ATASA CONFERENCE
WEINTAL, TANUNDA, BAROSSA - TERM 1 2003

--- REPORT ON TOURS & WORKSHOPS---

Faith Lutheran Secondary School

Opened 1985. First ag teacher in 1986. Ag elective subject in Years 9-12. Shearing shed, meatbirds donated by HiChick. Winery - registered trade name - Mengler View, 2002 crushed 12 tonnes of fruit, 6 tonnes of Shiraz, 5 tonnes of Cab Sav, and 1 tonne of Merlot. 2004 getting coldroom and will be making white wines. Ferment in stainless steel vats, thermostatically controlled it can control temperature and keep it below 28^oC, but above 22^oC.

Flow chart of wine production is available from Faith or contact ATASA for a copy.

Essential barrels are always kept full to prevent oxidation of the wine. Students involved at all stages of production. Mainly at Year 10 level, approximately 75 students in one year. Lab analysis only stage students are not involved due to this taking place off-site. Working on this now to get students involved. 50% of the grapes donated by parents. Sell for $14 per bottle. Sold to School community and overseas in USA, 3 pallets this year of 2001. Profits from 2001 were around $80,000. Sell wine at functions eg.  Barossa under the stars, Lano and Woodley performance. Barrels use American Oak only (worth $800-$1000 per barrel) these are all donated. Wine laboratory being developed at this stage.

Lindsay Park

Settled 1839 - 3 years after state was settled. Homestead built in mid 1960's.

Horses - 120 horses working
          - 80 horses and foals
          - 800 in total

Feed is steamed to reduce the dust problem. Have a pathologist and veterinary surgeon. Tony McEvoy is current trainer, whilst David Hayes is in Hong Kong. 80 people are employed on site. For every 4 horses 1 person is employed for track work. Students who work out here begin 5-6 am in the morning then 3 hour lunch then start again about 2 pm and work to 5 pm. Students go to school in between. They work in groups of 2-3. Lindsay Park would like more students who are interested in becoming jockeys. All horses are born after or on the 1^st of August. Air strip on property. Nuriootpa High's horse was sold to Korea. 27 races so far 5 wins 10 nil 12 places. Tuesday and Thursday are fast days - sit in the hut on course. Course has gadgets to measure times. This digitally records many features of lead horse - is it labouring etc. Up to 6 horses run in each trial. David Hayes owns Lindsay Park. Specifically own 14 horses only. School - first horse 50% of all profits (there were none) -  second horse (share in horse and no bills)

Colin Hayes' theory 'Happy horses run faster'. Won Melbourne Cup 19 times so someone was definitely happy. Jeune won Melbourne Cup. Several good progeny $13,000/service. Most stallions $1,000-$2,000. Slow work done also. Minimum 9 weeks to prepare a horse to race. Reshod after every race.

Farm Follies - Hutton Vale, Jan and John Angus

Took over farm mainly wool, bit of cereal and prime lambs and vineyard which was share-farmed. Farming has changed dramatically to ensure that there are choices for their children. Not necessarily farming but can still work from the farm.

Emphasis now more toward value adding. Utilise tourism of area. Wool crashed in 1989 was when realised needed to change. Had a large crop of pears and decided to do all sorts of things with pears. Therefore set up Farm Follies as a separate company so did not cause farm to go under. Now do own wine label as well. Grow Shiraz, Grenache and Reisling. Didn't go with trends but rather stuck with what vines they had. Won Worlds best Shiraz at London wine show last year, under label Mildara Blass Platinum Series 1998. Ride out highs and lows. Moving into smoked meats to maintain Barossa tradition as no young ones coming into this area so is a dying art. New ideas have related back to core business of farm at all times. Originally 90% core business 10% value adding income, now 50/50. Value adding will soon pass core business in terms of income.

Nuriootpa High School

The wine was good.

NuriHannan Winery started in 1992 with 1 barrel. 1994 saw white wine added. Chardonnay picked and crushed at school, dropped to 12^oC at Penfolds. Barossa Scholar sold locally and USA at $20 per bottle. Premium also $71 USA (sold to them$5) Use new American Oak. Pregnancy label on back of wine sold in USA. Grape levy, GST, WET (Wine Equalisation) Tax

Aiming to set up a recycle plant for aquaculture and winery waste. Port is also made and takes on names of supporters eg. Dean Cranwell, Gerald Viergever, Colin Hayes, Peter Hayes, John Sommler.

