Live Export, the lobbyists will be like the dog that finally caught the motor car!

Have Your Say! Should the federal government cave into pressure from animal rights groups and ban all Live Exports of Cattle and sheep from Australia? Leave your thoughts or questions for Rashida. Click on the Blue word Comments below and type your comment.

6 Comments

Mar

26

Isolation No Barrier to these Innovative Women in Farming

Agmates editor Steve Truman writes:

A remote outback station in the Northern Territory is the last place you’d expect to find the head quarters of a successful internet online superstore. But one hundred or so kilometres south of Darwin on a remote cattle station is where we found two women farmers operating the Non Toxic Life online superstore.

Melissa Kerr and her sister in law Natalie Gibson (pictured below) have developed a thriving off farm Internet business that is helping protect the lives of families around the world.

Melissa Kerr & Natalie Gibson - Non Toxic Life

Melissa (above left) lives and works with her husband Daryn and baby daughter Emma on a cattle property approximately 100kms south of Darwin in the Northern Territory. Natalie & her husband have just moved south to the Sunshine Coast in QLD.

Both lady’s were concerned about the alarming effects that everyday use of chemicals on farms and in the home were having on themselves and their families and decided to be proactive about it.

Photo below is of Melissa with Daryn and daughter Emma out moving a mob of Brahman cows on their cattle station near Batchelor in the Northern Territory. Also pictured are their faithful Kelpie working dogs Bindi, Jazz and Ted.

Melissa & Daryn Kerr

Melissa hails from South West QLD, while Natalie comes from the Riverina district of NSW. They have founded what is proving to be the enormously successful online superstore, Non Toxic Life.

Non Toxic Life Logo 1The business idea was born out of a desperate search for natural alternatives for Melissa’s soon to be born baby and their own households.

After many laborious hours of searching, researching - and persevering looking for natural products and information - they felt sure they could help other people by providing all of it in one online webstite. - The Non Toxic Life website superstore business was born.

The website offers people a source of reliable and unbiased information on health and wellbeing topics, coupled with equally sound products. Melissa and Natalie market a personally selected range of products that are all natural, free of toxic chemicals and as close to natural as possible.

The focus is on organic, non toxic Australian made or fair trade products. Click Here to see products that Melissa & Natalie have selected especially for Agmates readers this month.

Agmates members enjoy special discounts on Nox Toxic products. You can click through from the Non Toxic Agmates page to their website / SuperStore which boasts over 300 products.

We run approx 1,200 head of Brahman cattle, with paddocks varying from about 500 acres to 2000 acres. This photo was taken when moving cattle from one paddock to another over Easter. In the wet we move the Brahman cattle in one mob (1200 head) roughly weekly around the paddocks to keep the Gamba grass under control.

Brahman Cattle Kerr’s Property Batchelor NT

Speaking from the station in the NT Melissa told Agmates “This day and age time is precious and online shopping is popular, quick and easy. Many of our customers order long after the stores have shut. Our website has gone from strength to strength in the last six months, with customers Australia wide and more regularly now from the United States.

Melissa and Natalie are both very passionate in educating people about the impact of chemicals used in their everyday lives and how easy it is to make a difference.

We spoke to Natalie and she told us “If people are concerned about the impact of chemicals used in their everyday lives, be it on the farm, in the house or garden, then we try to have an alternative. Our business focuses on people who are interested in living a longer, healthier life, particularly those who have been exposed to prolonged chemical usage and parents of children and young babies who want to give their children the cleanest start to life.”

In the photo below our daughter Emma is giving one of the cows a good talking too while helping put out the supplement lick. In the dry we do not receive any rain for about 6 months - April to September, then in the wet we receive about 1600-1800mm (64-72″).

Brahman Cows being fed lick by our daughter Emma

What started out as a search for Natural products for Melissa’s baby, has developed into a thriving off farm business. Australian Farmers have always been keen innovators, they have had to be to survive.

Melissa & Natalie have shown given access to broadband technology that farmers can achieved great things from the most unlikely beginnings and location.

Kelpie working Dogs

Emma feeds the dogs after a big days cattle work.

