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.

For almost four decades, Varroa mite has devastated European honeybee colonies around the world, reaching Australia in June 2022. These tiny invasive pests slowly debilitate colonies by puncturing bees’ exoskeletons and feeding on their bodies, while also transmitting harmful viruses that can result in deformed and wingless young bees.

Treating infestations of Varroa has proven complex and costly. By September 2023, the attempt to eradicate Varroa in Australia had cost the Australian government $100 million, with over 30,000 hives and 1 billion bees lost.

Synthetic chemicals have been used widely in attempts to treat infestations. Although showing short-term effectiveness, the chemicals ultimately leave residue in the wax and honey. Varroa mites have also developed resistance to certain chemicals, and pesticides can affect the broader environment and ecosystem.

The Bee Gym and Bee Gym Slim, developed in the UK by inventor and bee enthusiast Stuart Roweth, has long been popular with beekeepers who prefer to manage their hives using fewer chemicals – and recent research by a specialist group in the UK has shown that these devices are effective in allowing the bees to control Varroa mite populations themselves through natural grooming behaviours.

The very bee-ginning

Stuart Roweth has been developing the Bee Gym since 2013 and has refined the idea and product over the years by studying his own chemical-free test hives.

“I was shocked when I first saw the size of a mite in comparison to a bee and it occurred to me that mechanical removal through grooming was the way to go,” says Stuart. “There are no suitable surfaces within modern hives, so I felt a device was needed to overcome this.”

The Bee Gym and the Bee Gym Slim are unique in that they take advantage of the bee’s natural grooming instincts, and can be used in any modern hive type with a mesh floor. The Bee Gym is made up of a framework of wires which enable bees to scrape varroa mites off their backs, together with flippers and scrapers that help the bees to remove mites from their abdomen. Dislodged and damaged mites fall through the wire mesh at the bottom of the hive or onto a plate coated in Vaseline, preventing them from reentering.

The Bee Gym is positioned on the floor of the hive, while the Bee Gym Slim is suspended between active brood frames when the beekeeper is performing a hive inspection.

Putting the Bee Gym Slim through its paces

From May to September 2023, the Bee Gym Slim was tested by the Devon Apicultural Research Group (DARG): an organisation which was set up over 40 years ago to raise the level of understanding of bee health through rigorous and robust research.

A comprehensive test method and schedule were devised by DARG, with 110 beekeepers across southwest England taking part in the trial. Beekeepers were supplied with the product and the results measured and recorded every week.

Data collected over an 18-week period demonstrated that the hives using the Bee Gym Slim showed a clear increase in the number of mites dislodged from the bees.

As stated in the report: “The trial clearly showed a distinct difference between the control and test sides of the hives which, after eliminating other possibilities, can only be attributed to the presence of the devices… As a non-chemical management tool, there is clearly a place for it in the beekeeper’s arsenal especially if combined with resistant or tolerant strains of honeybees and with open mesh floors… As its mode of action is mechanical rather than chemical, it is not possible for resistance to develop as it eventually would with chemical control measures.”

This is a huge boost for farmers who want to use the Bee Gym as part of an Integrated Pest Management Strategy to manage Varroa in a chemical-free way.

“For many beekeepers, chemical treatment is an absolute no-go area,” says Stuart. “The Bee Gym and Bee Gym Slim are biomechanical control devices; they can be used as part of an Integrated Pest Management approach to Varroa control – and this study shows that they make a big difference. Fighting Varroa can be an uphill struggle, so getting bees to help themselves can only be a good thing.”

If you enjoyed this piece, you may like to keep updated on the recent outbreak of tick fever in NSW.

The post Bee Gym breakthrough in tackling Varroa mite appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

The Bird siblings, Chester, Milla and Sam, are doing business a little bit differently. When Chester, the eldest at 17, initiated a homegrown tomato venture, he set the stage for a unique family legacy centred around Chester’s Tomatoes.

The very beginnings of the business can be traced back to a conversation between Dave and his brother-in-law. The idea was simple – teach the kids to run a business and they’ll gain a diverse skill set not found in conventional jobs. As a business consultant himself, Dave challenged his children to find their own source of income, strategically cutting off their pocket money after primary school.

Chester first came up with the idea of cultivating and selling vegetables when he was only in grade four, but soon narrowed down the focus to tomatoes due to their popularity. The journey began with two years’ of research into growing tomatoes, designing logos and purchasing punnets, prior to the family’s move to Port Macquarie.

