Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) Southern Downs and Northern NSW business development manager Jo Tait with Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) Australia managing director, Tony Geitz, Brisbane, and grain and seed broker, Brian Algate, Brisbane, at the QAM lunch and AGM in Toowoomba.

MEMBERS of Queensland Agricultural Merchants (QAM) are looking forward to another successful year with a promising outlook for cropping throughout the northern farming zone, according to QAM president and Namoi Cotton senior account manager, Andrew Jurgs.

“2020/21 was quite a positive year as far as production goes and 2021/22 looks positive again with good crops throughout Queensland and northern New South Wales, and positive summer crop prospects ahead,” Mr Jurgs said.

“COVID remains an issue for the committee as far as being able to meet and hold events. We will have to work with government in relation to border crossings and getting staff and machinery backwards and forwards across the border, especially over harvest. However, there is a very positive outlook for next year.”

At the QAM annual general meeting and lunch in Toowoomba yesterday Mr Jurgs was re-elected president along with Farmarco’s Rob Imray secretary and Network Grains’ Craig Dennis treasurer.

Two new committee-members were elected: AWB’s Tyson Hosie and PBAgrifood’s Kate McIntyre.

Addressing the QAM lunch, Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) Southern Downs and Northern NSW business development manager Jo Tait said there were many opportunities coming with the construction of the Melbourne-Brisbane Inland Rail that will pass through the region.

“We are encouraging freight owners in southern Queensland to explore these. A new dual gauge rail line will mean three rails on the ground in southern Queensland allowing standard gauge and narrow gauge trains to use the one track,” she said.

“This means that goods in southern Queensland could be put on Inland Rail and sent east to the Port of Brisbane or south to join the Australian Rail Track Corporation standard gauge network which can deliver goods to every mainland state in Australia.

“This could be a game-changer for some southern Queensland agricultural freight owners.”

Farmarco managing director and QAM secretary Rob Imray, Ag Commodities manager John Francis, Downs Trading trader and QAM life member Terry Deacon, and LDC origination Trent Raymond.

Riverina representatives: junior trader Angus King, general manager commodity trading Gareth Stapleton and senior trader Chris Coore.

NAB Agribusiness representatives John Kynoch and Ryan Johnson with Deacon Seeds general manager Mark Schmidt.

PBAgrifood director Peter Brodie and field marketer, Kate McIntyre.

Grain Central: Get our free cropping news straight to your inbox – Click here