The Gymnasium program is a leadership program for young farmers involved in advocacy and brings together young farmers from all over the world.

The World Food Forum was a great experience as it gave me an opportunity to represent Australian agriculture on a global scale. We were able to share issues and solutions while working on policy to develop outcomes for all.

It was a chance for us to discuss and learn from the challenges faced by other young farmers.
A great example was a grain producer called Noel Banville, from Ireland. Both of us are heavily involved in our respective grains industries and discussions with him painted a stark picture of our future if overbearing regulation takes hold.

Noel said there was growing herbicide resistance in Ireland due to the limited amount of chemistry Irish farmers were allowed to use to manage their crops.

In addition to this there was fertiliser caps, including on the amount of nitrogen that could be applied to a field, limiting the potential yield. Both policies would be devastating to the productivity, profitability and sustainability of Australian farming if they were to be implemented here.

We are already seeing influences of European policy on Australian production through programs like the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification.

Given these forums are where policy is discussed and developed, it is important farmers are present to share their perspectives and experiences.

This includes to explain why we produce food the way we do and how we manage our land in a way that is productive, profitable and sustainable. This includes aspects such as how we manage our paddocks to convert moisture into produce.

In grazing scenarios this means managing stocking densities and paddock rotation, while in cropping we need access to a broad range of chemistry to effectively manage weeds and maintain our stubble cover.

Without being present at these events, we can’t explain and demonstrate why we produce food the way that we do and how enforcing European Union-style restrictions would actually increase the risk to the landscape.

If growers aren’t allowed a range of appropriate tools for weed control, there may be an increase in ploughing.

This would not only exacerbate moisture loss and reduce yield potential, but would also expose the soil to more erosion, further degrading our soils. The same applies to fertiliser restrictions. If we do not apply enough fertiliser to replace the nutrients we are exporting with produce, then we are mining our soils of nutrients and degrading them.

These are the stories I shared during my time at the World Food Forum. I had the opportunity to share them through being involved with NSW Farmers, National Farmers Federation and the WFO. If we want to protect our industry, then as growers we need to be involved.

The post Why young farmers need to get involved appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

Plenty of this promising young talent was on display at the 2024 Young Judges Championships hosted by Agricultural Shows Australia (ASA) at the Melbourne Royal Show this spring, with three competitors from NSW taking out titles in the beef cattle, grain and meat sheep judging.

Quipolly’s Mitchell Taylor took out the honor of champion young beef judge at this year’s show following several wins at state-level judging competitions.  

Already operating his own poll hereford and shorthorn stud at just 18 years of age, ASA Executive Officer Katie Stanley said Mitchell’s commitment to the beef industry had made him a standout among judges in this year’s competition. 

Mitchell’s sister Emily also secured success in the 2024 Young Judges Championships, taking out the title of Champion Young Grains Judges at the show this year.  

Currently a second-year Bachelor of Rural Science student at the University of New England, 20-year-old Emily operates her own stud, Eclipse Poll Herefords, as well as serving as the chief beef cattle steward at the Quirindi Show.  

The Taylor family’s success at the championships was joined by that of Cobbitty’s Christine Sutton, who was sashed winner of the Meat Breed Sheep Young Judge Competition at the Melbourne Royal Show.  

At just 15 years of age, Christine was the youngest competitor in her category and takes the crown in her very first year of competing in the Young Judges Championships.  

NSW also saw a strong performance from its team in the Australian Young Farmer Challenge National Finals held alongside the Championships at the Melbourne Royal this year.  

Drawing in 20 competitors across five states, the relay-style event included a short quiz on agriculture-related topics as well as a practical challenge where participants navigated a course and completed a series of simulated on-farm tasks, such as weather patterning.  

This year, NSW’s team consisted of 24-year old Wingello farm manager, Chloe Sawell; 27-year-old Goulburn farmer, Cooper Mooney; 25-year-old businesswoman and Goulburn Young Woman of the Year 2023, Katie Beresford; and 25-year-old Merino wool grower and Elders Sales Support Officer, Claire Liversidge.  

While team Western Australia took the crown in this year’s Young Farmer Challenge, there’s no doubt Chloe, Cooper, Katie and Claire did NSW proud. 

Amid an incredibly impressive lineup of finalists and champions, NSW’s next generation has continued to shine on the national stage, and we can’t wait to see what they achieve at next year’s agricultural shows. Our industry is certainly in safe hands.  

