Farmers’ First Meeting in 15 Years

TONIGHT local farmers will have the first meeting of the NSW Farmers Scone branch in 15 years, as young farmers step up to reinvigorate a local voice.

Mick Collins, regional services manager for NSW Farmers said a meeting of 18 young farmers recently sparked the interest in re-establishing the Scone branch and merging the branch with Rouchel Brook.  

“I’ve only been doing this for 12 months, but it was one of my aims to get some of the branches and areas there to get up and running and it’s even nicer when it is young people that want to lead the way to invigorate the branch,” said Mr Collins.

NSW Farmers is the largest advocacy group for Farmers and rural communities and in the lead up to the state election were shown to have met with politicians more than any other advocacy group.

Throughout the state membership for the organisation is higher than it has been in years and renewals are up, which Mick Collins believes is largely due to the drought bringing farmers together again.

“Without a doubt the drought is bringing farmers together and they want a stronger voice on a range of issues that affect them,” said Mick.

“On example of the difference we can make when we band together is the fuel levy rebate, that’s one of the many things we’ve achieved that benefits most farmers,” he said.

“The more unified we are, the more members we have the stronger our voice when we meet with politicians.

“We are apolitical, regardless of political views we represent everyone.

“Our members are not all farmers, they’re stock and station agents, agronomists, retired members, school teachers, doctors all sorts of organisations,” he said.

“We have a rural and regional committee that deal with rural issues and that could be schools, education, health anything that affects farming communities,” Mick Collins said.

Mick Collins encourages anyone interested in farming issues, who is associated with rural industries, or want a voice for regional issues to attend the meeting tonight.

• When: 6pm, Monday, July 15.
• Where: Scone RSL Club, 71 Guernsey Street, Scone.
• Contact: Mick Collins 0439 958 163.

Related story: Local Young Farmers Bucking the Trend – July 16, 2019.