Dave and Chester then spent countless hours constructing garden beds and cultivating a vast veggie garden. Chester diligently planted heirloom tomato seeds in a greenhouse, nurturing them into thriving plants. The first harvest marked a milestone, and Chester, armed with business cards and a trolley of punnets, embarked on door-to-door sales, kickstarting Chester’s Tomatoes.

The business model proved highly successful, with demand quickly outpacing their ability to grow tomatoes. However, challenges like the Covid-19 lockdowns, relocation and adverse weather conditions prompted a strategic shift. Chester reached out to Ricardoes Tomatoes, a local farm, and established a partnership that ensured a consistent supply of quality tomatoes.

As Chester says, “If you buy quality from the start, people see that you do things properly and in the long run it saves you money. And that’s been the case with the tomatoes.”

Changing hands

As Chester transitioned to other endeavours, the business was sold to then 13 year-old Milla (under Dave’s careful supervision). Milla kept up the momentum, knocking on doors and keeping the community engaged with Chester’s Tomatoes. Her year of owning the business served as an invaluable learning experience.

“It definitely helped me with my people skills because I had to knock on people’s doors, which at first was extremely confronting, and I was really nervous to do that,” she says. “But by the end, I thought the worst that they can do is say no.”

This experience has helped Milla enhance communication and entrepreneurial skills, which she takes with her as she pursues a keen interest in fashion.

Today, the reins of Chester’s Tomatoes are in the hands of Sam, the youngest sibling at 12 years old. Sam continues the family legacy, and is considering future diversification into oranges. He has also introduced a loyalty program, fostering customer engagement and environmental responsibility by offering rewards for recycling.

Dave has seen a huge leap in confidence in all the kids since starting the business.

“Door-to-door cold calling is the hardest form of selling,” he says. “So, they were going in the deep end straight away. But if you can get confident in that, you can pretty much do anything in sales. Now it’s just second nature.”

A juicy success story

The feedback from customers has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing joy at the sight (and sound) of Sam’s familiar trolley squeaking through the neighbourhood.

As Dave says, “The fact that some of the customers have been buying from me for four and a half years  – and keep buying – is testament to the fact that they’re providing something which is commercially viable.”

One of the business’s biggest supporters is neighbour and NSW Farmers Regional Service Manager for North Coast & Tablelands Mark Bulley, who has offered both encouragement and practical assistance to Chester’s Tomatoes over the years.

Chester’s Tomatoes continues to go from strength to strength. And, as the business’s youngest proprietor, what golden piece of advice would Sam give to someone looking to start their own business? “Don’t be afraid to try new things.”

To meet another NSW Farmers member, click here.

The post Keeping it in the family: the story of Chester’s Tomatoes appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

This eagerly awaited relaunch of the website is a celebration of all things farming, innovation and community. With a crisp design and enhanced features, we’re looking forward to making your online browsing experience more seamless, engaging and easier to navigate.

You’ll have all your favourite stories from the magazine at your fingertips, as well as exclusive online content. As always, you can find timely, in-depth stories on important issues in farming, with our diverse coverage of innovation, technology, trade, business, environmental and community issues. 

On the website, you can also find spotlights on the members of our great community. Check out the best and brightest in the field with the 2023 Farmers of the Year, and meet NSW Farmers’ oldest member, the remarkable Phillip Melbourne, who at 92 years old is still dedicated to the land.

Our new video section makes it easier to access news, keep updated on upcoming events and learn about innovative farming techniques and technology with engaging content from our key partners. Watch Loam Bio explain how to grow a carbon asset on your farm, or learn how the government will be targeting the feral cat population. 

You can even flick through the pages of the digital magazine here. Catch up on what everyone’s favourite farm dogs have been up to, and check out our Aussie-made product recommendations in The Saleyards. Best read while consuming a cup of tea!

The Farmer Magazine website is a great place to keep up to date with everything happening in farming and stay connected to the NSW Farmers community. 

We invite you to explore the new website, join the conversation and share your thoughts with us. Your feedback is important as we continue to cultivate this online space. 

Happy browsing! 

The post A fresh new look for The Farmer Magazine website appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

The environmental impact of plastic

Plastic pollution has reached alarming levels globally, contributing to environmental degradation, marine pollution, and the release of harmful chemicals.