The post Young guns winning the game appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

The event, a collaboration with local conservation initiatives and agriculture organisations, focused on
building community resilience in the face of challenges like drought.

Agriculture Teacher Brett Woods and Primary Industries Teacher Chris Wilson from Crookwell High School
along with Clare McCabe of K2W Link Inc, Eaton Gorge Theatre Company (EGTC), Upper Lachlan Landcare (ULL), NSW Farmers Poultry Meat Manager David Banham, and Kristen Frost, Industry Relations Officer at Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) all came together to help young people learn about agriculture and environmental science.

Mr Wilson emphasised the importance of providing students with information about drought resilience and encouraging them to pursue diverse opportunities within the agricultural sector.

“This event brought together students and industry experts to discuss topics to help students to consider a career in agriculture, understanding of land management and the challenges presented by our changing climate,” Mr Wilson said.

Clare McCabe of K2W Link, along with directors Juliet Scrine and Ian McColm from EGTC,
held an improvisation workshop to engage students in learning about resilient communities.

The Theatre Company’s role was to provide a creative platform for students to express their
understanding of resilience in the face of challenges like drought.

The workshop titled “Thrive Through Drought”, aimed to prepare them for the challenges of
drought and help them understand the economic pressure faced by the community and their
direct families or friends’ families to help them build resilience and be prepared for difficult
circumstances and conversations that will inevitably occur.

Thrive through drought

With Australia’s variable climate bringing drought and flood to rural communities, it was important to prepare the students for future challenges.

The school’s Agriculture Day marked the beginning of the K2W Thrive Through Drought initiative, a
partnership supported by the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal and funded by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund. Future events were planned to help the local community be better prepared for future droughts.

AWI and NSW Farmers aimed to help young people successfully transition from school into
further education and employment in agriculture-related industries. They presented students
with information about collaboration between industry and NSW Farmers and promoted
agribusiness career opportunities.

The Paddock to Plate lunch was sponsored by ULL, where the students used produce from
their school farm for the plate.

“It was a chance for the students to use what they produce at the farm. They were extremely
proud to produce a delicious lunch from the produce they have grown themselves,” Mr
Woods said.

A screening of Rachel’s Farm also supported by ULL provided information about sustainable
farming practices.

The post Teachers bring farm to school appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

Australia’s farming history goes back to the First Fleet and the fledgling colony of NSW, when growing food was a matter of survival for British soldiers, sailors and convicts in a strange, new land.

While the first farm at what is now Sydney’s Botanic Gardens produced mixed results, James Ruse’s Rose Hill farm proved Australia could produce crops and John Macarthur’s small flock of merinos would lay the foundation for future colonial prosperity.

This rich history of Australian agriculture, of grit and determination in the face of an unforgiving land, is not just the stuff of history books but a living part of modern Australia. Here we celebrate the long history of just three iconic names.

AACo

Established 200 years ago via a Crown Grant of 1 million acres at Port Stephens, just north of Newcastle, the Australian Agricultural Company is the grandfather not only of farming businesses, but all Australian businesses.

When Port Stephens proved challenging for sheep in 1833, the company was granted land parcels on the Liverpool Plains, including the Warrah Estate of 249,600 acres west of Murrurundi and the Goonoo Goonoo Estate of 313,298 acres along the left bank of the Peel River, to the south of present-day Tamworth.

Over the years it had a role in mining and the development of several communities that still exist today, but by the 1890s large-scale pastoralism in eastern NSW was coming to an end and, following government resumption of the Goonoo Goonoo and Warrah Estates in 1909 and 1910, AACo turned its attention to the northern states and cattle farming.

Today, AACo is Australia’s largest cattle producer holding roughly 6.5 million hectares – roughly 16 million acres – of land in Queensland and the Northern Territory, running an integrated cattle production system across 19 owned cattle stations, three leased stations, two owned feedlots, two owned farms and one leased farm. It exports premium branded beef around the world with tailored route-to-market models for each country.

The company takes great pride in “our Australian hard-working attitude combined with years of experience cultivating cattle on our pristine pastoral assets”, and claims to “capture the magic of Australia and craft this into remarkable dining experiences for people around the world to enjoy.”

Elders

For 185 years Elders has played a key role in rural and regional communities by servicing farmers and their families.

