Grain trade blamed for holding up digital passports
© Tim Scrivener A new timeline for the implementation of a combinable crops passport has been unveiled following an industry-wide consultation.
Digital passports remain a topic of contention within the industry, and earlier in February, the NFU announced it would not support its progression in its current format after carrying out its own survey, but did state that it would continue to support the wider principle of the project.
A question was put to a panel at the NFU conference on Tuesday (20 February) on what was currently halting progress on digital grain passports.
NFU combinable crops board chairman Matt Culley said: “The block is within the trade at the moment, and we have to work through those issues, and we will work through them, and we’ll come up with solutions.”
See also: NFU and NFUS pull support for digital grain passports
One audience member said that Australian farmers have for many years been able to log on shortly after tipping a load and get full information on that load, allowing them to know exactly what was being paid.
“It’s a no brainer to me. Quality assurance information one way, yield and quality information the other way,” they added. “We need them in, we need them in now.”
Mr Culley shared these frustrations and replied: “For me, the real-time feedback and data is integral to our members from the digital grain passports and I’m not prepared to walk away from that.”
However, he noted that the NFU members’ survey had thrown up some quite critical questions that needed answering.
“There are solutions in there and we will work through that, but it’s not going to be instant and it’s not going to be quick,” said Mr Culley.
Consultation results
The wider industry consultation by the Digital Grain Passport Leadership Group received more than 400 responses from growers and over 50 responses from merchants, hauliers, and processors.
It resulted in 80 new questions and feedback points being established for review by the leadership group.
Common themes in the responses included the need for greater clarity and explanation in relation to the associated costs and benefits.
Next steps
The leadership group is due to begin reviewing the feedback in the coming weeks and hopes to engage directly with businesses as part of this process.
Once this is completed in late spring, an updated business case will be put forward.
A statement on behalf of the Digital Grain Passport Leadership Group said: “The longer-term decision on funding and development will be made once this initial process of business case development and review is complete.”