Grahame's Blog

KLR Marketing in 2012

2012-01-16T21:36:00.000+10:00

When Bud Williams offered us the opportunity to share his knowledge on Livestock marketing,

Jim, Rod and I had no idea KLR Marketing would be come one of the most sought after agricultural training programs.The KLR marketing school and the KLR Mastermind program is changing the way business's think about marketing their livestock.Increased Profits and Cashflow is just one reason why many producers attend the school.Throw in less emotion and a simple decision making process with a little maths and you have a happy healthy livestock business.

Our focus is to help those in the Mastermind to take their marketing to a new level and to do this we are only teaching 4 schools in Australia this year.If you are a livestock producer looking to increase cashflow and profit or know someone who is - now is the time to Pre Register.

Here is a short video of what one couple had to share after implementing KLR into their business.

"The Scientist" - Cold Play

2012-01-13T17:43:00.003+10:00

Friday is Music Day around here and I wanted to post Cold Play singing "The Scientist"
to commemorate the passing of my good friend and Tech guru Nick Hatton.
Nick passed away after a short illness at the age of 39 leaving his wife Bron and son Will.
He was a selfless person with skills that will not be replaced.
Some of you may have had the occassion to have Nick fix your computer remotely,as when a client had a problem, all I would have to do is call Nick and the response was "not a problem we'll get that sorted".
So thanks Nick, you were truly one of a kind. Rest In Peace.

Sam Promotes Aussie Lamb

2012-01-12T16:33:00.002+10:00

Sam Kekovich has released the annual Lamb advertisment just in time for Australia Day.

Are you having lamb on Australia Day ? Is it Grass fed Lamb ?

Watch this clever video promoting Australian Lamb.

Sheep Farmer Rob Shares More

2012-01-11T18:00:00.000+10:00

This is the 2nd half of Rob's Talk at Nourishing Australia's Event in Armidale.

Rob - Walcha Farmer talks about Health

2012-01-10T18:00:00.000+10:00

Rob Blomfield from Walcha was one of the speakers at Nourishing Australia's event at Armidale NSW. Even though I have never met Rob he is a typical sheep producer passionate about both his land and his sheep.Over the next 2 days I will feature 2 videos of his talk about some decision he made about his health and how that changed his life.

Young Aussie Farmers with Allan Savory

2012-01-09T18:00:00.000+10:00

I know I have featured this before but I think it is so great it is well worth revisiting in 2012 Australian Year of the Farmer. Allan Savory was the guest of Graham & Cathy Finlayson in July 2011.
This is a great example of how young Australian farmers are seeking knowledge from Allan savory Father of Holistic Management.
Even though Allan has a lifetime of experience,he quite often would answer a question on that day by saying "I don't know I am still learning". That to me is a key to success,never close yourself off to learning.
This video is a short 12 minute video from our visit out in the paddock where Graham and Allan are speaking to a group of around 100 people.

The Boys From the Bush - Lee Kernaghan

2012-01-06T18:00:00.000+10:00

Those of you who followed my blog in the past will know Friday is Music day and I will select a you tube video on someone for some reason, mainly because it is their birthday.
This week I am featuring country music start Lee Kernaghan and his song "The Outback Club" from 1992.
According to Wikipedia :

Lee Kernaghan
Country musician Lee Kernaghan
Background information
Birth name	Lee Raymond Kernaghan
Born	15 April 1964 (age 47) in Corryong, Victoria
Origin	Australia
Genres	Country
Occupations	Songwriter, composer, musician
Years active	1969–present
Labels	Universal, ABC
Associated acts	The Blue Devils Fiona Kernaghan Ray Kernaghan Tania Kernaghan
Website	http://www.leekernaghan.com.au/

Lee Kernaghan OAM (born 15 April 1964 in Corryong, Victoria) is an Australian country music singer and songwriter. He was the 2008 Australian of the Year.

Farmers Taking a Holistic Approach

2012-01-06T05:37:00.007+10:00

Farming has always been a moving organism if you think about it, yet we have tended to farm in a linear fashion using methods that come from another environment.This can work for a while however eventually environment will win out, you cannot fight nature.
When Allan Savory came up with Holistic Management with decision making tools that reflected working in harmony with nature,he recognised we have many many balls in the air to manage at once.
I have over the last 15 years seen some quite amazing results for the biodiversity of the land,where farmers have taken on a Holistic approach.Today many of these farmers run a low cost very profitable business,yet they are building topsoil,increasing carbon,carrying capacity has increased and the people are living the life they love.

Over 20 years ago Terry McCosker of RCS introduced this concept through his 7 day "Grazing For Profit School",People like Bruce Ward and Brian Marshall introduced Allan's Holistic Training shortly after.Now there are also many others here in Australia teaching these concepts.
Here is a recent video produced by the Savory Institute that will give you some insight in to Holistic Management.

The Sheep Farmer & His Banker

2012-01-04T18:08:00.002+10:00

First let me thank Jesse for comments on my choice of video posted last night,that video does not represent my views on how farmers should be perceived.The creator of the video however had some perceptions on farmers and I think it is always good to know what others are saying.
Sometimes however you will find I post the often weird off topic things just because......

Ok that said today I am posting a video that tells a story about a sheep producer at Moulamein and his relationship with his banker.Even though the video it was put together by a bank, there are some great things spoken as well as some great images into one sheep producer.

What is a Farmer ?

2012-01-03T20:33:00.000+10:00

So in this Australian Year of the Farmer let's start with the defintion of a Farmer ; according to Wikipedia :
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain. A farmer might own the farmed land or might work as a labourer on land owned by others, but in advanced economies, a farmer is usually a farm owner.

My take on it is this every human on the planets is a consumer of food produced by a farmer, when it is the food they produced themselves then they are the farmer.Farmers make up a small demographic yet they feed 100% of the people on planet Earth.