In 1839, Alexander Elder set sail for South Australia from the Port of Kirkcaldy in Scotland, bringing with him barrels of tar, roofing slates, seeds and agricultural tools, founding Elder and Company. In 1854, Alexander’s younger brother Thomas formed Elder, Stirling & Co – later Elder Smith and Co – in Adelaide, operating shipping and wool broking services.

By 1881, the company had a network of agents across 64 towns, and was shearing 1.5 million sheep across its properties.

Over the following century the business continued to evolve and expand, but the most remarkable transformations would come when it merged with jam maker Henry Jones IXL in 1982, followed by a takeover of Carlton & United Breweries – which was renamed Elders Brewing Group.

But the economic downturn at the end of the 80s saw Elders refocus on its agricultural roots, and it returned to a pure play agribusiness in 2013.

Today, Elders is a significant supplier of farm inputs including seeds, fertiliser, chemicals and animal health products; its network of agronomists supports farmers in the paddock, while its agents help sell food and fibre grown in the paddock. Its real estate and financial services round out its ‘one stop shop’ approach.

Olsson Industries

A relative newcomer compared to AACo and Elders, Olsson Industries is ‘only’ 70 years old.

Australia’s oldest family-run producer of salt products for livestock, Olsson Industries began in Parramatta in 1948, when Norman Olsson saw an opportunity to support graziers during drought. Norman realised his ice block business was becoming obsolete with the advent of refrigeration, and invested in a block press to address the nutritional needs of livestock during the drought impacting his neighbours.

Over the decades Olsson’s was a true family affair, according to grandchildren Alex and Murray, with the children “brought to the factory from a very young age during school holidays, making boxes and packing salt … involved in every facet of the business, from formulations, fixing machinery to sales and stacking pallets.”

“What started as simple nutritional supplements evolved into medicated blocks, and now includes advanced supplementation to improve livestock productivity. We’ve come to understand the crucial role of micro-organisms and the impact of bypass proteins in the rumen. Our feed blocks and licks are a direct response to this understanding, ensuring optimal nutrition and therefore performance for livestock,” Alex Olsson said.

From its early days in NSW and South Australia – where it bought its first saltworks – Olsson Industries has helped open up northern Australia to productive grazing operations.

“We’ve developed high-concentrated free-choice supplements for northern Australia, addressing deficiencies in protein, sulfur, and phosphorus,” Murray Olsson said. “Our feed advancements have also reduced the impact of toxic native plants like poisonous gidgee and lantana, allowing livestock to process the feed and reducing mortality rates.”

Feeding the future

As Australia has grown and developed, so too have our agricultural businesses such as AACo, Elders and Olsson Industries. Building reputation through personal relationships with individual farmers and rural communities, these companies have made their mark on our landscape and quite literally have helped grow our nation, and in so doing have fed generations of Australians.

While they may not be quite as recognisable in the cities as RM Williams or Akubra, true country people can picture the Elders logo or a humble lick block. They are still a testament to the value of the agricultural industry, and we wish them all the best as they continue to support our farmers.

• Read more: Three clever Aussie inventions that shaped the agricultural industry
• Read more: NSW Farmers throughout the decades

Sources

• State Library of NSW
• Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
• National Geographic
• The Dictionary of Australasian Biography
• Australian Dictionary of Biography
• AACo
• Elders
• Olsson Industries

The post Australia’s farming history appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

Set on over 200 acres, the co-educational day and boarding college offers specialist programs in Agriculture, Music, Visual Arts and Performing Arts, with Senior School Campus facilities including a farm, a strength and conditioning gym, multiple sports facilities and all boarding facilities for boys and girls from Year 7 to Year 12.

‘It is wonderful to see boarding and day students alike making the most of the range of recreation and co-curricular facilities we have on campus,’ says Head of College, Mr Richard Ford.

‘Of particular interest to many is the new strength and conditioning gym, the Equestrian Centre and the farm, with strong student engagement in the College Equestrian Team and Cattle Team programs.’

Well-appointed boarding accommodation is comprised of three separate houses, two for girls, one for boys, with a new dedicated Year 7 to Year 9 boys boarding house due to open in late 2024. 

‘All Senior School living and learning facilities are located on one campus which allows our boarding students to walk to class and easily access after-school tutorial and homework programs, special interest clubs, and sport and co-curricular activities,’ says Mr Ford.