Polystyrene, a ubiquitous plastic material that has been mass manufactured since the 1960s, insulates heat, absorbs shock and isn’t water soluble, which makes it useful for transporting goods like food and pharmaceuticals. However, it poses significant challenges due to its non-biodegradable nature and persistence in the environment. In NSW alone, around 12,000 tonnes of polystyrene is sent to landfill every year. 

This is something that troubled entrepreneur Joanne Howarth, who has worked in the food packaging industry for decades. Joanne says she was devastated by the amount of plastic waste the industry generated.

“I’ve always been passionate about the planet,” she says, “and it was obvious that there was a need for a sustainable alternative to polystyrene.”

After several years of research and development, Joanne founded Planet Protector Packaging: a sustainable packaging start-up where wool is the hero.

When Joanne began researching polystyrene alternatives, she found that wool had many unique properties, such as its natural insulating capacity and cushioning ability, making it an attractive option for packaging materials. Wool is derived from the fleece of sheep, which can be shorn annually without harm to the animal. Thermally, it outperforms polystyrene.

In contrast, plastic production relies heavily on fossil fuels, contributing to resource depletion and environmental pollution.

It took Joanne and two textile physicists a year to find the right kind of wool that was needed – coarse fibre, rather than fine merino – and a further three years to develop Woolpack: the wool packaging that is now the cornerstone of her business.

“It’s deceptive. People might think, ‘Oh, it’s just wool in a sleeve’ but it’s much more than that. And it’s made from a waste stream diverted from landfill.”

Joanne Howarth, founder of Planet Protector Packaging

Planet Protector Packaging has since replaced 7.2 million polystyrene boxes with Woolpack, diverted 3,500 tonnes of wool from landfill and increased income for farmers and processors.

The polyester predicament

Wool’s potential as a sustainable alternative extends beyond packaging.

Wool possesses natural fire-retardant properties, making it a safer choice in construction materials compared to synthetic alternatives. It has even been used to clean up chemical spills, or as mulch or seed beds.

Additionally, wool garments offer breathability, moisture-wicking properties and insulation, making them a sustainable choice in the fashion industry.

When it comes to the main alternative to wool fabric, synthetic fabrics such as polyester or acrylic are usually the answer. These fabrics are versatile, durable and cheap, and are made of plastics derived from crude oil.

However, through wash and wear they release thousands of tiny plastic fibres which are found everywhere in the environment. It is estimated that 0.6-1.7 million tons of microfibres are released into the ocean every year, and around 35 per cent of microplastics in the ocean come from synthetic clothing.

Wool, on the other hand, is biodegradable in both land and marine environments, meaning it has a long life as a garment yet breaks down relatively quickly in landfill.

But is wool really that sustainable?

Wool remains a frontrunner in sustainable textiles. Woolgrowers in Australia are pioneering eco-friendly farming methods, emphasising the recyclable nature of wool and sheep’s adaptability to challenging landscapes.

Unlike synthetic fabrics, wool doesn’t release microplastics, and its role in the circular economy is gaining traction, with companies recognising its potential for creating long-lasting, high-quality products while prioritising land and biodiversity health. Moreover, the wool industry is actively addressing greenhouse gas emissions, implementing techniques on individual farms to offset carbon footprints such as changing the types of pasture plants, improving soil management to increase carbon storage, and planting trees.

Collaborative efforts, such as Greening Australia’s partnership with wool growers in Tasmania, has also had tangible results, restoring 1,000 hectares of landscape by planting 250,000 native plants, and contributing to one of Australia’s largest revegetation projects.

Riding on the sheep’s back

Australia is a country with a long history of sheep farming, and is often referred to as “riding on the sheep’s back.” Today, woolgrowers are proud that Australia has the world’s most advanced wool industry, with innovative and sustainable farming practices being implemented to secure the industry’s future.

New uses for wool as part of sustainable alternatives to plastic can also offer more opportunities for local producers.

Educating consumers and industries about the environmental benefits of wool will also be crucial in fostering a shift towards more eco-friendly choices.

By reevaluating perceptions, raising awareness and fostering a commitment to sustainable practices, wool can take centre stage as a valuable and sustainable alternative to plastic waste.

If you enjoyed this story, you may like to read about the hungry caterpillars that can eat through plastic waste.

The post A woolly solution to plastic pollution appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.