So a Farmer is a "Food Producer" who not only feeds the world,he/she also manages most of the land resource on planet Earth.Farmers have great respect for the land and water resources and I like to think of farmers as caretakers of the resources for future generations.
Here is a short animated video of What is a Farmer :

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Australian Year of the Farmer

2012-01-02T20:25:00.003+10:00

This picture has so much meaning to it with the father of Holistic Management Allan Savory during his visit to former Young NSW Farmer of the Year : Graham & Cathy Finlayson's property at Brewarrina in 2011.
Education and succession planning are just two important parts of designing a positive,sustainable and profitable future for farmers.
2012 has been designated the "Australian Year of the Farmer" which I think is a huge opportunity for Farmers or Food Producers to display the diversified array of daily life as they go about managing the land resource and producing food.
During the last 12 months I have come to realise the importance of food and it's relationship with health issues.
This is a real opportunity for everyone to engage in real meaningful dialogue about the one thing that as humans we require besides oxygen and water and that is food.
Over he last 18 months I have had discussions about food with people from around the world, many many people who reside and work in the city and each and every one of them left me amazed at their attitude toward farmers.Sometimes the noisy lobby group leaves us thinking everyone is against farmers,I don't believe that to be the case at all.
I was sitting in a crowd of 1,000's in Disneyland 18 months ago when I got talking to lady while we waited for the fireworks.She was there with her young son and resided in Manhattan yet all we talked about was food and how important to her healthy food was for her young son.
So I am going to get the blog out in a more regular fashion this year and help take the message of what Farmers or Food and Fibre Producers do to manage the resource they have to produce healthy food.
Get involved subscribe on the right to receive my post updates or send me photos,stories or videos so I can feature them on my blog.
Watch this video featuring Glen McGrath on Australian Year of the Farmer.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T15:49:00.003+10:00

2011 has been a busy year with very few posts to my Blog.With 2012 being the Year of the Farmer in Australia, I will look to posting insights into the life of a farmer.

I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and may 2012 be a year year of good health and wellbeing for you and your family.
Here is a short video I made this morning down by the river in Bathurst.

Teleseminar Recording plus Biker gets Attacked

2011-10-12T19:37:00.003+10:00

www.klraudio.com

Today I hosted a Teleseminr with Nora Gedgaudas author of "Primal Body - Primal Mind".

Select the link to listen to this call where Nora gave a 60 minute teleseminar and then another 30 minutes Q & A. An inspiring presentation so enjoy.
During the call she mentioned this video in passing when asked a question on professional bike riding.

Teleseminar - Primal Body, Primal Mind with Nora Gedgaudas

2011-10-11T20:00:00.003+10:00

www.klraudio.com

In case you have not heard I am hosting a teleseminar with Nora Gedgaudas author of "Primal Body - Primal Mind".

I really enjoyed the book - since we had been following the basis of this paleo diet for around 10 months now with fantastic results.This call is open to anyone, though KLR Mastermind members can access either the live call, the recording, transcript and CD via the KLR Website.

Farmers make up a small demographic of society, yet when you think laterally Farmers feed 100% of society.So as food producers they play the role of everything really.
Think about it - Food leads to the health of the consumers, yet people will spend more on a car payment each month and say they cannot afford to eat healthy food.

Nora's book makes you realise we are putting the wrong fuel in our bodies.
After all no one would be silly enough to put contaminated fuel into their car on purpose.
Yet we do that to ourselves each day.

I believe we are onto the one thing we all have in common and why people living in the city are wanting to know more about - That is food and the producers of food.

Join us for this engaging Teleseminar with Nora on Wednesday 12th at 12.30pm Sydney Daylight saving time.

Just click on the link at
www.klraudio.com

TEDxDubbo - Food - Sustainability & More

2011-09-21T16:13:00.005+10:00

David Ward

David Ward and his team recently put together a TEDx in Dubbo called FACETS.

Food

Agriculture

Climate

Energy

Topsoil

Sustainability

The day covered 16 topics and speakers sharing these Facets of Agriculture.

It was one of the best days I have attended, well done to everyone involved. Here is just one of the speakers, you can view all the speakers at the the TEDxDubbo website.
Costa Georgiadis spoke on "Future Farmers" - Costa grew up around food. His grandfather, a market gardener seeded his DNA with a love of soil. His first steps were on his godfathers property in the Bylong Valley NSW

You can view the videos here - 16 short videos

Low Stress Stockhandling Photos

2011-08-23T12:35:00.002+10:00

Jane and Jeff Rodgers hosted 21 people last week for a Low Stress Stockhandling school near Coonamble in NSW.
People travelled from as far away as Tenterfield to learn how to be more effective working both sheep and cattle.

Dirt - Soil Life = 2,000 Sheep / Ha

2011-08-21T20:15:00.004+10:00

Dirt - the movie is a full feature film on the resource that holds and produces our food.

After hearing at TedxDubbo how there is as much life under the soil, in fact equal to as much as 2,000 sheep / Ha, I thought I should help get the message out.
Christine Jones is hosting a conference in September on "Amazing Carbon" with Courtney White from USA being her keynote speaker.

http://www.amazingcarbon.com
I will share more about Courtney in a future blog post.

The conference will feature an assessment of all the things likely to impact on agriculture over the next 10-20 years leads to the conclusion that we are entering a period of extraordinary change. Our challenge as a society is to work with the farming community to restore the ecological and hence productive base on which the future security of the Australian nation depends.

On the 31st of August I will be hosting a special Telecall with Garry McDouall who is the opening speaker at the conference.
The Telecall "The Challenge of Managing Change" will take a look at the issues facing agriculture going forward.
You are invited to attend this FREE Telecall by clicking on the link to the Telecall page.

http://klrtelecall.blogspot.com/

If you are a KLR Mastermind member you will get access through the members area as well as the recording on CD.If you are not you can still access the live call via the link above.

TedxDubbo - What's Wrong with Our Food System

2011-08-20T09:45:00.002+10:00

Attending TedxDubbo organised by David Ward and his passionate group was both inspiring and showed the possability of creating a vibrant future on the land.

The recorded videos will be uploaded shortly, in the meantime take a look at this Ted video of 11 year old Birke Baehr, where he argues his case for green and local food produce.

To watch more Ted Talks http://www.ted.com

Brought to you by www.grahamereesblog.com

Qld Won the Football - Theodore Wins with Mick

2011-07-07T20:56:00.003+10:00

Mick from Campfire Coaching went for a walk this morning and came up with a crazy idea to help Queenslanders get to the Campfire Coaching Workshop at Theodore at a crazy price.

