BCCM Submission to Agricultural Competitiveness Taskforce

22 April 2014

The BCCM has made a submission to the Australian Government’s Agricultural Competitiveness Taskforce tasked with producing a White Paper to be released in late 2014.

In noting the strong role of co-operatives in the development of major Australian agricultural industries, the BCCM submission outlines the co-operative models’ commitment to member services, ability to adapt in the face of market deregulation and globalisation, and positive impact on  the sustainability of regional communities.

The submission makes the following recommendations:

1. That there should be funding for more focussed research on the value of co-operatives in the agricultural sector both at a national level and as contributors to regional economic prosperity.
2. That government at all levels should promote diversity of enterprise models in agriculture by raising awareness of the co-operative model of doing business.
3. That educators and professional organisations recognise the potential of the co-operative as a means of doing business and enriching regional communities by focussing more research and more professional education on co-operative regulation, management and finance.
4. That consideration be given to addressing instances of double regulatory requirements for co-operatives in respect of fundraising through security issues

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