Water allocation
The NSW Farmers’ Association has raised strong concerns that water has been placed into a different portfolio than agriculture in the new NSW Government super agencies announced by the NSW Premier. Under the reshuffle, the water component of the Department of Water and Energy will fall under the new Environment, Climate Change and Water Department, while the Department of Primary Industries will fall under the new Investment and Infrastructure Department. NSW Farmers’ Association President Jock Laurie says the decision by the NSW Government to split water from agriculture is of serious concern and needs to be reconsidered urgently. With 70 per cent of the water used in NSW for agriculture and industry, the NSW Farmers Association feel it belongs in the same Department as agriculture.
Bookham rewards wool
producers
The Bookham Agricultural Bureau hosted its annual dinner recently with almost 100 guests in attendance. Guest speaker was respected educator Jim Pratley from Charles Sturt University, who spoke on the past, present and future of agriculture in Australia. During the evening several awards were presented, with Mrs Caroline Spittle winning both the major flock awards and Jason McGrath winning the Weir Encouragement Award. The Senior Achievement Award went to Malcolm Peake for his contribution to the wool
industry and Ben Gruber won the Junior Achievement Award. The Bookham Agricultural Bureau is a
strong and energetic organisation that provides excellent support for the district’s farming community.
Rural journalist honoured
Neil Inall, one of the best known voices and faces in rural journalism, was awarded a medal of the Order of Australia for his contribution to both rural journalism and the farming sector. Mr Inall began working as a rural reporter for ABC radio in 1962 in Orange, before becoming the face on well watched television programs Landline, Horizon, Outlook and Countrywide. Now retired, he feels rural journalism has changed from its initial, firm focus on the science of farming and rural policy in search of a wider audience from outside the farming community. Mr Inall still believes the big challenge is still finding a way to get the stories of regional Australia told in the capital cities.
NSW Ploughing Championships
The Australian National Field Days site near Orange, hosted the NSW Ploughing Championships with eight competitors vying for the prize. Dubbo’s Peter Anderson was declared the winner after two days of competition that was a true test of skill. Mr Anderson will now compete in the Australian Championships in Tasmania to earn the right to compete in the 2010 World Titles in New Zealand. Ploughing competitions in Australia date back to the 1890’s.
Vineyard forum
Riverina, Gundagai, Tumbarumba, Canberra, Hilltops, Cowra and Orange winegrape growers have been invited to invest in the future health of their vineyards by attending a free trunk disease workshop at the Young Services Club on Friday, July 10. Growers will be able to hear the latest research results from the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) and the University of California, Davis (UCD). The workshops will help growers identify and manage wood rot diseases, which have been identified as a major threat to the sustainability of the local wine industry. Eutypa dieback has caused annual losses up to US$260 million in California and UCD wood rot disease specialist, Jose Urbez-Torres, will be updating growers on the latest management strategies. Talks by NWGIC researcher, Dr Wayne Pitt and NSW DPI
horticulturist, Tony Somers will be followed by demonstrations of pruning and retraining
techniques to rejuvenate diseased vines at Moppity Vineyards. Growers can contact Sam Allen
0422 163 927 or sam.allan@landmark.com.au or sean.brindle@dpi.nsw.gov.au to register for the
workshop by July 3.
Wheat growers in Canberra
Wheat Growers will converge on Parliament House Canberra, at 11am on Tuesday June 23 to mark the anniversary of the removal of the National Pool Single Desk wheat export marketing system. Many members of the Wheat Growers Action Group, fierce opponents of the new system, will be in attendance.
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