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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I wonder how much good agricultural land in America
and other countries has been lost through the establishment of plantations of
monospecies trees?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Brenda Rosser</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>PLANTATION DEVELOPMENT ON 'PRIME' AGRICULTURAL LAND
IS REDUCING TASMANIA'S AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2001 19:14:58 +1000<BR> From: "Cath Hughes"
<<A
href="mailto:cath.hughes@parliament.tas.gov.au">cath.hughes@parliament.tas.gov.au</A>><BR>Subject:
Plantations report<BR><BR>Dear all,<BR>below is Peg's initial response to th
Wise Lord and Ferguson report on <BR>rural land use for your
information.<BR><BR>Regards,<BR>Cath Hughes<BR>Advisor<BR>Peg Putt
MHA<BR>-----------------------------<BR>TASMANIAN GREENS<BR>MEDIA
RELEASE<BR>Thursday 14 JUNE 2001<BR><BR>PLANTATION EXPANSION THREATENS
AGRICULTURE<BR>New $50, 000 Report Whitewashes Concerns<BR><BR>The Tasmanian
Greens say that the dramatic expansion in forestry <BR>plantations across
private land in the past few years is threatening <BR>agricultural production,
particularly in beef, seed potato and organic farming.<BR><BR>Greens MHA Peg
Putt is critical of the Wise, Lord and Ferguson report into <BR>changing rural
land use which identifies a 20% increase in plantations on <BR>private land in
the decade to 1998 and a further 20% increase in just 2 <BR>years to 2000 but
then claims no impact on agriculture whilst relying upon <BR>1997 figures for
agriculture which pre-date the recent plantations boom.<BR><BR>The Greens are
concerned that the government's approach is not pro-active <BR>and there will
only be reporting of adverse impacts of plantations on other <BR>rural land
users after the event.<BR><BR>"Clearly there has been a huge expansion in
plantations very recently, <BR>which continues, but government is not taking
seriously the threat to other <BR>areas of agriculture such as beef production,
organic farming and seed <BR>potato," Ms Putt said.<BR><BR>"Plantations are
claimed to target class 4 and 5 land on small lots <BR>peripheral to cropping
areas which sets up a particular conflict with <BR>organic production by small
holders who have been seeking the same lots for <BR>the clean ground and
affordability."<BR><BR>"There has been strong and escalating conflict between
plantation <BR>establishment with its accompanying herbicide and pesticide
regimes and <BR>fledgling organic farming."<BR><BR>"The Australian Beef
Association is on the public record warning this year <BR>that Tasmania's beef
industry could collapse because of increased <BR>competition from forestry
plantations."<BR><BR>'World demand for quality clean beef is at an all time high
because of mad <BR>cow disease and Europe's foot and mouth disaster, and we
should all be <BR>concerned about losing the opportunity to expand production
for this <BR>market," Ms Putt said.<BR>***ends***<BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>