Agriculture

Preventing rural crime against farmers and rural industries is one of our priorities for Crime Stoppers and the NSW Police Force. Crime Stoppers has invested over $250,000 in a range of marketing material to assist farmers, by helping to encourage reporting but also to prevent crimes ... When a crime is reported, particularly promptly, there is not just a greater chance of catching the perpetrators, but it increases the chance of recovering the stolen goods for our farmers.

The Malinauskas Labor Government and Greens have joined forces to block pastoralists from making up 50 per cent of the Pastoral Board membership in a disgraceful move. The disappointing alliance gave Labor and the Greens power to vote down the crucial amendment to safeguard the Pastoral Lands Management and Conservation Act against hands-off land management.

Victorian and Tasmanian farmer peak bodies have produced a policy for developers who want to build infrastructure, such as transmission lines for renewable energy, across their farmland. They warned that since the year 2000, Australia’s available arable land had been reduced by 15 per cent, much of it lost to infrastructure development and urban sprawl. The policy has been released as Gippsland farmers face plans for pipelines and transmission lines across their land as part of the state government’s energy policy, which aims to link offshore wind farms to the Latrobe Valley energy network.

Harvesting of Tasmanian blue gums on Kangaroo Island can now resume after the State Government approved a new koala management plan submitted by timber company, AAG Investment Management (AAGIM). Regulations introduced by the Government following the release of footage showing koalas being killed and injured within the plantations mean timber companies on the island cannot fell blue gum plantations without an approved koala management plan.

Newmerella-based businesses Dahlsens Steel Truss and Frame and partners Built QA have received a $500,000 Forestry Transition Fund grant to expand their operations and directly employ up to 16 local native timber workers. The business has begun employing former sawmill workers, with the grant supporting new roles in steel truss and frame manufacturing, fabrication, labouring and administration.