‘In addition, we have a dedicated ‘boarders bus’ which is very popular, transporting boarders to a wide variety out-of-school activities including sport, dance, music, shopping and entertainment outings.’

Extension co-curricular programs in Equestrian, Cattle Teams, Visual Arts and Performing Arts are matched with dedicated teachers and professionals who encourage students to explore new challenges.  Students have the opportunity to bring their own horse to school with weekly lessons and regular training provided by professionals in show jumping and flat work, cross country and polocrosse.

Discover a well-rounded, positive boarding and education experience for your family, one that celebrates the advantages of regional living and learning opportunities, and supports young people to grow with confidence.

To book a personal tour of Scots All Saints College visit scotsallsaints.nsw.edu.au

Or contact our Enrolments Registrar:

E: enrol@scotsallsaints.nsw.edu.au

T: 6331 3911

The post Celebrating regional education at Scots All Saints appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

I was introduced to farming through my family. My parents were veggie farmers out in Singleton, and from a young age, I took part in farm life.

What do you love about farming and agriculture?

The thing I love most about farming is probably the independence. There’s a sense of satisfaction that comes from being your own boss. 

Can you tell me a bit about your farm and what you produce?

We have 600 acres in Wimborne near Tamworth and we grow broiler chickens for Baiada. We have around 210,000 chickens currently, housed in five tunnel sheds with about 40,000 chickens per shed. We also run some cattle, to diversify our operation.

What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in farming in the last 10 years?

Over the past decade, one of the most significant changes has been the rising costs of inputs, particularly in areas like fuel and insurance premiums. This has created a tough environment where our returns are not keeping up with the rising cost of doing business. 

What are some innovations you’ve made on your farm?

To be more energy efficient, we put solar panels in to help reduce our carbon footprint. It’s a good way to use renewable energy and ensure the long-term viability of our operation.

Who is your biggest inspiration in agriculture and why?

My biggest inspirations in agriculture are my parents. They taught me how to manage things, the value of hard work, and gave me my start.

What do you do when you’re not farming?

I take some time to relax, whether it’s going to the beach, or going for a drive.

Why are you a NSW Farmers member?

I’ve been a proud member of NSW Farmers for 20 years because they advocate for our industry’s interests and issues. It’s good to have an organisation to lobby for farmer’s concerns.

What is your favourite section of The Farmer magazine?

My favourite section of The Farmer magazine is ‘Meet a Member’. I like hearing the stories of fellow farmers and learning about innovations in the industry.

To read an interview with another NSW Farmers member, click here.

The post Meet a member: Charlie Azzopardi from Tamworth appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

Lauded as Australia’s first successful settled farmer, James Ruse worked hard to turn his life around after arriving at Port Jackson with the First Fleet on the convict ship Scarborough.

Indeed, according to various historical accounts and biographies, Ruse notched up a long list of firsts along the way.

Ruse was reputedly the first prisoner ashore, piggybacking an officer to the beach to keep his boots dry. He later became Australia’s first settled farmer, the first ex-convict to be granted land at Parramatta and the first settler to become self-sufficient.

A farm labourer and married father of two, James Ruse was 23 when he was convicted of burglary in the Cornwall Assizes – the equivalent of the NSW Supreme Court – and sentenced to death by hanging. This was commuted to seven years and he was originally to be transported to Africa.

After spending more than four years in the prison ship Dunkirk moored at Plymouth, Ruse was transferred to the Scarborough which left England with the rest of the First Fleet in 1787.

Trials, tribulations and triumph

Journals kept by British marine commander Captain Watkin Tench record the difficulties encountered by the early settlers, including the failure of vegetable and grain crops because of drought, a lack of suitable tools, and the absence of livestock manure to improve the barren soils near Sydney.

The Government Farm worked by convicts was abandoned and over the next two years rations of flour, salted pork, butter and dried peas brought out on the ships dwindled as the colony waited for more supplies to arrive.

After Ruse completed his sentence, Governor Arthur Phillip awarded him land at Rosehill in December 1789, which he cleared with the aid of convicts. He was also given seed, tools, six hens and two pigs.

Almost a year later, Tench was part of a survey of Rosehill and the Parramatta River when he visited Ruse and recorded his story.

Ruse described burning the fallen timber, digging in the ashes and hoeing it up, before clod moulding it and digging in the grass and weeds.