Don’t forget to visit the Non Toxic Life - Agmates page - Click here to do that. You can click through to the Non Toxic superstore from the Agmates page.

Have your say! Melissa & Natalie are waiting online to answer your question or respond to your comments. You can do that by clicking on the word Comments in Blue below and typing in the reply box on the next page.

3 Comments

Mar

18

Former Australian Beef Association Director Questions it’s Relevance

Northern Territory Cattleman Rod Dunbar “Nutwood Downs” writes:

It is certainly good to read a transcript of Australian Beef Associations (ABA) John Carter’s USA address in last weeks Agmates AgNews.

Mr Carter and I do have one thing in common; we are both former directors of ABA. In an online reply to that article I questioned Mr Carter regarding ABA’s NLIS policy because I know that the ABA did not have a policy on NLIS when I was a Director.

However seeing it is quite a long time since I was a director I am interested to ascertain if a policy had been formulated since my departure.

(Below is a photo taken from the air of my cattle station “Nutwood Downs” which is approx 400kms south of Katherine and 100kms North East of Daly Waters in the Northern Territory. We run approx 18,000 cattle on the station.)

Nutwood Downs semi open flat country from the air.

It may interest some to know that when I was a director the ABA had no dedicated published Policy Document on any issue facing the grass roots of the Livestock Production Sector; moreover there was a strong underlying principal for the board to concentrate on strategies of political opinion and public ridicule, without proposing a viable alternative or indeed, an other appropriate defense against intrusive bureaucracy; that is the difference between a strategy and policy.

(Below is a picture of our station “work horse”. Because of the huge distances up here we use the Schweizer 300C Helicopter on a daily basis to muster cattle, check fences and stock waters and many other station activities.)

Nutwood Downs Schweizer 300C Helicopter

I did not dismiss Mr Carter’s speech; I simply say I have heard it before and that the strategy did not work here in Australia and question how it is possible to work in the USA, given that Mr Carter proposes no action only political rhetoric?

Mr Carter’s comment regarding the application of Law is an extraordinary one; one that puts the ABA at odds to their sister (?) organization in the USA, R-CALF.

By definition R-CALF, the group Mr Carter delivered his speech too; is the “Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund”; they have a clear policy which embraces Court Action and has been used very effectively to protect their Members interests when there is an impasse.

(The photo below is of our river, the Hodgson River in flood with the homestead in the distance. We are in the middle of our traditional Northern “wet season” and having our average yearly rainfall of 26 - 30 inches) (650- 750mm).

Hodgson River - Nutwood Downs Northern Territory

By implication, Mr Carter seems to be saying here that the policies that flow under that framework are wrong and “Just riding a Tiger”. I can just see it now, “ABA does not agree with sister organization R-CALF in the use of legal avenues to address Livestock owners concerns when battling illegal actions of governments and bureaucracy”. “ABA’s John Carter calls legal policy “just a ride on a Tiger with no dismounting strategy!!!!!!!!”

Additionally, Mr Carter’s speech omits the crucial piece of advice which should have been delivered to R-CALF, learnt from the Australian enforced regulatory application of NLIS; fight Premise Registration Implementation (PIC Codes).

(The season is a good one as you can see, last year was one of the worst in 20 years, there are Mitchell/ Flinders grass plains; the country is mostly lightly timbered and all the grass is natural pasture.)

Nutwood Downs NT is experiencing a good average wet season.

One wonders why Mr Carter chose not to pass this on to the R-CALF Meeting; NLIS cannot exist without Premise Registration (PIC Codes).

An examination of history may give us the answer; when Mr Carter headed up the NSW Meat Authority, as a Regulator, in the times prior to ABA; he implemented a strategy from which emerged the National Vendor Declaration (NVD) system; NVD’s are Mr Carter’s brainchild; the concept of a PIC was a regulatory necessity, to achieve the NVD system. By implementing that strategy Mr Carter laid the foundations of both NLIS and LPA through Premise Registration (PIC).

The strategy employed by Mr Carter’s ABA has failed to empress a Liberal Government over the previous decade and seems unlikely to influence the new Labor Government.