Barramundi about 1000 per year. Power goes off they die. Power off then flush, shift fish or fountain effect. Won't fix ammonium problem however. Very popular during Vintage Festival. Need licences if commercial. Marron were very successful.

No money in aquaculture. Lots of interest however. If it gets too hot they die or change sex.

Buy fingerlings 60mm (from West beach). Sell at plate size in 6 months. Don't treat the water (just let it stand). Processed down in Adelaide. Aquaculture shed has approximately $70,000 worth of equipment.

Charlotte Fox - Angus Society

Spoke to us about Scholarships, asked for a questionnaire to be completed by teachers present and advertised their assessment school and membership benefits.

Work force is ageing. Badly viewed by young people due to bad publicity. How address issues - 1999 40% Ag work force over 40 years of age, 25% of Ag work force over 55 years of age. Forecast around 10,000 needed to meet demand of industry jobs over next 10 years. 20% have qualifications compared with overall workforce of 40%. Of that 20% only 6% have degrees, 7% diplomas, 7% certificates and the like. Need to address farmers own view that they are just farmers because they actually have many skills and these just need to be recognised.

Emerging demand for skills in many technical areas for which we need students to meet. Enrolments however have declined. SA 7% enrolments in Ag compared to employment in ag of 11%. Employment outcomes are quite high. Industry growth is very healthy therefore need to encourage students to go into Ag.

Horticulture has doubled in value and have viticulture. Issue - poor image.

Are starting salary is $27,000. Graduates from Orange averaged $35,000.

John has compiled folders to look at showing the range of jobs in Agriculture and articles on Agricultural Industries over a 3 month period. (On Track) CD/Website/Videos and Posters promoting careers in Agriculture are available. The Golden Circle Kid Start Farms Competition. Offering qualifications across various sectors.

John would like to challenge ag teachers to work on building strong links with the Ag Industry in our local areas. Advocate a credibility selection process for kids wanting to do Ag. ie not easy courses that kids think are a joke. Publicise good news stories of industry and student success.

Sharlene Noble presents a gift to Brian Walsh from Yalumba, the guest speaker at the Conference Dinner >>>

Neil Heath - Mount Compass Area School - Focus Farm Project

Industry leaders on Agriculture committee. This has really got things moving and shaking.

$16,000 in funds were accessed.

Set up links with kids and dairy industry. Established Best Practice farm situation. Also taking care of the wetlands. Set up trials over a long term (different fertiliser regimes). Can organise visit and get involved as an excursion or Ag trip. Greg Mitchell happy to do activities with kids. Paddocks 5,6 and 7 have been shut out of the rotation for 12 months whilst renovating pastures, however due to redevelopment and herd quality improved considerably and now are increasing herd numbers as well.

Project on school website so other schools can use information as a case-study once they have visited the farm.

Dean Cresswell - Urrbrae Agricultural High School - Aquaculture/Enterprise Education

Notes supplied by Dean to conference participants.

Enterprise Education run as a subject in Year 10 as a result of students turning off agriculture, empower students in their learning, ability to involve other subject Faculties and restructure of Year 10 semester 2 subjects.

Summary points - students developed Key Competencies, extra motivation provided by students sharing the Profits and general feeling of relief and surprise at how well the subject went and the Outcomes achieved as demonstrated by the Presentations and Evaluations.

Wine show coming up at Urrbrae Agricultural High School.

Need to promote agriculture in the community. What are we doing to get involved with industry? What involvement are our students having with VET and School Based Apprenticeships. Issue of insurance therefore need to be careful about farm selection. What if the farm is not up to OHSW standards. Need help sourcing appropriate AgriBusinesses - SAFF will do this if required. Farmers need to have done accreditation therefore another hurdle for schools.

Sue Walker - Flexibility in SACE - Community Studies

Need to make SACE more relevant to non-Uni pathway SACE students.

How can we fit non-classroom learning into SACE?

How do we assess this non classroom learning?

How do we manage these procedures?

New proforma introduced last year.

Satisfactory achievement needs 50% or ½ way.

Need to consider recognition of other learning document.

Tom Fitzsimons/John Gladwell - OHSW

Focus has been on Tech Studies. Ag largely ignored thus far.
Book on DECS Website (RStaffROHS&W)
Note: Site manager (Principal) ultimate responsibility to ensure compliance (not ag/tech teacher). Therefore the Principal must find the means to ensure compliance.

To protect you: 1) Auditors ID hazard
                        2) Risk Assessment
                        3) Action Plan - once step 3 completed and plan passed on, responsibility moves from you to the Principal

Use information from the Auditors to do the risk assessment and hazard identification.

