During the Annual Conference this week, Oscar Pearse a Moree based cropper, has been elected to the NSW Farmers Board.

The father of three, who has deep family roots in the states North West, stated a sustainable future for farming was critical to feed families and protect the country. Mr Pearse explained that farmers are esteemed for safeguarding useful resources of soils, pastures, and key natural areas, yet regularly the financial returns aren’t there and expressed his hopes this will soon change.

“I’m honoured to be elected to the NSW Farmers Board and look forward to making a positive contribution to the future of our Association and our industry,” Mr Pearse said.

Helen Carrigan, retiring Board member and wool producer explained that she would be moving interstate to be closer to family. She thanked NSW Farmers members for their support and wished Mr Pearse all the best. 

Mrs Carrigan went on to say that it was a tremendous pleasure to work with NSW Farmers and although she will no longer be actively involved with the organisation, she will continue to be keenly interested in the Association’s work.

The Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO have unveiled a new name for their digital information product ‘My Climate View’, along with useful updates to help more farmers make informed decisions now to build climate resilience for decades to come. 

Previously known as the Climate Services for Agriculture online platform, My Climate View is unique in providing farmers with critical data to assess how climate trends, including changes to temperature and rainfall, might impact their business for specific commodities and date ranges in their location, to a 5 km2 resolution. 

My Climate View has been updated with: The Australian Government’s Climate Services for Agriculture program is a collaboration between the Bureau of Meteorology and Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO. 

Bureau of Meteorology Program Director, Climate Services for Agriculture, Elizabeth Johnston said My Climate View is a product that has been designed by farmers for farmers. 

“The Climate Services for Agriculture team has engaged extensively with Australia’s agricultural sector to understand what climate information and services the sector needs and how it is best presented,” Ms Johnston said. 

My Climate View is free to all users. CSAEnquiries@csiro.au. 

According to the 2023 Safer Farms Report, 64% of fatalities on Australian farms in 2022 were attributed to farm vehicles or mobile farm machinery. Since 2001, nearly 30% of all on farm fatalities can be attributed to two vehicles: tractors and quad bikes.

Farmers rely on different vehicles for a wide range of tasks, each task demands a specific vehicle with the necessary features and capabilities. Choosing the right vehicle significantly reduces the risk of injuries and fatalities. To select the right vehicle:

Assess Job Requirements: Begin by assessing the specific needs and requirements of the task and consider factors such as load capacity, terrain conditions, and manoeuvrability. Matching the vehicle’s capabilities to the job requirements is crucial for optimal safety.

Consider Operator Comfort and Familiarity: A comfortable and familiar vehicle promotes operator confidence and reduces the likelihood of incidents. Ensure that all operators, including contractors, receive appropriate information and training to handle the chosen vehicle safely and efficiently.

Evaluate Safety Features: Prioritise purchasing vehicles equipped with safety features designed to protect operators. Features such as seat belts, roll bars, and enclosed cabs offer crucial protection in the event of a rollover. Don’t compromise on safety and never circumvent safety mechanisms when selecting vehicles.

Maintain and Inspect Regularly: Establish a regular maintenance and inspection schedule. Routine checks of brakes, lights, tyres, and other essential mechanisms ensure that the vehicle remains in prime working condition. Promptly address any repair needs to prevent potential hazards.

Promote Communication and Training: Encourage open communication among farm workers to share insights and experiences related to vehicle safety. Check operators have the necessary licences. Provide comprehensive training to all operators, emphasising safe operating procedures, load limits, and any specific considerations related to the chosen vehicles such as speed limits, age limits and required personal protective equipment (PPE). 

The NSW Government has announced a two-year extension of six water sharing plans across the Murrumbidgee, Macquarie-Bogan, Gwydir, Lachlan, Belubula, Namoi and Peel regions to implement recommendations to their replacements. 

Executive Director of Water Planning Giselle Howard said water sharing plans are legal documents which lay out clear rules for the equitable and sustainable distribution of water among users over a 10-year period. 

“We’ve extended six plans by an extra two years to give us more time to collect detailed data, complete analysis and hear from stakeholders which will help inform each new water sharing plan that will now come into effect on 1 July 2025,” Ms Howard said. 

The following water sharing plans will remain in effect until 30 June 2025: 

• Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Unregulated River Water Sources2012

• Water Sharing Plan for the Macquarie-Bogan Unregulated Rivers Water Sources 2012

• Water Sharing Plan for the Gwydir Unregulated River Water Sources 2012

• Water Sharing Plan for the Lachlan Unregulated River Water Sources 2012

• Water Sharing Plan for the BelubulaRegulated River Water Source 2012

• Water Sharing Plan for the Namoi andPeel Unregulated Rivers Water Sources2012

Rural Aid has thrown its support behind a campaign to help Australians better understand where their food comes, how to eat seasonally and ways they can stretch their “food dollars”. The National Farmers Federation (NFF) inspired campaign featuring Sydney-based culinary experts Alex Elliott-Howery and Jaimee Edwards from Cornersmith will showcase a different Aussie-grown product every week for the next six weeks. Recent research commissioned by the NFF found that 51 per cent of the Australian population is “extremely” concerned about fresh food and grocery costs. 

Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said it’s concerning that same number of people said they only “know a little” about Australian farming and agriculture, according to the new research.

Mr Warlters said while Australian farmers were world-renowned for the quality of their produce and their efficiency, closer to home many people were less familiar with how their food was grown and how to make the most of their food purchases.

The adventure begins this week on the Australian Farmers social media accounts. Tips, tricks, recipes and farmer profiles can be found at farmers.org.au

A research report released by CSIRO and Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has shown that the Australian red meat and livestock industry has reduced its net greenhouse gas emissions by 65% since 2005.

According to MLA’s Managing Director, Jason Strong, the reduction in red meat industry GHG emissions in 2020 was partly explained by reductions in livestock numbers following the years of drought leading into 2020.

“The number of livestock on the ground has an influence on industry’s overall emissions, and we know these numbers will fluctuate with seasonal and market conditions,” Mr Strong said.

The new research report examined the production of beef cattle, sheep for meat, and goats, as well as the domestic processing of these animals.

Emissions were attributed to the red meat industry based on animal numbers, feed intake, livestock processed, and resource use. It’s part of the industry’s work in annually benchmarking its GHG footprint, which has been occurring since 2015.

“MLA and the red meat industry are ready to further reduce emissions” Mr Strong said.

National Farmers’ Federation has released a new certification scheme, aimed at helping farmers choose tools and services which protect their farm data.

NFF Vice President and Chair of the new Certification Panel, David Jochinke, says the scheme is about informing farmers and lifting industry standards.

“We’re in the digital farming era, and the volume and value of our data is growing every day. There’s a gold mine of industry data held with service providers. 

“The certification has been developed over an 18-month period with support from the Australian Government and in consultation with farmers and product providers.

“What we’ve learned is that farmers want a simple answer: do providers meet the standard or not? That means to get certified under the code is a high threshold, with providers having to meet 100% of the requirements.

“Those that don’t meet the standard will be offered an assessment report, made public on the NFF website, so farmers can dig into the detail for themselves.”

“If you’re a business that holds farmers’ data, now’s the time to get in touch.”

“Farmers should start looking for the certification tick and asking their providers whether they’re certified against the Code. As a voluntary scheme, it’s that market pressure that will ultimately lift standards and keep everyone accountable.”

For more information go to https://nff.org.au/programs/australian-farm-data-code/