SPECIAL REPORT: ANNUAL CONFRENCE

COMING TOGETHER FOR THE FUTURE OF AG

More than 300 farmers from across NSW will meet at Sydney’s Luna Park as delegates for the NSW Farmers Annual Conference on July 19-21.

– Words TONY BLACKIE

This year the Annual Conference has even greater significance and importance to our rural community than ever before.

For the past two years farmers and rural businesses from all corners of the state have experienced unprecedented issues due to bushfires, floods, a global pandemic, global supply chain issues and a war in Europe.

Over this time the Annual Conference had to be held virtually due to the COVID pandemic, so 2022 will bring farmer representatives together physically once again.

These issues will be discussed at length at the conference where around 100 motions on agricultural and rural affairs issues will be debated.

Some of the major topics for discussion will include biosecurity, land planning, the management of pests, weeds and water, livestock traceability and energy transition. It is expected, as always, that the discussion will be lively and with the input of experts in all fields.

INSIGHT FROM SPEAKERS

For 2022 the impressive line-up of speakers will provide great insights into government, corporate and industry issues.

NSW Farmers CEO Pete Arkle said it is exciting to be back at Luna Park in 2022 after a two-year COVID-induced hiatus. “The 2022 Annual Conference is the principal policysetting agenda for our members to advance agriculture and regional communities in NSW. It is really important to the DNA of NSW Farmers,” Pete said.

ALL MINDS ON DECK

Some of the major topics for discussion will include land planning, biosecurity, livestock traceability and competition policy. It is expected, as always, that the discussion will be lively and with the input of experts in all fields.

“We’ve had virtual events for the last two years, which did work, but it’s not the same as getting farmers, industry leaders, politicians and service providers all together in the one place.”

Pete said the 2022 Annual Conference features a number of keynote speakers, including NSW Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders, NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns, NSW RFS Commissioner Rob Rogers and National Farmers Federation President Fiona Simson and CEO Tony Maher.

“Debating and setting NSW Farmers advocacy priorities is the focus, but it’s also an opportunity for members to share farming stories and get insights from our business partners, sponsors and government bodies.”

HOT TOPICS FROM THE FRONTLINE

An issue which has been high on the agenda for many farmers has been the perception of escalating crime in rural areas. A recent survey showed that 81 per cent of farmers felt victimised by crime.

High cattle and sheep prices have made many farmers very nervous about the safety of their stock so NSW Police have been working to defeat the criminals through the specialised unit, The Rural Crime Prevention Team (RCPT). Representatives of the team will be attending the Conference and will be available to answer questions from delegates.

Other notable attendees will include representatives from Isuzu Trucks, a company which has been a supporter of NSW Farmers for some time. The company has operated since 1979, and has a long association with the many agricultural sectors of Australia.

Grant Walford, Isuzu Australia’s Fleet Sales Manager for NSW, said the company was proud of its heritage in supporting the farming and rural community from a product and service provision front, but also the many sponsorships and support initiatives it was involved in.

“Over the last half century, Isuzu products have taken a range of shapes and forms, many of which Australian farmers would be familiar with. Although, some of our guiding principles have never changed – reliability, range, and application specificity,” he said.

POLICY SETTINGGET TOGETHER

“The 2022 Annual Conference is the principal policy setting agenda for our members to advance agriculture and regional communities in NSW," Pete Arkle (pictured here at the 2019 conference) said.

“Isuzu has a long history of learning from experience and utilising feedback. Australia’s agricultural sectors are a diverse range of communities that Isuzu has sought a genuine working relationship with. By way of the brand’s expansive dealer footprint, we have confidence in our product, local knowledge and also in our thought leadership when it comes to application-specific road transport solutions.

“We’ve always said that our people are our greatest asset at Isuzu, and when it comes to rural and regional Australia, it’s these relationships that matter most. We know our market, we know our customers and perhaps most importantly, we have an expert level of knowledge when it comes to building and developing regional businesses and their transport needs.”

Mr Walford said in addition to the truck and vehicle operations, Isuzu’s Power Solutions arm was also assisting farmers in diverse areas such as the design of irrigation systems for a cool climate vineyard in Victoria’s King Valley, to assembling and installing marine engines for barges in Far North Queensland.