(The yards are called the Starkvale Yards and they are one of 3 sets, all steel, that can accommodate about 1500 - 2000 each comfortably. We run Brahman cross cattle approx. 18,000 head and the annual production predominantly go live export.)

Nutwood Downs Cattle Yards Northern Territory

The question for the ABA now is relevance; how can they achieve and address the removal of over regulation in the Livestock Production Sector, something that they have failed utterly to do thus far, without a major overhaul in their mode of operation; at the same time justifying the annual expenditure of members fund’s, to their membership?

I think Mr Carter’s perception of the ABA as a permanent opposition group to the mainstream, using only political strategies, that are permanently opposing, whilst at the same time riding and flogging a dead horse is misconceived; the trick for him will be at what point he will he dismount the dead horse, not to mention the danger of riding and flogging a dead horse in the first instance.

Have your say! To enter into an online discussion with NT Cattleman Rod Dunbar or leave your thoughts click on the Blue word Comments below.

5 Comments

Mar

2

Greens Destroying Environment - Spraying Gamba Grass

Northern Territory Cattle Produce John Khan in a follow up to last weeks article, writes:

After the Batchelor Gamba Meeting which I wrote about last week a committee called Gamba Action Group - GAG- was formed in our local council area Coomalie Northern Territory. An experienced weed control man was employed as project coordinator.

An ‘expert’ had told GAG “Gamba seed would not travel more than four meters and it was spread by motor vehicles.”

Personally I have seen the seed rising in smoke columns during bush fires and it would have traveled for many kilometers. Wallabies and other animals would certainly carry it in their fur.

The GAG’s first project was to spray and burn the road verges. This was not successful.

It killed the native grass but the Gamba re-shot soon afterwards. The spraying continued. Below is an example of the road side spraying. These photos were taken just a few days ago in and around the Coomalie district. The Gamba Grass is growing from the spray line back into the trees.

Gamba Growing Back From roadway

I spoke several times to the Project Coordinator about the waste of money the spraying is  and the damage it’s doing to the environment. He agreed with me that herbicide was not the answer and that Gamba could be controlled by grazing cattle.

When his contract expired, GAG did not renew it.

The new Project Coordinator was the local Greening Australia rep and the level of herbicide spraying increased. Water catchment areas and river banks were now included and trees near the roads were killed too. The overall amount of Gamba has not altered. Below is a photo of Gamba sprayed on a water way on a road.

Gamba Sprayed on a water way

Below is an area sprayed. Notice there is now a multitude of worthless weeds growing back.

Gamba sprayed and replaced by Weeds

The radicals are hoping to completely eradicate Gamba. If this is attempted, they would have to do it from the air, as a lot of the terrain is too scrubby and rough to access with vehicles. To try and kill all of the Gamba the strength and amount of poison would affect every living thing in the area.

The photo below shows how the herbicide they use kills everything including the young trees.

Sapplings Killed by herbicide

Half of Coomalie is suitable for Gamba and would support a herd of cattle which would control the Gamba, open the local meat-works which is currently closed, and bring additional income to landowners and service providers.

This concept horrifies the radicals who hate cattle for no logical reason.

Below is a photo of Gamba growing up a hillside. Grazing cattle would easily control it.

Gamba grass growing up a hill

If the Government brings in legislation to outlaw an excellent pasture grass because they have been influenced by a mob of radical loonies, they will bring financial hardship to a lot of farmers and damage the economy.

I’d suggest that people calculate the personal losses from government sponsored attempts to eradicate Gama.

They include the loss of good pasture, cost of spraying herbicide, and the damage to soil biota, the cost of establishing new pasture (and it may be next on the list), loss of income while all this is happening and the loss of native biota.

When we have calculated the total dollar cost of attempting to eradicate Gamba I suggest we send this to the Minister with our bank details for the compensation cheque to be deposited.

0 Comments

Feb

24

Territorian Urges QLD Farmers to Fight “Weed Warriors”

Northern Territory Grazier John Khan writes:

G’day fellow Agmates. My family are cattle farmers in the Batchelor area 100km South of Darwin in the Northern Territory (NT). This region has the most intensive growth of Gamba grass in the Top End.

There is an assured rainfall every year and it could be one of the most productive areas in Australia, but we have always suffered from the governments’ apathy and stubborn resistance.

