Bob Katter (Kennedy, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. The minister would be aware that most of our beef, pork, poultry and even dairy products come from grain not grass. Is the minister aware that in the United States this feedstock grain is only $178 a tonne while in Australia feedstock grain is sorghum and is priced at $234 a tonne? The American feedstock grain is of course dried distillers grain, more concentrated and therefore more nutritious than grain sorghum. Since it comes as a by-product of ethanol, can the minister advise what progress is being made with the ethanol inquiry? Finally, can the minister assure the House that the government ethanol inquiry encompasses biodunder cattle feed production from Sarina’s ethanol plant which, combined with some moderate water projects in North Queensland and dried distillers grain, is likely to see, as in America, Australia dramatically increase protein production without diminishing grain or sugar exports?

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