“This I think is almost equal to ploughing,” Ruse told him.

“I then let it lie as long as I could, exposed to air and sun; and just before I sowed my seed, turned it all up afresh. When I shall have reaped my crop, I propose to hoe it again, and harrow it fine, and then sow it with turnip-seed, which will mellow and prepare it for next year.”

By then Ruse had married Elizabeth Parry, the first female convict to be emancipated, describing her to Tench as “industrious”.

Their crops included 1.5 acres of bearded wheat – sown at 3 bushels of seed (27.2kg), he expected to reap 12 to 13 bushels (326-354kg) – as well as 0.5 acres of maize and a small kitchen garden.

Ruse planned to bury the crop straw in pits to make compost, but warned that even with the “middling, neither good or bad” soil on the farm, it would fail without cattle to produce manure for enriching the soil.

The first crops yielded only enough grain to provide seed but Ruse had proven it was possible to become self-sufficient and he was rewarded with a grant of 30 acres, known as Experiment Farm, on the lands of the Burramatta Dharug people.

Tench visited Experiment Farm in December 1991, reporting that Ruse lived in “a comfortable brick house, built for him by the governor”. He had 11.5 acres under cultivation which would be sown to maize because it yielded better than wheat, four breeding sows and 30 chickens.

But after a catastrophic harvest two years later, Ruse sold the farm to a neighbour, Surgeon John Harris, and obtained a new grant of 30 acres on the Hawkesbury River flats. 

The family prospered on the fertile land at the junction of South Creek, sometimes known as Ruse’s Creek, and the Hawkesbury – now Pitt Town Bottoms – until repeated floods drove them into debt.

Ruse went to sea, working on whalers and cargo ships, while his wife Elizabeth held down the fort at home.

In 1806 she was listed in the Muster – the 19th Century equivalent of a census – as a landholder with 15 acres, three workers, seven pigs and supporting four children.

For many years historians thought the Ruses, who had five children of their own, had adopted two more, Ann and William.

But descendants used DNA testing to prove in 2019 that Ann and William were the offspring of Elizabeth and James Kiss, a friend of James Ruse. 

After further flooding, Ruse surrendered the land on the Hawkesbury and successfully requested a grant of 100 acres at Salt Pan Creek in the Bankstown area.

By 1813 he owned a house at Windsor and in partnership with Elizabeth later bought a half share in a farm on the Hawkesbury, before taking up grants of 100 acres each at Bankstown and Riverstone. 

The final grant in 1821 was at lower Minto – now Macquarie Fields – where the couple remained until their deaths: Elizabeth in 1836 and James 18 months later after carving the epitaph for his headstone.

Using a hand chisel he inscribed the words:

Gloria in axcelsis

Sacred

To the memerey of James Ruse who departed this life Sept 5th in the year of houre Lord 1837 Natef of Cornwell and arived in this coleney by the forst fleet aged 77

My Mother reread me tenderely with me she took much paines and when I arived in this coelney I sowd the forst gran and now with my hevenly father I hope for ever to remain.

Ruse was buried beside Elizabeth in St John’s Catholic Cemetery, at Campbelltown.

After vandals caused damage at the cemetery in 1994 his headstone was taken for safe keeping to the council-owned Glenalvon House, home of the Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society, and a replica erected in its place.

It wasn’t until a century after Ruse’s first successful harvest that the Department of Agriculture was founded, with experimental farms established in 1892. The first wheat research started in 1893 with trials of 200 varieties planted at Wagga Wagga.

In the following years, Ruse’s exploits were idealised in the jolly language of the time for
the benefit of school children learning about Australian history.

Remembering Ruse

Alison Hay wrote in The School Magazine in August 1947 that Ruse had been sent to Australia as a convict after doing “some little foolish thing”. 

“For this young, brave farmer, the first months on his little farm were the hardest,” she wrote.

“Kangaroos and wallabies ate the young green wheat, thieves stole his cabbages by night… He was tired, often very short of food, and very lonely, but he never gave up.”

And in an article in Walkabout magazine in 1964, Clifford Tolchard wrote that Ruse was probably mistaken in thinking he had sown the first grain as he had claimed on his headstone.

“But in his humbler sphere Ruse left his mark on Australian history as surely as did the more exalted figures of the civil and military leaders,” Tolchard argued.