Machinery Maintenance Forms will be on site from mid-March. Note: Information is generic so to legally use, download and supply school letterhead.

Lin Morris - Farm Safe

Must follow through:
1.      Hazard Identification
2.      Risk Assessment
3.      Action Plan

Sited examples of previous former problems, relating to farm safety eg. deafness, bad backs, early death.

Farm Accident Statistics

• 30% of farmers each year suffer from accidents requiring treatment
• of these most treated at home
• 4% of total farming population admitted to hospital = NOT ACCEPTABLE
• Farming environment - dirty, dusty, unhygienic, damp. Culture says 'You put up with this' Ag teachers must change this. Hard though!
• 91-96: 55 injury-deaths on SA farms = 2 ½ times the chance of dying on farms compared to road  fatalities, 11 children killed (& women)
• 2000 patients admitted to hospital in 1996 (rural accidents)

Contributes to stress for farmers:

• Farmers 'don't retire' - contributes to accident toll
• Information overload (husbandry, fencing, risk and financial management, OHSW, Insurance, welding etc. etc.)

History

• Farmsafe - Moree, NSW, 1988
• Saw need for farm safety
• Poorly funded
• Each state has the organization
• Sub association of SAFF in SA
• Contact through SAFF
• no direct funding

• Groups involved with Farm Safe - Work place Services, Ag Teachers, CWA, Department of Human Services, Farm Safe Groups (take on interested people)
• Aims of Above groups
• Think safety
• Be professional
• Create a safe work place

How??

• Farm safety courses (how to do assessments)
• 15 minute checklist
• Help and Guidelines
• Displays at Field Days and Shows
• Interested groups (not many)

Legislation

• Emphasis on employer
• Industrial regulations
• ROPS campaign

Message to teachers

1. Change the culture - reduce the number of injuries
2. Involve Parents - in projects on safety
3. Create a competition - schools could run a competition on farm safety. One will be run in the farm safe tent at Paskeville Field Days.
4. Think safety - or else!!
5. Act safely
6. Enjoy Farming

Adrianna Milazzo - Zoonotic Diseases in SA

Discussed Leptospirosis, Q Fever,  and Hydatid Cysts. Gave fact sheets and pamphlets out.

Offerings to schools:
-         ecoshelters - free of charge (via individual sponsorship)
-         weekend retreats to Roseworthy
-         Work placements
-         Sponsored projects
-         Pig industry presentations
-         Resource packages
-         Teaching packages
-         Student cadetships (sponsorship)

Project is 6-9 months in and 8 schools are involved so far.

Example of Resources
CD Rom reproductive management of pigs
1500 screens
50 video sequences
Websites
www. vbeefweb.unimelb.edu.au/pigmanagement
Will also do school visits.

Purpose of new labelling Regulations.

• to ensure customers get what they expect
• Prescribed name (description of food) food standards code
• Lot ID
• Name/address in Australia
• Mandatory warning statements (allergens)
• Ingredient listing (relates to prescribed name)
• Date marking (essential! - use by dates etc.)
• Nutritional Information Panel
• Percentage labelling (% of ingredients)
• Directions of use/storage
• Country of origin (imported ingredients)

Labelling

• labelling can be in any legible font style
• must be English
• Distinct background (contrast)
• Warning statements must be no smaller than 3 mm.

Note - no foods on their own can make a "Health Claim" ie. Cholesterol lowering! Not allowed to write this anymore - misleading

No government body responsible for labelling, despite legislation.

Example of label (from Food standards)

1.      Peanut butter (therefore no warning required)
2.      No health claims
3.      Nutritional Labelling
4.      Ingredients
5.      Place of manufacture
6.      Barcodes not necessary for food standards
7.      Lot number
8.      Best Before/Use by
9.      Place of manufacture

When labelling not required if:

-         food sold unpackaged
-         food is in inner packaging (not normal retail sale)
-         food is made and packaged on premises
-         food is made in presence of purchaser
-         food is whole or cut fresh eg. carrots
-         food is delivered packaged and ready for consumption, at the express order of the purchaser
-         the food is sold at a fundraiser (eg sausage sizzle)

(note references must be made to standard 1.2.3)

Mandatory Advisory statements:
-         pollen
-         aspartane (large amounts have side effects)
-         quinine
-         unpasteurised products (egg, soft cheeses, milk products)
-         beverages containing caffeine
-         foods containing guarana