The Editor
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Lack of consultation on new Koala SEPP a concern for farmers
NSW Farmers is concerned by a lack of consultation with landholders around new koala regulations and what they will mean for farmers. NSW Farmers’ President James Jackson said it was disappointing the agreement made with the Premier last year to protect koalas and farms had been torn up.
NSW Government delivers Koala SEPP 2021
“This is a win for regional NSW and balances the interests of farmers and the protection of koalas and their habitat,” Mr Barilaro said. “Land zoned for primary production or forestry in regional NSW will not be subject to the new SEPP, which means farmers will not be strangled by red tape."
Worker plan food for thought, no panacea
The NFF say today’s release of the much-anticipated National Agriculture Workforce Strategy comes as farmers seek immediate and longer-term answers to crippling worker shortages. NFF CEO Tony Mahar said the strategy unfortunately did not provide a silver bullet but outlined wide-ranging practical measures that if implemented, could increase agriculture's labour pool for the future.
Opportunity missed for our fruit and veg farmers
In yet another blow to the state’s intensifying harvest labour crisis, NSW has missed an opportunity to be part of a DFAT-run program that enables seasonal workers from Fiji and Vanuatu to work on local farms. National fruit and vegetable crop losses resulting from the workforce conundrum now exceed $50 million, and the outcomes of today’s National Cabinet meeting confirm NSW is lagging behind other states and territories in developing a short-term solution.
ALRTA has called on farmers to obtain class 3 livestock permit pre-approvals before transport is arranged
“In the past, land-owners needed vehicle registration details to apply for a pre-approved class 3 livestock permit. They usually don’t know vehicle registration details before engaging a carrier so it was always the carrier’s job to obtain the permit. It can take up to 28 days to obtain a permit that could only be used by one carrier on one job. We don’t have time to wait and it is pointless gathering dozens of single use permits,” Mr Beer said.
Extraordinary community response to emergency evacuation
Roper Gulf Regional Council would like to thank everyone who was involved in the emergency evacuation of the Jilkminggan community on Thursday 25 February 2021. The decision was made by the Local Emergency Committee to evacuate 211 people from Jilkminggan as flood waters continued to rise and surround the community.
Insect protein as animal feed creating global buzz
Insect protein is creating a global buzz, with demand for the fast-emerging ingredient in the animal feed and pet food sectors expected to reach half a million metric tonnes by 2030 – significantly up on today’s estimated market of 10,000 metric tonnes, according to agri banking specialist Rabobank.
Certainty flows from basin plan reform
NSW Farmers welcomes steps from Federal Water Minister Keith Pitt to end the Water Efficiency Program and the recovery of consumptive water from on-farm sources. The Federal Government committed to move away from on-farm water recovery in the Murray Darling Basin Plan (MDBP) in September 2020. Minister Pitt’s announcement to end the Water Efficiency Program formalises this commitment.
Water Minister Keith Pitt meets with Northern Victorian mayors
Hon Keith Pitt MP joined local member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster and Senator Hon Bridget McKenzie, in Mildura today to talk water with the Murray River Group of Councils. Mayors of the six member councils welcomed the opportunity to directly raise their concerns about the impacts of the Basin Plan on the region on behalf of northern Victorian communities.
NSW lifts ban on GM crops
Adam Marshall, Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Western NSW, Media Release, 5 March 2021
The NSW Government will lift the ban on the use...