The Theodore community has been severely affected by the floods, Campfire Coaching's lead coach Mick Cornish has adopted the community to assist people as they recover to embrace life in a bigger way.

Watch this video and pass onto anyone who might benefit from 2 days with Mick at the crazy cost of ........ watch the video and find out.

KLR Schools coming up

2011-06-29T15:22:00.008+10:00

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Click on an Image and let them play.you can even watch full screen.
We are about to start the 2nd wave of KLR schools for 2011,click on the dates below to Pre Register.

Never Under Estimate the Power of 1 Man and his Wife !

2011-06-16T15:13:00.006+10:00

Bud and Eunice Williams who dedicated pretty much their whole life to developing and teaching Stockmanship skills have received some great recognition recently.Whilst most of their life has been spent in North America,we were privileged to have them both visit Australia in 1999 and 2002 to share their knowledge on Stockmanship with Australian stockmen and stockwomen.

I believe it was no accident that we met them and had them stay with us on their first visit which consequently led me along with Rod and Jim to develop the KLR Marketing school with Bud's coaching and mentoring from his marketing school.

I have been teaching Low Stress Stockhandling Schools for 10 years where over 2,000 people have attended and when you add that to the other people training stockmanship based on Bud's methods,you realise the impact 1 person can have.

Now add to nearly 2,000 people who over the past 7 years have attended a KLR Marketing school that is quite something.I know what a difference both these programs have made for the lives of those people.

Bud and Eunice recently received an award from the University of Minnesota for their "Outstanding Contribution to the Livestock Industry"

In my mind the greatest recognition is when Bud and his Stockmanship skills made it in the

"Top 10 Innovations in the History of the Beef Industry in North America".

What is significant is these top 10 innovations were selected in a reader survey and includes

Artificial Insemination
Barb Wire
Antibiotics
Electric Fence
The Rail Road
Refrigeration
Elimination of the Screw Worm
Squeeze Chute
Uniform Meat Grading
STOCKMANSHIP

Now those that really know Bud,know that right beside him is his life long partner Eunice,who knows as much about Stockmanship as Bud.

Never under estimate the power of one Man and a good Woman right beside him to change the world in their chosen field.

Link to Article :

http://beefproducer.com/story.aspx/readers/choices/10/greatest/beef/innovations/14/49757

Another Great Insight on the Live Export Ban

2011-06-12T17:33:00.003+10:00

Yet another letter from a cattle producer Rashida Khan from Kita Lagoon, NT, Australia who is very distressed about the live export situation.
These people need a voice and if my blog can assist to bring forward the real story then that is great. It is a long letter for a blog post,but i do not want to edit someone's thoughts.

Read on :

My name is Rashida Khan and I am a cattle producer, animal nutritionist, and animal lover and have been raised with an insight to the true Muslim faith. I have been fortunate enough to travel and have been to Asia. My family has a cattle property in the Northern Territory and I have many contacts right through the supply chain. We care deeply about our animals and have always designed our workload and facilities with the animals needs in mind.

So far our only market for the cattle we raise and fatten has been live export, with 80% of these cattle going to Indonesia. Of course we have been calling for diversity in our marketing options for the past 20yrs but to no avail. Most of the NT abattoirs have been shut down by union pressure and government red tape, making it extremely difficult for people to reopen the slaughter houses. These facilities would take the cattle we cannot send to Indonesia if they are the wrong colour or have a minor blemish.

If the export industry is closed down completely in the next week, can we expect a flush of government support for local businesses and abattoirs? Do we have the skilled labour force to process these cattle starting next week? Will we have suitable facilities to deal with the 700,000 head standing in the yards waiting, by next week?

When I saw the footage aired on 4 Corners on Monday 30^th May 2011, I was rendered speechless. The cruelty was horrific and so very unnecessary. Initially I was angered and upset by the treatment of the cattle but I soon began to analyse what I had viewed. The whole video was played out to leave the viewer with only one conclusion. Stop Live Export.

I began to make phone calls and despite asking friends, colleagues and family I couldn’t find a single person who had ever witnessed that level of abuse in an Indonesian abattoir. Still it pays to remember that there are around 770 in Indonesia and only 11 have participated in this carnage.

Nowhere on the footage was a mention of the Indonesian processors who do the job properly. They were neither interviewed nor given any exposure. I believe it is a terrible shame if the whole industry must pay for the actions of so few. With exception to those 11 slaughter houses, I think it would be timely to mention the work done by the rest of the industry. There have been substantial investments both personally and financially in the development of better cattle boats, better feedlots, better breeding environments and handling, nutrition for maximum health, improved bio-security and better abattoirs. Yet strangely all of this was glossed over.

Since there was no mention of this better side, it is easy to understand how the Australian public became so angry and began generalising about the Indonesian people. I think it should be understood publically that these are not uneducated people at all but very savvy business people, who are often highly educated and extremely wealthy. To lump all Indonesian people in the category of animal abusers who know no better was a dangerous and stupid move. This prompted comments of a racist and derogative nature on the forums provided by the Jakarta Post and Straits Times. The outrage in Australia was fuelled by half truths and graphic images that I for one shall never forget. It has led to hasty decision making with scant regard for the flow on effects.

The cruelty displayed in the footage was mistakenly called Halal. There have been some very nasty comments linked to this and directed at Indonesia which has the world’s largest Muslim population. Let me assure you that there was nothing Halal about those kills. They were messy, blood tainted the meat, the animals were damaged and abused and no prayer was said for their soul. Halal kills are quiet, with many people restraining the animal, out of sight of other animals, till it has died. The throat must be cut swiftly with a sharp blade. It is a tradition that has carried on and means that stun guns which were not available in the days of the prophet could be employed today.

This is however a cultural decision for the Indonesian people which has garnered support with many but may take time to implement. The Muslim community was on board until the negative slurs began which has put everyone offside. The fact that no clear information has been released regarding this is a great pity as many people would greatly benefit from the education. We must remember in terms of asking Indonesia to adopt our ideas that we are a relatively new culture spanning just 200yrs, theirs is a culture reaching back 3000years.

We live by different socio economic standards and enjoy many luxuries courtesy of our resources and significantly smaller population. Small things like personal refrigeration are still a long way off in Indonesia’s middle to lower class population making the sale of chilled meat unviable. Housewives will feel the meat for warmth to ensure the beast has been killed that day and the meat is fresh. This is a way of life and would require both individuals and cultural groups to make changes.