“It is fitting that the James Ruse Agricultural High School at Carlingford should be named after the man who was, after all, the first true farmer in Australia.”

Concluding James Ruse’s entry in Volume 2 of the Australian Dictionary of Biography published in 1967, BH Fletcher wrote Ruse was “one whose importance in New South Wales history has been unduly exaggerated and romanticized. Although his early achievements were noteworthy, he soon faded into the background and led an existence that scarcely distinguished him from many of his associates.”

Fletcher might have been obliquely referring, among others, to Lieutenant John Macarthur, who established Elizabeth Farm on 100 acres granted at Parramatta in 1793 and is widely regarded as the founder of Australia’s wool industry.

Nonetheless, Ruse’s persistence, despite countless setbacks from drought, bushfires, floods, thieves and pests, demonstrated it was possible for settlers to successfully farm the land.

The original little Aussie battler pioneered cropping in NSW and set an example for generations to come.

His name was not only given to James Ruse Agricultural High School, which was established in 1959, but also the suburb of Ruse in 1968 and the Parramatta bypass, James Ruse Drive, in 1981.

Sources: Australian Dictionary of Biography, First Fleet Fellowship, Gutenberg, Launceston Then, James Ruse Agricultural High School, National Library of Australia (Trove), State Library of NSW, The Stony Ground: The Remembered Life of Convict James Ruse (2018) Michael Crowley, People Australia, James Ruse: The Humble Adventurer, Walkabout (1964) Clifford Tolchard

To read about the Tenterfield Saddler, an iconic Aussie landmark, click here.

The post The agricultural legacy of James Ruse appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

During her younger years in corporate agriculture, Shanna Whan, founder, CEO and advocate of Sober in the Country, says she had a “bit of a reputation for being wild”. 

She recalls that she was always the one most likely to get into strife or push the boundaries. 

“I was the loud one, the last one up at sunrise during agricultural work drinks or conferences – the bad influence,” she says.

Shanna describes herself as a child of resilience, often reflecting on her family heritage and the parallels she shared with her beloved late father, Bucky Rowlands.

“He was a widely recognised leader in Australian agriculture after rebuilding his own life from ground zero,” she says. “He left war-torn Zimbabwe to start over in Australia in the early 1970s with $200, a young family, and no idea what was coming next.”

The tides of change

Shanna certainly never imagined that 20 years down the track, she’d almost lose her life to alcohol addiction and subsequently recover, against all the odds.

She was named Australian of the Year – Local Hero 2022 and was chosen as one of 10 Aussies to represent rural Australia on the international stage for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. More recently, Shanna was invited to be one of the key voices at a National Farmers Federation forum on mental health.

“I have spent time recently reflecting on how sincerely thankful I was to be included in that forum because to me it’s clear that if we ever want to be taken seriously as a nation that’s leading the way in sustainable agriculture, we must first recognise the importance of focusing on sustainable people in agriculture,” she says.

“Honestly, we aren’t doing a terrific job, because we all still struggle to look one of our biggest physical and mental health challenges in the eye – and that’s the harm alcohol causes.”

Shanna says that’s why she does what she does, and why she has spent a decade formulating a language and discussion that resonates with what she describes as the hardest-to-reach audience of all.

“I’ve now travelled Australia upon invitation for the better part of a decade to speak about the work of Sober in the Country and our widely recognised user-friendly message that it’s #OK2SAYNO (to booze),” she says.

“Each and every audience gets asked the same question: is there anybody here who has never been impacted directly or indirectly by alcohol harm? Only two hands have ever gone up.

“I get it. It’s hard and uncomfortable at first, and I can tell you for a fact that you don’t just stroll into a crowd of tough rural farming people and raise the issue of alcohol use or, indeed, addiction without some very, very carefully laid plans, a tonne of humour, and a crystal-clear message that you’re not there to judge or preach.” 

Shanna says SITC is taking the focus off the problem and instead focusing on the solution of simply being better mates and ensuring everyone collectively supports those choosing less alcohol, or none at all.

“Neither myself as a person, nor SITC as a charity, approach anything with an evangelical or prohibitionist lens,” she says.

“It doesn’t work, and it never will. I know that better than anyone. But when we start an upbeat, user-friendly chat about a hard topic, half the battle is done, and then we can get to work behind the scenes supporting those who suddenly feel less ashamed to acknowledge they’re not doing so great.”

