Published since 1986
OCTOBER, 2018
Farmer to Farmer
www.farmernews.com.au
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PAGE 19
Saved from drought North East and Goulburn farmers escape the worst Ű
BRUCE McCormack can still remember the day he shot 500 of his father-in-law’s sheep. The year was 1982, and the government provided bullets for free. Bullets, worth a few cents, were a better option than keeping stock alive. Bruce mustered the sheep into the yards on the Strathbogie farm, and systematically shot them, one by one. It is a memory that still haunts him. “I remember that day – not because of the conditions, of the dry or the heat, but because we were walking through a yard and shooting my father-in-law’s livelihood,” he said. “You turned around, and all you could see were dead sheep lying on the ground - and still hundreds more to go. “I’ll never forget it – it broke both our hearts.” Fast forward 35 years and Bruce is one of the few farmers in the North East sidestepping similar conditions. He and his family run a commercial Angus operation out of Merrijig – one that has been in his family for seven generations. Nestled into the base of the High Country, Bruce’s operation spans 700 acres – and most of it has been spared the devastating conditions crippling the rest of the country.
PLAN AHEAD NOW: Some farmers across the North East and Goulburn Murray Farmer region have been spared the crippling drought conditions effecting much of the country – and, if rains fall this month, may yet be able to bale quality hay. Dr Matt Mahoney, president of the Grasslands Society of Southern Australia, agronomy specialist and owner of Agridome Consultancy, recently spoke at the Valley Seeds Open Day – urging local producers to make the most of the season. Turn to page four to read the complete story.
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Continued page 3