This is not to say we can’t offer advice and assistance to improve slaughter conditions, make working conditions safer by stunning the generally unhandled Australian cattle who are not used to being roped, improve meat quality by eliminating the abuse and stress and redesigning the slaughter boxes to have a lesser gradient and better grip. However our high and mighty approach taken and the continued abuse to their intelligence makes negotiations with people who genuinely wish to improve animal welfare conditions extremely difficult.

The call has been to Ban Live Exports. Now this is to be discussed in Parliament and may be written into the law books. While the main focus is currently on cattle and has previously been on sheep, I would like to point out that there have been no distinctions made in the general push to Ban Live Exports. Australia exports a lot of animals of different types and should a motion go through parliament, extreme welfare groups will have an excellent opportunity to cripple other industries in Australia under this blanket ban.

For example feral goats are exported, racehorses are regularly shipped overseas and not to mention the booming performance horse industries with endurance horses going to the UAE, Warmbloods to Europe and Quarter Horses to the USA. We also send cattle to 27 other countries excluding Indonesia. Should all these people suffer because of 11 slaughter houses in Indonesia? Once a law is made it is rarely toned down and we have seen time and again the impact of these sweeping bans and the repercussions.

Most of Australia’s geography is not suited to other forms of agriculture and the rangeland grazing of livestock has proven to be efficient and sustainable. While we may export large quantities of minerals they are an exhaustible resource and tourism is dependant of global finances and political stability. Carbon trading is not likely to be a sustainable income stream to support the many people actively involved in Agriculture and in my opinion cannot replace the live export trade.

If producers and graziers go broke they will take with them regional communities and support services that they currently support. By the end of the week 13,000 Australians could be unemployed and more to follow, if the Industry collapses. This is not just the loss of a job; it’s the loss of hopes, dreams, blood sweat and tears. People will lose their way of life and support they need to live in the places they love.

What are producers expected to do with their stock in the interim of the export industry closing and alternate markets opening? Unfortunately we are not as wealthy as we are publicised to be and cannot afford to shut down and wait. Many producers have committed themselves to tailoring theirbusinesses at great cost to meet the specifications of Live Export.

We breed grey cattle, we market them at 350kg even though we have the knowledge to grow them bigger and still only get paid by the kilogram. We have endeavoured to improve nutrition and handling techniques and yet we get 24hrs warning that the ports are closed. In my years of training animals I know one thing clearly, that behaviour that is rewarded is always repeated! So could someone explain to me why we are doing everything right and yet being treated so poorly? This question covers the Indonesian processors who are also doing the right thing and the true Muslims who follow the holy procedure of the Halal kill. How is this abuse of peoples efforts justified?

As an Australian producer I am particularly upset to think producers have paid $5/animal to be treated like this and to see those animals treated that way. I am also disappointed in the sudden silence from animal welfare groups who only made a brief appearance when the footage was aired, with just enough encouragement to cause a stir and then they melted away. I ask them, What about the cattle?

Don’t they matter now that you have your petitions sighed and donations stowed away? So you have succeeded in suspending the Live Export Industry but have you made any physical changes to the animal’s treatment in Indonesia? Have you consulted the appropriate Indonesian authorities? Are you funding any training for the slaughtermen? Or have you moved on to your next victim?

If Australia is going to become worried by the actions of others with animals, then we should also look into the treatment of the animals that provide the products we import. This is just as important and should be seriously considered. I am absolutely disgusted in the treatment of those cattle in the footage but if we are going to seriously make a difference we must explore our imports. Anything short of this would be hypocrisy.

The key issue has always been animal welfare. However due to ignorance and negligence it has escalated into a volatile argument between neighbours, which has left thousands of cattle stranded, thousands of people in a precarious position and must be diplomatically handled. The Indonesians are in my opinion unlikely to back down in their stance. While the phrase No Stun- No Cattle is catchy, to accept it would mean the Indonesians lose face - something the Asian community doesn’t take lightly.

Australia has many trained diplomats and it’s time for them to act. We need to reengage the Muslim community, apologise for the childish insults and press for positive solutions that benefit all stakeholders. Focussing on improving meat quality would be a perfect inroad. We must continue to pressure the Australian Government for support in diversifying the markets in Northern Australia.

If we don’t act, what will become of the cattle? Will we have another international embarrassment to rival the Camel Cull and the BTEC program, which are widely seen internationally as wasteful and inhumane? In any negotiations regarding this Australians would do well to remember people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

I am only one voice but together we can provide a solid stance and with common sense and empathy we can rectify this situation. We must spread the message and educate people to support our Australian producers and associated industries as well as those in Indonesia who are in the same situation.

These people have done nothing wrong and like our other export clients should not be punished for the actions of a few. If we can collectively act to make real changes to the slaughter conditions in those 11 abattoirs, we will have made a tangible difference to international animal welfare. Banning Live Export and insulting our neighbors doesn’t help the beast that dies in Jakarta tonight!

Sincerely

Rashida Khan

Kita Lagoon, NT, Australia

Scot Braithwaite shines some Light on Live Export

2011-06-11T18:05:00.003+10:00

Another Letter written by Scot Braithwaite to 4 corners on the Live Export Ban :

Dear Sir,

I must introduce myself. My name is Scot Braithwaite and my life has basically revolved around live export since I was 10 years old. I was unloading cattle boats in Malaysia at the age of 13. I have worked for all the major cattle companies including as a Head Stockman in the Northern Territory. I have a degree in economics from the Queensland University and I personally have sold more than 1.5 million head of cattle into Indonesia since 1991. I am presently employed as the marketing manager for Wellard rural exports.

I am writing to you after the Monday program to say that although I abhor the treatment of the animals shown in the video, your one sided approach to the subject and the possible effect of that of a ban on live exports is too big a price to pay for a report based on the evidence of an organization that’s charter is to shut us down. I have the following points to make. I would like to have the same time as those who denigrated my life to show you the other side of our industry. To show you what is really going on. In Australia there used to be thing about “A fair Go”. You have gone with images provided by one person followed up by your investigative journalist who spent a week in Indonesia. Your report makes out that close to 100% of Australian cattle are treated as was shown on TV.

