How Poly Tanks Help During a National Pandemic

With panic buyers consistently raiding the shelves of supermarkets out of fear over the COVID-19 pandemic, we are once again reminded of the important role agriculture plays in the everyday lives of Australians. As we face a challenging health crisis, Australian’s are more aware than ever of the need for supermarket essentials and basic health foods.

Supermarket chains across the country are under extreme pressure to have their shelves stocked and restocked in this time of uncertainty, and it’s our responsibility as farmers and agriculturalists, to provide the stock. The good news is we have more than enough produce to keep up with the demand.

Queensland’s farmers are Australia’s leading supplier of fruit, vegetables and nuts, producing more than 120 different types of produce from various different growing regions stretching from Stanthorpe to Lakelands and everywhere in between. In fact, every winter, more than 90% of the fresh vegetables in major supermarkets across the country are grown in Queensland and we expect this winter will be no different.

The silver lining in all this chaos is that horticulturalists across the state are expecting their peak in production to align almost exactly with the peak in coronavirus cases, which means Australians will be well supplied with food throughout each and every step of this pandemic. What’s more, it’s exactly these kinds of fresh fruit and veggies that are enriched with vitamins and nutrition which are essential in building up our immune systems and health. Research has proven, beyond doubt, these kinds of foods are essential in fighting off all kinds of infection and disease.

Queensland has an absolutely vital role in helping our nation combat this health crisis. If we want to continue enjoying nutritious food and have it readily available, it’s crucial we support our horticulture industry in the coming months and ensure we have all of the necessary components for a very successful farming season.

As this coronavirus continues to sweep the nation and the globe, one of the best defences we can build is a healthy body and immune system. Ensure you are getting your daily dose of fruit, vegetables, and nuts to maintain nutrition levels and boost your immune system. We particularly recommend any citrus fruits, broccoli, garlic, ginger, spinach, and almonds.

Global Rotomoulding is proud to supply Australian farmers with Rainwater tanks, fertigation tanks and Spray tanks enabling them to deliver food in this time of need.
Global works with over 30 OEM’s making critical components to supply the agricultural industry.

Silo Series: Lascelles – Rone

Welcome to the second edition of our Silo Series! As previously mentioned, the team at Global Tanks loves to get outdoors and explore the natural beauty of Australia, especially when it involves tanks! A few members of the team headed out to the Silo Art Trail in Victoria, which stretches over 200km, making it the largest of its kind in Australia. Various artists were commissioned to create art on the silos in collaboration with the Yarriambiack Shire Council, International Street Art Agency Juddy Roller, Victorian Government, Australian Government, and GrainCorp, who donated the silos as canvases for the artists’ work.

For the second article of the series, Global Tanks are excited to share the Lascelles Silo, which was built back in 1939. Melbourne based artist, Rone, amazingly transformed this silo in just 2 weeks!

Rone’s unique style stems from a strong love of art he saw on the street. Having studied graphic design, he slowly worked his way up from small stencil work to large-scale murals. He shares on the Silo Art Trail blog that “in order for him to capture the true essence of Lascelles, he needed to learn about the town from those who were deeply connected to it”.

The artist carefully went about the project, understanding the dynamics of the silo’s existing raw concrete tones. He utilised a monochromatic palette, adding water to his paint as a blending tool to produce a ghosty, transparent effect, which he classes as a signature of his distinct style.

In the artwork, he depicts a local farming couple Geoff and Merrilyn Horman, who is part of a family who has lived and farmed in the area for four generations! Rone wanted his artwork to portray his subjects as ‘wise and knowing’. This was to foster the town’s future that is inclusive of their long lineage of farming experience, combined with the longstanding connection to the area.

The team loved exploring this silo, and most of all enjoyed how distinctive each artist is with their style and method.

Global Tanks are here to support the community in any way they can. To learn more or to speak to an experienced team member to discuss all things tanks, reach out today!

Women in Rural Agriculture

Global Tanks are committed to the environment, your health and safety, as well as the principle of equal opportunities in education, employment and welfare for staff. This commitment means a lot to us as a brand, as it is something we strive to do every day. We understand the utmost importance of having a diverse work culture in order to be the best we can be and continue to innovate. To do that, the recognition of women in rural agriculture is something we’re very passionate about.

The Invisible Farmers

Women make up approximately 32% of the Australian agriculture workforce according to the latest census data and globally, they represent half of the entire agriculture industry. Yet, commonly when someone thinks of the ‘typical’ farmer, let alone google’s ‘Australian farmer’ in 2020, hundreds of images of male farmers will appear.

It was as recent as the mid-1990s that women in agriculture were even legally recognised with the title of being farmers, thanks to the ‘Women in Agriculture’ movement. It was formulated by a collaboration of informally linked organisations, communities, activists and professionals who banded together to highlight the lack of recognition for such a large part of the industry. This was HUGE, as before then, female farmers were defined as silent partners, domestics, helpmates and farmer’s wives. It transformed how these invisible farmers were now going to be perceived and celebrated in the industry, and after decades of hard work, resilience and most importantly – a tonne of patience.

Fast forward to the years following, momentum essentially plateaued in terms of fostering the further progression of the demographic. While now a social norm for women to be considered farmers amongst local communities, friends and family – on official organisational boards and politically, women are still not recognised in a way that reflects the vast total percentage they make up of the industry. For instance, women as CEOs in Australian agriculture businesses only make up 2.3%, with an average of 17% across other sectors, even though they have an average incidence of university education that is double to men.

It’s more important now than ever to ensure that women are included at the table they painstakingly provide for in the agriculture industry. Globally the industry as a whole is underperforming, even though it is essential for economic growth and stability in food sourcing.

It’s more important now than ever to ensure that women are included at the table they painstakingly provide for in the agriculture industry. Globally the industry as a whole is underperforming, even though it is essential for economic growth and stability in food sourcing.

The Future is Bright

It’s not all doom and gloom though; it’s important to note the progress that has been made in the last few years. In 2014, The National Farmers Federation (NFF) only had one female as an official on the board, and now they have 4 – including one of them as now the president of the federation. Being one of the biggest boards in terms of overseeing many influential members of the industry, the trickle-down effect on other organisations to follow suit is promising.

The percentage of people studying agriculture science is made up of 55% women and 45% men – this speaks volumes as to how significantly women are not going anywhere in this industry. Empowering women in farming is essential, for not only gender equality but also for the economic growth mindset too.

To quote Charles Sturt University’s Professor, Jim Pratley: “The fundamental drivers of sustainability and economic growth are people. If only one gender is encouraged to participate, the talent pool is halved. A diverse workforce tends to produce a more holistic analysis of issues an organisation faces, leading to greater motivation and improved decision making.”

Overall, if continued in this trajectory, the industry perception will begin to break down the stereotypical image of a ‘typical’ farmer and make way for the young, determined, educated female farmer who increases not only profitability but also the diversity in agriculture.

Global Tanks supports women in agriculture and cannot wait to see the hard work that these powerful ladies have contributed to being recognised.