Shifting the narrative

Shanna says many of the big-ticket items, including mental health, suicide, depression and even OH&S, are linked to alcohol.

“This is why at the NFF mental health forum, my message to the other leaders in the mental health arena was to ask others to stop turning a blind eye to the elephant in the room and to get in the trenches with us and help out,” she says.

“I put out the same call I’ve been putting out for years now – to ask that other organisations and individuals take the focus for our community events, sports and race days, fundraisers and workshops, off alcohol, and put it back on the community.”

Shanna says that when organisers ensure a range of tasty, healthy and thoughtful alternatives are on offer, rather than assuming everyone wants to drink, is a really great conversation to develop.

She adds that non-drinkers, and even those who love a social drink or two, are desperate to see something other than a bottle of water, a token can of sugary soft drink or a lukewarm urn in the corner of a room.

“When the entire community, not just the drinkers, are truly included, lives are impacted and changed,” she says.

Shanna has heard many firsthand stories from isolated men in particular, who are battling complex mental health scenarios, and who feel excluded because anything and everything to do with social interactions in a rural or farming community is so often focused on alcohol that they simply can’t take part.

“These are vulnerable people who absolutely have to stay alcohol-free to stay afloat,” she says.

But the good news, according to Shanna, is that change is happening. She has seen this change at many of the ag and farming communities she’s travelled to.

“The pubs and clubs now have at least one zero-alcohol beer on tap, or the footy club is now including ticket prices for drinkers and those opting out,” she says.

“They’re receiving incredibly positive feedback from non-drinkers and drinkers alike who simply love seeing and having a choice.”

When asked about being the ‘wild one’ all those years ago, Shanna says she realises she was never actually wild – she was wounded, and used alcohol as a form of self-medication and a smoke screen to hide behind.

“The more I speak candidly about that experience, the more rural Australians are opening up to share that they, too, were never really drinking for fun as much as they were drinking to ease pain or deal with loneliness, suffering, or fatigue,” she says.

Sober in the Country operates via advocacy and awareness and also has an online peer support network called the Bush Tribe, where more than 2,000 rural and remote Australians have found help, a home, and a safe place to work towards better health.

Shanna says the lives being saved and changed daily through that simple, supportive connection is mind-blowing. “It is the greatest thing I have ever been privileged to be a part of.”

What is Sober in the Country?

Sober in the Country is a grassroots not-for-profit pioneering radical change and social impact across rural Australia by shifting the narrative around booze in the bush. Far from being prohibitionist, the charity is all about social inclusion. 

Sober in the Country uses a trademark mix of straight “bush talk”, powerful lived-experience advocacy, and their nationally recognised #OK2SAYNO (to booze) mental health movement. 

For more information, visit soberinthecountry.org

The post Sober in the Country is changing the narrative of booze in the bush appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

With the closure of Telstra’s 3G service set for June and Optus following suit in September, rural communities face the risk of being left without reliable communication channels.

For many farmers, mobile phones are not just tools for staying in touch; they are lifelines, especially in remote areas where emergencies can occur without warning. Deb Charlton, Chair of the NSW Farmers Rural Affairs Committee, emphasised the critical role that 3G networks play in ensuring farmers’ safety and security.

“As providers push ahead with this 3G network shutdown, there’s no doubt there will be farmers who run into trouble or have an accident, and will be unable to call for help,” Mrs Charlton said. 

“Even with the 3G network in place, there are hundreds of horror stories of accidents occurring on farms or on isolated country roads, where people have not had the mobile coverage they need to contact emergency services and get lifesaving help.”

Mrs Charlton also expressed concerns that the transition to 4G may not adequately fill the void left by 3G, potentially exacerbating connectivity issues for farmers and rural communities.

“We have absolutely no confidence that 4G coverage will be available when the 3G network is switched off, and we will only see more of these tragic situations as a result,” she says. 

The call for action extends to the Federal Government, with Mrs Charlton urging policymakers to intervene and collaborate with telecommunications providers to address these connectivity challenges faced by farmers. A clear plan, she says, is needed to ensure reliable communication infrastructure for rural areas.

“Unless there is a real and concerted focus on local infrastructure upgrades and broader regional telecommunications networks, large tracts of the state with poor mobile coverage will see connectivity get even worse.”

