The decline of family-run farms: A tale of compliance and rising costs
In the heart of Queensland, a beloved mango farm, once a staple in the state's summer produce, is now facing a bittersweet end. The Keogh and McDouall families' decades-long dedication to growing mangoes has been a cornerstone of the local community, but the farm's struggle to stay afloat amidst a perfect storm of challenges has led to a difficult decision: selling up.
The farm, known as MMM Mangoes and Avocados, has been a family affair for generations. Tim Keogh and his wife Jenna took the reins 12 years ago, continuing the legacy of their in-laws, who expanded the orchard to a sprawling 4,000 mango trees in the 1990s. However, the farm's story is a cautionary tale of the challenges faced by small-scale producers in an era of escalating costs and stringent regulations.
The Keoghs' decision to sell is not an isolated incident. The industry's peak body, the Australian Mango Industry Association, confirms that rising production costs, including skyrocketing fuel and machinery prices, are putting immense pressure on growers. Trevor Dunmall, the association's CEO, paints a grim picture: "The future looks bleak in the horticulture game."
The farm's output has dwindled significantly, with only 12,000 seven-kilogram trays of mangoes shipped this season, a stark contrast to the 36,000 trays in the previous year. This decline is attributed to the natural yield drop of mango trees, especially every second year, highlighting the farm's struggle to maintain profitability.
The new owner, Evan Acton, a prominent cattle producer and stockhorse breeder, plans to clear the mango trees and establish a stockhorse stud, marking a shift in the land's purpose. Acton's decision underscores the broader trend of land consolidation in the agricultural sector, where smaller farms struggle to compete with the economies of scale of larger operations.
The compliance burden is a significant contributor to the farm's demise. Scott Kompo-Harms, CEO of Queensland Fruit and Vegetable Growers, an industry body offering compliance audits, notes the proliferation of regulations and the resulting paperwork. Dunmall echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the challenge of keeping up with the ever-evolving compliance standards, which often blur the lines between necessity and red tape.
The supermarket industry's influence on compliance cannot be overstated. Kompo-Harms highlights the pressure retailers exert on farmers to meet stringent requirements, while Dunmall adds that compliance standards are becoming so rigorous that common sense is often sacrificed. This creates a complex web of challenges, where farmers must navigate the fine line between meeting regulatory demands and maintaining their livelihoods.
The story of MMM Mangoes and Avocados is a microcosm of the broader agricultural landscape, where the joy of farming is being overshadowed by the weight of compliance and rising costs. As the farm transitions to a new chapter, it serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between tradition, sustainability, and the relentless march of economic pressures in the agricultural sector.
