Origins

Australian farm forestry industry has long recognised the lack of reliable and readily available market information as a major impediment to its full development. To address the impediment, ANU Forestry held consultations with Australian Forest Growers and other industry groups. Following their endorsement, the project commenced in June 1997.

Objectives and outcomes

The project aims to contribute to the availability of information on forest product and input markets for Australia's small-scale forest growers.

The aim is being achieved by preparing and disseminating nationally a quarterly market report on forest products and inputs.

The outcome of the project will be the development of an economically and environmentally more sustainable farm forestry in Australia.

Reports prepared and disseminated

These reports also provide information on market trends and on stumpage prices received by small-scale growers.

To enhance the readability of the reports, the reports are written in plain English and kept short.

Industry newsletters and magazines such as Agroforestry News, Australian Forest Grower, and Australian Farm Journal carry these reports.

ANU website http://fennerschool-associated.anu.edu.au/marketreport also carries the reports. During the six months ending 23 November 2004, the market report segment of the website hosted 20,440 visitors; that is, on average 786 visitors per week.

These market reports are also available on websites of other organisations such as National Library of Australia http://pandora.nla.gov.au/tep/23851

Internet networks e.g. Aussie-Forest-net list and AFFA Farm Forestry Discussion Group receive announcements of release of each new report.

Creating awareness

To further create awareness about the market reports and to receive invaluable face-to-face feedback, ANU Forestry regularly makes presentations of the project at selected national, regional and local meetings, workshops and conferences.

Formal reviews

Representatives of stakeholders, including the Joint Venture Agroforestry Program (JVAP) of RIRDC, L&WA, FWPRDC and MDBC, review the project at least annually. These reviews have re-endorsed the project and its progress.

Support

In 1997-98, ANU Forestry carried out the project at its own expense. In the following period ending December 2003, the project received grants from JVAP; the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; the Private Forestry Council Victoria; and the 2020 Vision. From January 2004, ANU Forestry is again carrying out the project at its own expense.

Industry continues to give indispensable informational support, as also the publishers of newsletters, magazines and the Internet groups to widely disseminate the reports to the target audience.

Collaboration

ANU Forestry has collaborated, and will collaborate, with those who seek the same outcomes as this project.

Feedback

Written and spoken feedback indicates that the project is providing an impartial and useful market information. The project continues to evolve in response to the feedback.

For feedback and further information, contact:

Dr U.N. Bhati
Fenner School of Environment and Society
The Australian National University
Canberra ACT 0200
Fax (02) 6125 0746
E-mail un.bhati@anu.edu.au

This project has been carried out in association with Australian Forest Growers. At various times it has been supported by the Joint Venture Agroforestry Program of RIRDC, LWA, FWPRDC and MDBC; Private Forestry Council Victoria; the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; the 2020 Vision; ABARE; Farmwood Australia Co-operative Society Ltd; and SMARTimbers.