INVESTING IN REGIONAL AUSTRALIA

Another long-time supporter of the rural and farming community is the Regional Investment Corporation (RIC) which has been providing concessional loans for approved projects with the aim of building a stronger regional Australia.

RIC loans provide federal government-backed concessional finance for farmers, farm-related small businesses and plantation businesses. The RIC loans are available nationally and aim to help businesses improve productivity, profitability, and ongoing financial resilience.

DEBATE & ADVOCACY

NSW Farmers CEO Pete Arkle with President James Jackson at the 2019 Annual Conference.

The RIC management and staff said they were pleased to partner with the NSW Farmers Annual Conference and are looking forward to continuing to provide concessional loan support available to farm and farm-related small businesses in financial need.

WFI has been supporting NSW Farmers with the WFI Rural Plan – a specialised rural and regional oriented insurance package.

The insurer has been around for more than 100 years and has built a network of more than 80 area managers across Australia with more than 30 per cent of them located in NSW.

Farmers are able to deal directly with an Area Manager who is always resident in the area. For members of NSW Farmers, WFI offers a rebate off their membership fee.

A spokesperson said WFI was proud to partner with NSW Farmers.

“We share the same values and understand the importance of protecting you against loss with flexible insurance options. WFI recognises that every farm is different, and that there is no one size fits all when it comes to rural insurance.”

Among the exhibiters expected to join the conference Expo Hall is leading Australian real estate funds manager, EG who help grow the wealth of their private investors through commercial property syndication opportunities. Targeting cash returns of 6.5 per cent p.a. and consistently delivering above-average returns and capital growth, EG takes a personalised and aligned approach to every opportunity.

DEBATE & ADVOCACY

Debating and setting NSW Farmers advocacy priorities is the focus, but it’s also an opportunity for members to share farming stories and get insights from our business partners, sponsors and government bodies

“We are excited to share our bespoke offerings with members of the NSW Farmers Association who are looking for a savvy property investments with manager who truly cares about their success,” said EG’s Head of Private Wealth, Rodney Walt. “We’re a data driven team, offering hands-on, bespoke property opportunities, combined with a personalised service at every stage. Our investor community take great comfort in knowing we are only a phone call away.”

EG uses its data-driven approach to uncover new opportunities and enhance returns with proprietary risk-management software. EG has been around for more than 20 years, deploying over $5.1 billion in capital and delivering strong yields and capital growth in the medium to long term.

BOOTS ON THE GROUND SUPPORT

Local Land Services is the premier NSW government organisation for delivering farm production, biosecurity and natural resource management extension, advisory and capacity building services.

Its network of expert staff, specialising in everything from veterinary advice to native vegetation management, stretches right across regional NSW giving farmers a familiar face they can rely on for expert, on-ground and tailored advice and services.

LLS Board Chair, Allison Harker.

Local Land Services Chair, Allison Harker, said it is the agency’s ‘boots on the ground’ approach and strong connections with local farmers across the state that allows staff to provide the best support possible.

“While it is always important to focus on the big picture when it comes to developing our agriculture sector, you cannot overlook the importance of practice change at the farm level,” Allison says.

“At Local Land Services, we support and work with landholders to make these farm level changes, which ultimately drive increased productivity, sustainability and improved biosecurity practices across the entire industry.”

“Local Land Services wants to work collaboratively with industry and landholders to see what services are most needed and where we can best support farmers, which is why the NSW Farmers Conference is a great opportunity to kickstart these discussions and hear directly from both producers and industry.”

STRONG CONNECTIONS

Experienced staff have knowledge about the land, conditions and communities they work in.

With Local Land Services joining us once again at the NSW Farmers Conference, we will be incredibly well placed to delve into the exciting opportunities available for farmers, as well as the big issues impacting our state’s agriculture sector.

The organisation is currently investing considerable resources into supporting the implementation of sustainable ag production, driving the sustainable development of the farm forestry sector after implementing new codes of practice, and with its team of veterinarians and biosecurity officers, it plays a key role in the early detection of animal and plant diseases.