(Photo of John Khan out checking cattle on his families property ‘Kita Lagoon’.)

Norther Territory Grazier John Khan

I came to the Top end more than 40years ago after working on stations in others parts of NT, Western QLD and Northern SA. At that time cattle grazing was not very successful in the Top End.

The carrying capacity was very low due to the useless native grasses (predominantly Spear Grass) and the long Dry season, and the cattle were stunted and un-thrifty.

(This is a photo of native Spear Grass (sorghum intrans) which is the most worthless weed in the Top End.)

Native Spear Grass in the Northern Territory

Three things have allowed grazing cattle to become a viable business in the Northern Territory

1. The introduction of Bos Indicus cattle:

(Steers Grazing out from Supplement Feeder on our property Kita Lagoon.)

Bo Indicus Cattle on john Khans property in the Northern territory.

2. Supplementary feeding of cattle (especially with urea) as seen in the photo above.

and
3. The introduction of the improved tropical pasture Gamba grass.

(These are our cattle grazing on Gamba Grass at Kita Lagoon.)

Cattle grazing on Gamba grass - John Khan property Kita Lagoon Northern Territory - Australia

There was not much Gamba around twenty years ago but since then it has spread naturally over a large area replacing the native Spear grass.

(Below is Gamba Grass under Grazing conditions in the Northern Territory.)

Gamba grass under grazing management in the Northern territory.

About ten years ago a group of people formed a conspiracy to eradicate farming in Northern Australia, and return the savanna to a “pristine” wilderness.

These radicals hid under the cloaks of the Darwin University, CSIRO and the multitude of government departments and other organizations calling themselves conservationists.

They knew that the only way to realize their goal was to use “the salami slicing” method and they selected “land clearing” for the first slice.

This stopped new farms being developed but it did not affect the farms already cleared so the second slice was Gamba.

(Our Cattle love Gamba grass. See in this photo how around this watering point they are eating it under the fence of the adjoining paddock.)

Gamba Grass on Kita Lagoon Northern Territory

Gullible local residents were steadily brainwashed with lies and propaganda about Gamba grass and then a wonderful opening presented itself to them.

A Batchelor rural resident, John Earthrowl, on a twenty acre block had a bush fire stopped fifty meters from his house. He blamed Gamba for the fire and made a lot of noise so the radicals set him up as the front man. Earthrowl organized and chaired a meeting in Batchelor to discuss what should be done with Gamba.

The meeting was totally set up, orchestrated and rehearsed with many of the speakers being radical. They whipped up hysteria with their outrageous lies and prophecies and the radicals shot out of the cupboard.

They enlisted the aid of the loony left, the suburban trendies, the poison pumpers and the hungry media and the campaign started in earnest.

Gamba Grass and stylo Co existMy grand daughter Rashida and I had been researching Gamba for some time so we hit the Minister for Environment and the Government departments concerned with enough facts and information to almost shut them up for two years.

For example one of the lies they propagate is that Gamba is totally invasive, choking out every other species of grass. Gamba forms about 30% of the pasture mixture on our property. Here is a photo of Gamba co - existing with Stylo (a legume) on Kita Lagoon.

Under pressure from these anti - farming, anti development green groups Western Australia which has practically no Gamba at all, brought in legislation to ban and eradicate it.

Now these same groups are pressuring the Queensland Queensland Government to do the same.

The Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland has teamed up with the Queensland Conservation Council and the Wilderness Society demanding that the Queensland government declare Gamba a noxious weed. Click here to see their current Newsletter article declaring Gamba Grass as “Australia’s Worst Weed”

If Gamba is declared a weed they will go for the next slice- probably Buffel, then Leucaena, Calopo, Stylo, Para grass until every useful pasture grass is banned. Be warned, their real agenda is to rid Northern Australia of Agriculture.

THESE RADICAL “WEED WARRIORS” MUST BE STOPPED NOW!!

John Khan

Have your say - Should the Queensland Government cave into the outrageous demands of radical green Conservation groups or listen to the responsible view of farmers and farm lobby groups like AgForce? Tell us what you think? - leave a comment.

6 Comments