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Mid West Farmers take pro-active action for the future Farmers from the Shires of Morawa, Mullewa, Perenjori and Chapman Valley have banded together and formed a regional farming voice, North East Farming Futures (NEFF).
NEFF will arguably be the largest regional grower body in the Wheatbelt.
Inaugural Chair Andrew Thomas from Mullewa, said the group had formed over the past 12 months and were now at the point of commencing business.
“In light of recent seasonal and climatic conditions, farmers need to keep focused.
“The formation of this group will help provide farmers with the ability to maintain their traditional business enterprises, whilst looking at alternative income streams,” he said.
“NEFF will give farmers of the region a collective grass-roots regional voice to ensure sustainable alternatives as well as our traditional grain and livestock enterprises.
“By representing farmers as a regional voice, and with support from the shires we can make a bigger impact on the national stage in terms of sourcing funding and ensuring the focus on this important Northern region is not lost.
“Regardless of the seasonal outcome, NEFF will play an important role in keeping farmers focused.”
NEFF CEO Chris Wheatcroft said the group was pursuing a two year strategic framework aimed at developing sustainable farming futures relevant to farmers in the region.
A key aspect was to ensure links between farmers and key stakeholders aimed at increasing the number of viable costed alternatives and enterprise adaptability.
“Farmers in the area have been surveyed on the skills they require to adjust to the climatic and seasonal impacts on their livelihoods,” he said.
“The next stage of this will be to assess the feedback to determine what action is taken, and ensuring the priority of the group remains sustainable farming.”
The group has two farming representatives from each of the four shires as well as representatives from Mid West Development Commission, Department of Agriculture and Food and the Shires. |