1 the ship that appears in the footage “for less than 30 seconds” is a vessel that cost tens of millions of dollars to build. We have had 3 separate media groups sail with this ship and it can in no uncertain terms be described as best in class. The Wellard group has another 3 vessels of the same standard with another 2 being built in China. This is a total investment of 400 million dollars to ensure that livestock exports from Australia are undertaken at the utmost levels of cow comfort and animal welfare.

2 the feedlot that was filmed was given a 10 second view. This feedlot is without a doubt world class. Your viewers should have at least had the opportunity to view large numbers of cattle eating and sleeping comfortably in a fantastic facility. This company has in addition moved to kill all his cattle through stunning system that he has control of. This owner has spent 20 years of his life in the industry, has built his business from nothing, has done all that is required of him from an animal welfare point of view yet your reporter makes no mention of these things.

3 within A 3 HOUR DRIVE OR a 15 Minute helicopter there are another 3 world class facilities. All three feedlots including the one filmed, are at, or better than, what can be found in Australia. The cattle being fed, and the ration being fed, leads to a lot less animal health issues then a similar size operation in Australia.

One of these facilities is operated and owned by a large Australian pastoral house. They had no mention in your supposed unbiased report. The operation is run by a North Queensland man who, through His absolute dedication to excellence has built a feedlot and slaughtering system that his company, the industry and himself can be very proud of. The system is closed, all the cattle are already killed through their own abattoir. They import 20 to 25000 cattle year. They have been doing this for at least 5 years. Why should they be shut down? For what reason could anyone justify closing this operation down, especially without even bothering to look at what goes on.

4 the other world class feedlots that could have been investigated with a 3 hour ride in the car are owned by a large publicly listed Indonesian company. In all, they have on feed 50,000 cattle and import about 120,000 cattle a year. They have recently built an abattoir( the one that was briefly shown on the program) They built this 2 years ago as they knew that modern methods must come to Indonesia and they were willing to make the investment to make it happen.

The total investment from these 3 feedlotters alone in infrastructure and stock is over 100 million dollars. Add to that the hundreds of millions that Wellard have recently invested in ships and do you really believe that these people would leave the final product to a murderous bastard with a blunt knife? They not only have tried to ensure the welfare of the animal but have made investments to make the changes all along the chain. These people deserve to have their side of the story heard. If the system is not perfect, and it isn’t, they have the wherewithal and the incentive to make it happen in a very short time.

These 3 importers who have shown a commitment to everything good about animal production, handle 45 % of total imports.

The other major issue that was not covered was the social responsibility that all feedlotters in Indonesia practice. Their operations are in relatively isolated poor areas; the feedlots provide employment opportunity, advancement through effort, and a market for thousands of tons of feedstuffs grown for the cattle. My understanding is that 8000 people are directly employed by the feedlots and over 1000000 people are reliant on the regular income made from supplying corn silage and other feedstuffs. This is not made up, it is fact. It can be easily checked. I will bet my 1000000 farmers against the 1000000 signatures on the ban order. It is very easy to sit in your comfortable chair and criticize but is it really worth the human cost to ban something that can be fixed and fixed reasonable quickly?

That is Sumatra.

In JKT there is the largest privately owned abattoir that kills about 4 to 6000 heads a month. It is a well run facility that has no welfare issues. In addition it was working on getting a stun system in place well before the 4 corners report. No photos from here, yet this is another who has been doing the right thing and who will lose his business if the trade is banned.

The largest Importer in to Jakarta, has also built a slaughter facility in the past 12 months. It has not been commissioned yet but can be made ready within a month. They also have a private bone to pick with the program. AS was not reported in the show, abattoirs in Indonesia are operated by any number of individual ‘Wholesalers”. They control the space and the manpower kills their number for the night and then hand over to the next team. In any one night 8 to 10 separate operators can be using the same facility. In the case of the footage of the head slapping the camera panned to the cattle waiting and the tags of AA, Newcastle Waters and his company were made very prominent. Yes, they were there but the team that handled was different to one being filmed. They protest, that their crews are well trained, no head slapping occurs and very large and sharp knives are used to ensure a bloody but quick end. I have no reason to doubt them because I have seen a lot of their cattle handled at point of slaughter and their crews are well trained with immediate results. Where can their case be heard?

I have watched literally thousands of cattle slaughtered in the boxes in Indonesia. Yes there are problems, as there are at every point of slaughter on every type of animal in the world, but 98% of the cattle I watched killed was quick and without fuss. Why is there not one shot of what happens 98% of the time? The shots of outright cruelty are totally unacceptable and the slaughter of cattle is still gruesome and confronting but is not as prevalent as portrayed in your report. Yes it does some times happen but it is the exception not the rule. And we are already taking steps to improve the system and we have the ability to ensure all animals are stunned in a very short time.

Yes there are a couple of operators who in the short term will not be able to handle the new way. But they will be dropped, no commitment to stunning, no supply. No negotiation. There are also a number of operators privately owned who were, to all intents and purposes, doing the right thing. They were asked to supply through the boxes and they have. They will be asked to only supply though a stunning FACILITY and they will. They have far too much invested in the whole industry over many years to not do as we ask.

I am asking for a fair go. You have been expertly manipulated. Hear the actual other side of the story let the Australian public see both sides. I am happy to make all the arrangements. This is too important to let sit with the images you portrayed on Monday without recourse.

Scot Braithwaite

Jessica Gives her perspective on the Live Export Ban

2011-06-08T14:18:00.004+10:00

Jessica Groves wrote the following letter from the heart about how the live export ban will affect the people and the land they live.I am publishing it without editing.

Jessica was born in Katherine, NT. Her Dad was and is a cattleman and from line out great stockmen. My mum is also off the land. She was educated in Katherine at the public High School. Jessica has two brothers both put through boarding school thanks the beef cattle industry.

Jessica's open letter :

To whom it may concern – everyone who calls themselves Australian,

I have had enough. For the past week I have sat and watched this torrent of rage flow through the media, Ban Live Export. I now get an email from a lady I met last week through a group on Facebook “Save Live Export”, that because of this stand for ‘animal welfare’ (so they say) her family now looks to lose a month’s worth of income, at least.