Deb Charlton, Chair of the NSW Farmers Rural Affairs Committee

“The farmers who grow the nation’s food and fibre should not be forced into using expensive satellite phones or have to resort back to pre-war radio connections as their only link to the outside world.

“Connectivity is a critical tool, and in many cases, it’s been the difference between life and death when an accident has occurred in these rural communities.”

The necessity of sustained connectivity resonates beyond the agricultural sector, as rural communities need reliable communication for various essential services, including healthcare, education and business operations.

As the deadline for the 3G shutdown approaches, farmers are urging the government and policymakers to address these connectivity gaps to safeguard the wellbeing of rural communities.

If you were interested in this story, you may like to read this piece about farm connectivity.

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The industry was witnessing sustained high levels of female cattle retention, particularly in northern production areas, indicating the herd had shifted to a maintenance stage. This shift was underscored by high supply rather than producer intention to destock.

According to Stephen Bignell, Manager of Market Information at MLA, female retention remaining above average was an element contributing to the Northern Australian cattle herd staying in a growth phase.

“Following an above-average wet season across much of the north of the country, the cattle herd is expected to grow further, especially as consistent rainfall events brought on by cyclones and low pressure weather systems continue throughout the summer,” Mr Bignellsaid.

“For the Southern herd, we expect it to constrict further into 2024 as it reaches maturity.

“This leads to increased turnoff while the cattle cycle enters a herd maintenance phase. This dynamic is influenced by the 2023 NSW female slaughter rate (FSR) averaging 48 per cent, above the long-term benchmark of 47 per cent.”

NSW Farmers Cattle Committee Chair Deborah Willis participated in the MLA survey, which provided the information the projections were based on, and claimed the knowledge gained via the survey was very beneficial.

“A short, sharp, quick survey three times a year across NSW provides both past history, as well as future possible trends in beef production. By requesting my results, I can gauge how my decisions compare to other producers, very similar to a benchmarking exercise,” Ms Willis said.

“This can increase confidence in my business going forward, as many decisions made on farm are made in isolation. I noted that most producers did see a positive future ahead in the beef industry.”

Ms Willis made the decision to destock, due to market, price, and climate volatility, exercising her risk management strategy, and noting this decrease in the survey response across NSW.

“I felt that increased weights with fewer numbers would pay, as well as increased health benefits for the herd. Drought, fire, flood, and pests stretched my pastures to their limit over the last few years,” Ms Willis said.

“Being a self-replacing herd, I have heifers to add to the herd or sell, while maintaining the highest quality/quantity feed for over six years, and resting paddocks for winter and increasing their nutrient base.

“I believe being able to use flexibility in business is a huge positive in maintaining a sustainable operation.”

According to MLA, efforts by cattle producers to enhance productivity and genetics during the 2020-22 rebuild resulted in a resilient breeding herd.

“This means that the herd reaction to higher turnoff rates will be less severe than in previous years. We expect solid numbers of young cattle in the coming seasons both through the northern and southern systems,” Mr Bignell said.

MLA also projected a lift in the slaughter rate which would drive production close to record levels in 2025. However, labour availability remained a concern for processors, especially as the number of processor-ready cattle increased.

Carcase weights were set to fall during these high production years, but would remain well above long-term averages, thanks to the investments in genetic profile, and consistent improvements to Australia’s feedlot sector.

The US remained Australia’s key supply competitor, alongside Brazil, who exported beef to key markets shared with Australia. With the US forecasting an easing to their drought condition across key cattle-producing regions, a strong and extensive herd rebuild was expected to start during 2024.

The result was expected to be a contraction in the American supply, creating an opportunity for Australian beef in global markets. Additionally, solid domestic supply would support strong demand for live cattle exports into major markets.

Last year was a significant year for weather events, with an El Niño event and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) declared in September, followed by four cyclones making landfall in the 2023/24 wet season.

This year, Australia was expected to remain within a neutral IOD, while the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) outlook, which indicated an El Niño or La Niña event, noted a likely to move out of the El Niño phase by May. Long-term forecasts for a La Niña event in 2024 were varied.

The MLA projected 2024 was looking to be a positive year for the cattle industry with the herd staying within a maintenance phase. While forecasts remained crucial for business management, the expected relative climate stability in 2024 suggested decision-making might not be as reactive to long-term forecasts as observed in the reactive markets of 2023.

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