SOME THINGS JUST DO NOT MAKE SENSE...

Predictions of another long hot summer are not good news for people on the land. Last year's Australian rice crop was bad and growers are now facing a second year with little or no water and long-term weather forecasts painting a grim picture. Most Australian rice is grown in the Murray-Darling River Basin, and draws a significant amount of water from that river system. If some water from the system was set aside for environmental flows (eg replenishing wetlands), and irrigation permits to the remainder were auctioned off, much rice growing might have to close down. Rice adds a relatively small amount of economic value to the water used, so many rice producers would not be able to afford the permit price in competition with other uses, which add much more value. Up to 85% of Australian rice is exported to more than 40 countries. Papua New Guinea is the biggest buyer, buying 25% of what is exported. Other major markets include Japan, Hong Kong, Turkey, The Middle East, New Zealand, Fiji and the Solomon Islands. Lets just continue to screw up our resources for 15% of our own food supply *sigh* In Australia, drought punctuates the climate record with disheartening regularity. There's not been a decade since official records began that hasn't seen severe rain shortage. Down here drought is just a part of life. But the onset of two record-breaking droughts in the past seven years—one of them widely considered "the worst drought in a thousand years"—has had far-reaching and crippling effects. Major river systems are drying up. The Murray-Darling River Basin—home to 40 percent of Australia's agricultural industry—is at record low levels. The dearth of water has ravaged Australian agriculture, from wheat to dairy, meat to wine. Some industries will take years to recover. The Riverina is traditionally Australia's biggest rice-growing region, but this season most farmers are not getting ready to plant. Instead they are pinning their hopes on last-minute rain. Like many other growers in the region, Rob Houghton relies on irrigation to water his rice crop. "Usually at this time of the year if we have got an allocation we're full on preparing our country for rice," the third-generation rice grower said. "Preparing a seed bed, putting fertiliser on ... it's quite a busy time. But this year we're on zero allocation here and the general security allocation in the Murrumbidgee is certainly not enough to start a rice planting program." Zero allocation means there is little or no water. Mr Houghton's paddocks lie bare, and this year is only the second time his family has not grown rice in more than 60 years. "Dad grew his first rice crop in 1942 and he hasn't missed a crop in his whole farming career," he said. "Two years ago was the first crop that we'd missed out on and this will be our second. "It's quite unprecedented, this long spell of dryness, particularly in our catchment. "So we just have to adjust our program to make sure that we can make ends meet until we get that water back and we can grow rice again. "Because really, a summer crop is what drives our business." Down the road is the largest rice mill in the southern hemisphere. The plant in Deniliquin is being run by maintenance staff and has not processed a grain of rice for at least two years. But those lucky enough to plant this season will be rewarded with a healthy return. Rice is fetching $550 a tonne. The Rice growers Association's Les Gordon says as long as there are returns like this, there is still a future for this thirsty crop in Australia. "On returns, if we've got water we'll grow rice. There's no doubt about that," he said. "For our system, our farming system, the soils we've got, the climate we've got, it's still the crop of choice, particularly at the returns it is at the moment. "And that will continue to be so. Food security will continue to drive that. That's the frustration". Now tell me me why, WHY, when we have the driest inhabited continent on earth are they even considering growing and irrigating bloody rice? For 15% of us(remember the rest is exported)? Tell me why, when they know the damage taking that water from the river systems does, do they persist? Why?

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