If this was a stand for animal welfare, they would look at the bigger picture and see that Banning Live export is going to do diddle squat for “Animal Welfare”, if anything it’s going to worsen the situation. If Animals Australia and RSPCA really cared about the welfare of animals they would have taken the footage to the authorities straight away so instant action could have been taking. Instead they sit on it for nearly four months, now as the industry starts to crank for the beginning of the season, they ask why this should go on for one more night! Please, this wasn’t a stand for animal welfare this was a stand to stop live export.

I could go on about the facts and figures but the hard truth at the end of the day is this is Australian families’ lives you are toying with. Rural Aussies sit in their homes scared and worried about their lively hoods because of something most of the industry didn’t know a thing about.

You want a story? Tell our bloody story, how we work form daylight to dusk, living and breathing our jobs. Our animals are our lives! Okay it probably won’t get the ratings you want but at least it’s the truth. Tell the story of what is going to happen to these families if god forsaken they get their bloody ban!

Tell how banks will foreclose on places over night, families will be left with nothing and nowhere to go, tell that bloody story. And don’t be fooled and think it’s only going to affect the beef industry, it’ll effect you guys soon enough

. We do not condone or support animal cruelty! Go to our homes you will see how much we really do care for these animals. All I ask is that you give us a fair go. This is my story.

My name is Jessica Groves, I am 28 and from the Northern Territory. After finishing year 12 in 2000, I had no idea of what I wanted to do or who I wanted to become so my dad, a seasoned stockmen, sent me to Camfield Station, where I became a part of a lifestyle I would never ever want to leave.

I was a teenage girl in a camp full of aboriginals, we were the weaner camp. Our job was to educate the weaners, but they taught me so much more. There wasn’t a day I didn’t enjoy my work (that’s a lie after the floods I detested fencing), it was 6 months before I went back into town but it was too late I was hooked. I worked long and hard, I wanted to become the best that I could, I wanted to know everything there was to being a great stockmen.

I remember going down of an evening to take the nose bags off the horses and turn them out, I would sit gazing at the stars while listening to the weaners. I remember thinking there is nowhere in the world I would rather be.

I worked throughout Australia gaining as much experience as I could but every year I would return to the Northern Territory, where the Brahmans graze. I have had a go at just about everything, cook, governess, bar maid, truck driver, sales clerk, waitress, equine nurse, administration officer/manager, the list goes on, but there is nothing in this world that gives me more satisfaction then letting a mob of Brahmans out of the yard at the end of the day. There honestly isn’t anything more rewarding then watching them walking out, that’s poetry right there…….

With my age and gender, I decided it was time for me to turn my hand at something new. I now work in an office in Brisbane CBD, my desk is full of photos of my days up north, the beautiful Brahmans in the yards or mustering up. It tells a story of a life I once lived, the life that many Aussie families still live today.

You could not imagine my reaction to the footage aired on 4 Corners, Bloody Business. I can’t even begin to describe what I felt. The images were sickening and I could not grasp what I was watching. When it was all over I phoned my mum to express my feelings but the words would not come out. I lay in bed that night with my head empty and my heart aching, I didn’t know what to think.

Who was I?

That footage very nearly made me turn my back on the one thing that I had strived so hard to be a part of. I went to work the next day not knowing what the future held for the industry that was still as much a part of my life as it ever was. What was to happen to my family and friends who still lived this life? Had I sent these cattle to their shocking death??

I could not accept what the media had told me it went against everything I had learnt and supported. I contacted friends, friends of friends, family and professionals in the industry, I needed answers. I did my research! The truth is out there if you care to look. Banning live export will not stop animal cruelty it will only save a few Aussie animals.

They will and can source their cattle from another country, the cruelty will continue without education and infrastructure. I’ll tell you what it will do, it will ruin Aussie lives. Please give us, the majority of the industry, who didn’t know about this horrific torture being dealt to our animals a chance to make it right. And if then and only then you are still not happy, Ban Live Export. Please take a moment and think, fair go. Do you call yourself an Australian?

You can follow Jessica Groves on Facebook

Read the full story here

http://theland.farmonline.com.au/news/nationalrural/livestock/cattle/indonesian-exports-halted/2188346.aspx

Update -My Top 26 IPad Apps

2011-05-28T12:01:00.014+10:00

The Ipad2 has created a whole new wave of Ipad fans,so I thought I would rerun a previuos post featuring my top 20 Ipad APPS.I have found 6 more to add so if you have an ipad you now have my top 26 Apps to choose from.

LogMein allows me to access my home computer from my Ipad or any other computer.Always have access to your computer no matter where in the world you are.I used to use Itap RDP client but LogMein is heaps betterer !!

Evernote has become my best friend next to Dropbox.Evernote allows you to record text,images,audio, save webpages or emails all into a well organised filing cabinet.
This then syncs with all your devices and computers,even if you do not have an ipad you should get this software.

DocScanner is an app that works very well with Evernote.I use it to scan receipts,business cards and store them in Evernote.

Beanhunter is for the seriuos coffee addict, where you can search for the nearest and best coffee in the area.You can read and create reviews on your favourite coffee shop.

QR codes are becoming the easy way to send people to your website or phone number.
To create QR codes there is no cost go to http://qrcode.kaywa.com/
To read QR codes you need a reader on your Iphone or Ipad, search in Apps store there are heaps.

Now that Ipad 2 has a camera you will want to upload images to Facebook and Iloader works really well.

Top 20 was posted in Dec 2010.

The top selling Christmas present this year is without a doubt Apples Ipad.
Having owned one for a few months now,I think it is one of best pieces of technology I have used.
The simple portability along with the Apps, the Ipad becomes your computer on the move. No more lumping around a laptop,power cords,flat battery's(10 hr life battery). Traveling for 4 weeks in the USA this year I was able to email,update this blog as well as use remote client to access my home computer and print docs out there for Ros to pick up.

I thought I would post the top 20 apps I use,in no particular order. You can take screenshots like these by pressing both buttons at the same time and they will save into your photos.
Is there a KLR App ? Well not yet but the planning is in place for early 2011.

This app is called abcNotes - a great little tool to keep all those post it notes on your ipad.

Photos are great on the ipad, all you need is the camera kit to upload. This is the Photo Wall
app which is a magic tool for taking photos and creating collages and other effects.

