NORTH EAST AND GOULBURN MURRAY
Part of the Farmer Group Rural Newspapers Covering Victoria Published since 1984
MAY, 2017
Farmers with firearms targeted again PAGE 9
37 Rowan Street, Wangaratta 3677
The sheep that built Australia
Pasture and Fertiliser
PAGES 12-13
PAGE 18
Cultivating the next generation of farmers Sam Marwood, Tim Hicks and Tegan Hicks hope to IXO¿ O WKH GUHDPV RI DVSLULQJ farmers around Australia
A BRAVE NEW WORLD: Cultivate Farms co-founders Tegan and Tim Hicks with their children (from left) Rosie, George, Thea and Belle. PHOTO: Capture by Karen
THE Wangaratta branch of the Victorian Farmers Federation recently amalgamated with the Moyhu branch. Wangaratta and District VFF president Greg Mirabella said the reason behind the merger is indicative of the problems agriculture is facing across the country. “The VFF has the same problem that a lot of volunteer organisations like the CFA and CWA have,” he said. “Younger people just aren’t joining and the membership is aging.” Last month, the new-look Wangaratta branch hosted Sam Marwood from Cultivate Farms, who specialises in this very problem – helping young
BY JARRAH LOH
jloh@ nemedia.com.au
people buy their first farm and joining them to the agricultural community. Mr Mirabella said Cultivate Farms are attempting to address the gaping problem of the aging farming community. “A lot of older people on farms haven’t got kids to pass the farm onto anymore,” said Mr Mirabella. “And Cultivate Farms are trying to get communities together to put young people on farms in a different way.” Continued page 3