NSW State Member for Murray Helen Dalton invited NSW Farmers delegates from her electorate, in Sydney for the NSW Farmers Annual Conference, to a breakfast with NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty.
Delegates were representing branches across southern NSW including Griffith, Deniliquin, Bunaloo, Berrigan and Coleambally.
Mrs Dalton recognised the importance of farmers being part of their state farming organisation.
“NSW Farmers is our farmers’ union, it’s had some name changes and undergone a few facelifts, but lobbying government through this organisation is a great way to make changes to agricultural policy,” she said.
The group spoke directly with the minister around water security, cost shifting from state to councils, the need for better communication and consultation with farmers in the renewable energy space and the importance of biosecurity to not only the agricultural industry but to the wider community.
Ms Moriarty said she was thankful to have a delegation from the regions bringing the issues that mattered to them, to her.
“I’ve been briefed on all these issues but conversations like this matter,” she said.
The group, while given a great opportunity to voice their concerns to the minister, reiterated that farming in the southern region is overall a good news story and there was a belief that the next generation of farmers will take agriculture to the next level thanks to technology and adaptation to new markets.