The app below is Dropbox which is readily available for your computer to back up and sync files, they also have a grea app which is a good way to sync with your computers and your team.
IWriter is a magic app for writers and people who want to write without all the distractions, it counts the words as well as sync's with dropbox.

Big Calc Free app is a beauty as it is big and has a ticker tape like display on the side.

Keynote is the powerpoint type app where you can create presentations.

PS Express is a great app for editing your pictures.

Web Albums app is a tool to view your online Picasa albums(google software).

BlogPress is a great app for creating and uploading your Blogger posts. I used this to blog on my trip to USA and worked a treat.

There are many newspapers now with Ipad apps, I have the Daily Telegraph app.

There are many sporting apps available. As I am an avid cricket fan I like Cricket LIVE, which even has the ability to watch the channel 9 coverage live for less than $3 a test.

Amazon has an app so you can shop the amazon store.

Amazon's Kindle reader has been popular and you can buy and read the kindle books on your Ipad. The app is called Kindle.

Audible is a great site to purchase audio books which you can download and put on cd or you ipod.The Audible app also allows you to download books in your library.

Skype has an Iphone app that works well with the Ipad.I used this app to call home every day for the month i was in the USA. Just a little credit and away you go plus you can text chat as well.

HooteSuite has a nice Ipad app which allows you to monitor and update you social media accounts like Twitter and Facebook all at once including photos.

SendOutCards has a great app where you can create a card on your Ipad and put int the mailing address and send by post. You do need to be a user of Send Out Cards, which I am.Find out how you can @ http://www.cardswithgratitude.com/

Westpac has an app for internet banking and it does all the things you can do with normal online banking. I guess other banks do the same.

Weatherzone has an app for local Australian weather details. There are many others out there.

Flipboard is a great app if you want to read you social media as well as blogs etc like a newspaper.

Tellmewhere is an app that helps you find what you need in any town or city. I asked in the image above to find nearest restruans to me, it includes address and phone number as well.

iTap RDP app is a great tool for anyone who needs to use their home or business computer while they are away. Just leave your main computer turned on and you can set up an ID to log in and use whatever programs you need.When I was int the USA I had a couple docs I needed to print, so I did them and asked Ros to go into the printer and pick them up.

Have fun with your Ipad and if you find any Apps you wish to share feel free to share them in comments below.

Brought to you by http://www.grahamereesblog.com/

Royal Bathurst Show Produce Display

2011-05-06T15:23:00.003+10:00

The Team who put together the Display.

The Royal Bathurst Show is on this weekend and it is looking fantastic.I was present last night when they built the agricultural display using local produce.It looked so great I created a short video featuring what I thought was a very proffessional effort by all those involved.

If video stop/starts, press pause to let it load.

Brought to you by

http://www.grahamereesblog.com/

Recovering from Trauma Webinar

2011-04-10T21:05:00.001+10:00

Georgie Somerset from Central Qld has asked if I could promote the following webinar series on recovering from trauma.
Petrea King is running a 4 part webinar series specifically for people who have recently experienced the trauma of floods,fire and cyclone.
It is a series focussing on children,individuals,families and communities and how to recover from trauma.
Any one is welcome and it is relevant for anyone no matter the trauma experience.

The next webinar is Monday night 11th April at 8.00pm to 9.00pm.

Register at www.questforlife.com.au/webinars

Posted by Www.grahamereesblog.com

We Survived Bathurst Relay for Life

2011-04-04T14:07:00.008+10:00

This is a photo of us after the finish of the Relayat 10.00 am Sunday.

Thank you so much for those of you who sponsored us.We started with a warm afternoon but by 4 am it was freezing cold.

We really enjoyed being part of Relay for Life and being able to raise $1,600 between the 3 of us.

Yep the legs are sore but well worth doing. Thanks to Peter Hosking our trusty leader and the other members of the team 17's.

Peter and Mel

Ashley and Catherine

The Team

Before the start 4.00 pm Saturday

5.23am Hmmm Orbs maybe ?

5.20 am foggy,legs aching but hey were good

2011-04-03T05:35:00.001+10:00

YouTube Video

Posted by Grahame

11pm update at Relay for Life

2011-04-02T22:20:00.001+10:00

YouTube Video

Posted by Grahame

Location:Durham St,Bathurst,Australia

Relay for Life at Dusk

2011-04-02T17:40:00.001+10:00

YouTube Video

Thought I would update just before dusk our walk in Relay for Life.
Thank you everyone who has donated so far, we are having a great time here with over 500 people.

Posted by Grahame

Location:Durham St,Bathurst,Australia

Video Update on Relay for Life & Thanks for Sponsorship

2011-04-01T15:14:00.006+10:00

Thank you so much to those of you who have already sponsored one of us in the Bathurst Relay for Life. This weekend we are walking in the Relay for Life to raise funds for Cancer research and support.The relay starts at 4.00 pm Saturday and finishes at 10.00am Sunday ( with an extra hour between 2 and 3 as daylight saving finishes. You may not have a chance to enter an event in your area however you can get involved by sponsoring one of us in the event. I will be posting updates as the weekend goes by so register on the right to get the email of the video updates.

Please Sponsor Me as I Walk in Bathurst Relay for Life

2011-03-30T19:50:00.004+10:00

Most people at some time in their life are touched by cancer,either directly or a family member or friend.There are many areas around this challenge that need funding. From prevention to treatment and support for those affected it takes funds. This weekend I am participating in the Bathurst Relay for Life where we walk from around 3.00pm Saturday until 10.00am Sunday. I am appealing to you as a reader of my blog to sponsor me with as little or as much as you see fit to assist me to raise some much needed funds for the Cancer council. When you click on the link it will take you to my link on the Bathurst Relay for Life website, where you can make your donation. I will update you over the weekend with photos and video. Bit cheeky of me but, Thank you in anticipation for your sponsorship.

Ballarat WIN TV featured KLR School

2011-03-09T19:17:00.004+10:00

We have been back on the road again over the last 3 weeks, with 2 KLR schools at Tamworth and Ballarat.Next week we are off to Roma, where we will be holding a KLR school plus a Mastermind coaching day.
The 3rd half day is proving valuable for both newly graduated KLR students as well as longer term Mastermind members.Listening to how different people are using the KLR principles is always eye opening to us.
If you are a Mastermind member consider attending one of these coaching days.If we are always learning more then there is every chance you could as well.

