Sustainable Agricultural Communities Australia

Executive Team

Robert Belcher: Managing Director, Chairman and Public Officer of SACA

Rob has farmed Snowy River high country for 30 years, breeding stud Angus cattle and stud Merino sheep. His community roles include: Chairman of the Snowy River Interstate Landcare Network (20 years) with a continuing membership of approx 250 farming families from the Southern Monaro & East Gippsland; and Chairman of the South East Australian Landcare Forum. He is an Economics graduate (LaTrobe 1974), DipEd, holds a professional woolclassing stencil, and is a trained AI technician.

Over the last six years Rob has briefed MPs, Cabinet Ministers, Prime Minister's Advisors, Senators and the Liberal Party back bench in relation to Managed Investment Schemes (MIS).

Rob is a regular guest speaker at farmer and community forums, national conferences, and large public meetings on natural resource issues. He is in demand for rural community speaking engagements across Australia, regularly participates in radio and TV interviews, and contributes to national press coverage on issues affecting rural and regional communities. 

Robert's farming experience has given him an understanding of the significance of Murphy's Law.
      

Mike Badcock: Director of SACA

Mike is a forward-thinking leader in Australian agriculture with 45 years experience in  vegetable, poppy, and flower bulb production. He is known and respected Australia-wide for his advocacy work on behalf of Australian  growers, particularly in the areas of water resource management and  for tirelessly promoting a level playing field for Australian growers in international markets.

Mike has held positions of Director and Senior Vice-President of Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA) and has been a Director (1994-2008) and past President of AUSVEG (2004-2008).  He is currently holds memberships of  the TFGA Vegetable Council  and the Management Committee of the Tasmanian Poppy Growers Association, TFGA Water Strategy Committee and the Board of Rural Industry and Training and Education Tasmania.

Mike is extremely concerned about future food security for Australian consumers, believing that the marketing and buying power of the Australian retail grocery chains is forcing Australian producers into unsustainable production practices leading to many leaving the industry.

“ Farming is not as lucrative as it was 30 years ago, so children are no longer staying on the family farm and due to the increasing dominance of the major supermarkets who push the prices down, farmers cannot afford to pay their employees what they are worth, in fact, they are now paid less than half of what they would have received 30 years ago.”

“ At the moment we have some great opportunities…..The Government too has to change their attitude to farming. Australian farmers will not survive without a level playing field. Will we be able to have viable farm units, or be forced to eat imported foods?” (Mike Badcock   Fields in Forth)

Gerald Archer: Director of SACA

Gerald Archer is the fourth generation of a long established farming family at Landfall on the banks of the Tamar River, in Northern Tasmania. The Archer’s have farmed Angus Seedstock, Merino Wool, and Prime Lambs since 1876. Gerald has managed the family property since 1983 and has worked towards obtaining quality assurance and producing superior and safe beef and lamb.

Gerald and his wife Lou have five young adult children. Their three sons are currently working and managing the family properties and their two daughters are pursuing careers in rural health.

Gerald has previously been a director of the board of Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA), Angus Australia and the Launceston Show. He is currently a director of Primary Employers Association Tasmania, the Launceston Church Grammar School and a Councillor of the TFGA Meat Council.

Gerald is passionate about rural Tasmanian family businesses and believes Tasmania, as an Island state, has many valuable opportunities to capitalise on, e.g. the ability to produce large volumes of high quality food.

Gerald feels that the increasing rate of the corporatisation of farms is a great concern as we will lose our farming families from the industry. Gerald believes there is an imbalance in Government support towards other industries and feels the agricultural industry deserves a fair deal.

Gerald sees issues regarding land price inflation, the Managed Investment Schemes (MIS) on forestry, difference in water usage charges between industries, the removal of farmland from food production for the plantation of trees, and the difficulty for young farmers with high production costs and low commodity prices as great threats to the future of agriculture in Tasmania and Australia.  

Gerald says “It is time we, as food producers, unite to be given equal opportunity with other industries and ensure we receive a fair representation.”