NEW South Wales Farmers Association recently held our AGM Roadshow across Region 11.
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Locations included MossVale, Crookwell, Goulburn, Bungendore and Cooma. Business included Election of Office Bearers for the next 12 months.
Delegates to the three day NSW Farmers Annual Conference in Sydney in mid July were confirmed at each meeting and motions for Conference discussed and supported.
There is provision for additional delegates from most local areas if other members would be willing to attend.
Our Special Guest was NSW Farmers Policy Director, Michelle Jacobs who gave an update on NSW Farmers successes, particularly in the areas of Business, Economics and Trade at most of the meetings.
Our other guest at Crookwell and Goulburn was Scott Boyle from Prime Super who outlined to members aspects of superannuation, including electronic lodgement requirements that are being phased in.
Regional Services Manager, Dave Banham spoke about the breakthrough that the Association has had in getting Food and Fibre into the State School Curriculum, and indicated that the Government had already provided funds for units to be written.
I, as Chair of Region 11 led discussion on a draft Motion from Region 11 concerning the need for Environmental Research Availability.
This motion was supported in principle at each meeting. A number of issues were discussed during the series of meetings. These included : -
* Food Safety - with a push for clearer “country of origin” labelling. The Association has called for a requirement that all imported food to be certified to meet Australian food health safety standards and for the costs of that certification to be borne by the importer.
* Relating to Animal Activists, we have welcomed the establishment of new penalties for farm trespass which can so easily lead to their own forms of mental stress and animal abuse.
* Management of Public Lands - Fire Hazard, Pest Animals & Noxious Weed Control is a major concern across the region.In some cases it is a matter of simply consenting to strategic hazard reductions on public land.
The issue with noxious weed control is somewhat similar.
Whilst we are told that the NPWS exceeds the minimum requirements of the Noxious Weeds Act 1993, the question remains is the existing component of noxious weeds being contained and reduced? Or is it actually expanding ?
Pest Animals, especially wild dogs , are having massive impacts on many farmers with stock losses causing animal welfare, mental health and financial burdens.
NSW Farmers has been doing a lot of work liaising with other groups and stressing the need for a nil tenure approach and more funds to be allocated to this issue.
Constructive efforts to control wild dogs are being made at regional levels.
The contribution being made by Australian Wool Innovation is also significant.
Proposed constitutional amendments to streamline our structure will be considered at Conference, following lengthy consultation statewide through the Taskforce.
There has been a staged process with framework State Biosecurity legislation already passed and with the conversion and inclusion of previous relevant Acts to follow.
For us a significant development has been that Government has accepted the need for there to be an independent biosecurity committee to give advice in relevant areas.
It is our hope that NSWFA will be represented on this committee. Many other issues were discussed, including the impact of State set course fees which are adversely impacting rural students, especially those wishing to undertake wool classing and Agriculture courses at TAFE.
Difficulties and red tape for farmers needing to access household assistance packages during drought and other emergencies were also raised.
The impact of Ovine Brucellosis on district sheep flocks was highlighted, especially noting that many ram breeders are not accredited as Brucellosis free, and a motion relating to this was also drafted for Annual Conference.
There was much discussion relating to LLS and we are aware that under the way the LLS was set up, the Board is responsible for governance aspects, but not day to day operational matters.
However many concerns were expressed about the reduced number of ‘on the ground’ frontline staff, especially Pest Animal Controllers, and that so far SE LLS has not formed Community Committees.
Poor telecommunications, particularly mobile reception, but also slow response times in getting essential landline connections repaired are another concern of many members.