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A Peak Inside KLR Mastermind

2011-02-10T13:36:00.009+10:00

Readers of Grahame's blog come from all over the world, many of them KLR Mastermind members. I thought I might give those of you who are not Mastermind members a sneak peak what's inside the members area.

One of the great features of the Mastermind landing page is you can quickly select exactly where you need to go and get there.

KLR 30 Second Market report covers 51 sheep and cattle markets each week, created from the NLRS market reports and converted into a format that anyone can tell at a glance which animals are Underpriced and which ones are Overpriced.

Sitting in behind the members area there are over 20 profit calculators for traders and breeders of sheep and cattle plus our unique Business Analyser Tool, which quickly shows business overheads expressed as agistment.There is video training for each calculator sitting right beside the download.

We hold regular teleconference's - weekly discussion calls, mentoring calls and we invite a guest speaker each month. These are archived and available on mp3 plus we send out 8 cd's each year.

There are many other features including a Sell / Buy / Agist page, Newsletters, Forum and the Knowledge Centre. To see more visit http://www.klrmarketing.com.au/

To build a website as comprehensive as this, you need to partner with a great web development company. Bosweb in Dubbo were able to listen to our needs and assist us to put together a web platform that will service KLR Marketing and more importantly our Mastermind members to get what they need easily in a timely manner.

http://www.bosweb.com.au/

They are giving away a chance to win free Ipad this month so check them out.

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Livestock Marketing with KLR in 2011

2011-02-05T12:38:00.006+10:00

You may well be asking "Where did Grahame's Blog go in the last 8 weeks ?"

Well pretty much every day has been eaten up creating the new KLR website, which is now in effect 2 websites as we have seperated the Mastermind members area from the KLR school site.

AS we enter 2011 these 2 new web platforms are just in time to support the ever growing demand for KLR Marketing schools and the products and resources of the KLR Mastermind.

Some people reading this will be already KLR Mastermind members or graduates, however there are many readers who are not sure what it is all about.

KLR Marketing principles are about a different way of thinking in the way we market our animals.No matter whether you are involved in beef cattle marketing, sheep marketing or any other livestock marketing and production, it may be worth looking further at what we do.

It all started when we met Bud Williams who over the years has run his popular marketing school or stockmanship schools in the USA. Bud and Eunice visited Australia in 19199 and 2002 teaching stockmanship and it was then that he interested Jim Lindsay, Rod Knight and Myself in his marketing principles.After spending time with Bud we developed the KLR Marketing school.

There have now been over 1500 people attend the school in Australia and New Zealand.

The results some people are now getting are beyond our expectations. KLR can play an important role in getting a start for young farmers, in fact some of our most successful practioners are young rural women.

Visit the website, listen to the audio testimonials, read the articles and listen to us speaking about KLR Marketing. My next post will be about the Mastermind website below.

Visit KLR website :

http://www.klrmarketing.com.au/

Brought to you by http://www.grahamereesblog.com/

Twitter & Facebook could save your life in an Emergency

2011-01-11T13:12:00.007+10:00

Up until the last month I thought Twitter and Facebook were a great way to waste time.

What has changed my mind ? Well I have been monitoring the floods in Qld and how Police,Emergency Services and right through to Anna Bligh, Premier of Qld use social media.

Constant updates of the flood situations, which roads are closed,when people need to evacuate,
are made as they happen.

Plus add to the ability of people stuck in floodwaters to seek assistance using Twitter.

So why is Twitter such an important tool in emergency's ?

Word of mouth is the best way to get information out and whilst websites are great they tend to take time to be updated where as twitter can post messgages in seconds.

Check out some of the messages posted today to get an idea of what I mean. Knowing how to use these sites as a resource could just save your life or maybe someone else in a crisis.

We are seeing a crisis that Australia has not faced for maybe decades unfold and communication is difficult. Are you ready to use all resources that may assist you in an emergency ?
At least investigate how social media works - it could save you life as well as others in your community.

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Of Droughts and Flooding Rains

2011-01-04T15:32:00.006+10:00

It might be while before cattle are worked in these yards.

Well 2011 has started for many people in North Qld with flooding rains. One thing we cannot change is the weather and that is one of the great joys and challenges of farming and living in Australia.

Whilst people in Qld are flooded,there are many in Western Australia managing their way through drought,

Bushfires have already made their mark in western NSW this week, a sign of what might be to come later in summer.

It all reminds me of a poem most Aussie kids learnt at school with the 2nd stanza most remembered. One thing we can guarantee Australia is a land of extreme weather.

According to Wikipedia : "My Country" is an iconic patriotic poem about Australia, written by Dorothea Mackellar (1885-1968) at the age of 19 while homesick in England.

After travelling through Europe extensively with her father during her teenage years she started writing the poem in London in 1904[1] and re-wrote it several times before her return to Sydney. The poem was first published in the London Spectator in 1908 under the title "Core of My Heart". It was reprinted in many Australian newspapers, quickly becoming well known and establishing Mackellar as a poet.

My Country

The love of field and coppice,
Of green and shaded lanes.
Of ordered woods and gardens
Is running in your veins,
Strong love of grey-blue distance
Brown streams and soft dim skies
I know but cannot share it,
My love is otherwise.

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me!

A stark white ring-barked forest
All tragic to the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains,
The hot gold hush of noon.
Green tangle of the brushes,
Where lithe lianas coil,
And orchids deck the tree-tops
And ferns the warm dark soil.

Core of my heart, my country!
Her pitiless blue sky,
When sick at heart, around us,
We see the cattle die -
But then the grey clouds gather,
And we can bless again
The drumming of an army,
The steady, soaking rain.

Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the Rainbow Gold,
For flood and fire and famine,
She pays us back threefold -
Over the thirsty paddocks,
Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greenness
That thickens as we gaze.

An opal-hearted country,
A wilful, lavish land -
All you who have not loved her,
You will not understand -
Though earth holds many splendours,
Wherever I may die,
I know to what brown country
My homing thoughts will fly.

Dorothea Mackellar

My Top 20 Ipad Apps

2010-12-25T11:09:00.001+10:00