A group of Australia’s foremost agricultural organisations is pleased to announce that Australia will celebrate pastoralists and farmers across the country in a national day.
“With the support of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and their government, I’m today very pleased to announce a day of celebration of all things agriculture will be held on November 21st,” Hancock Prospecting Executive Chairman Gina Rinehart said.
The inaugural National Agriculture and Related Industries Day will be on November 21, 2017, held annually on that date onwards.
The Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA (PGAWA), Northern Territory Cattleman’s Association (NTCA), National Farmers Federation and Seafood Industry Australia have joined with Hancock Prospecting to help coordinate the inaugural day. The Federal Department of Agriculture is also assisting.
“It is time that we paused to consider and appreciate those hard working Australians on the land and in our oceans who ensure that we have enough to eat and drink everyday” said SIA’s Chair Veronica Papacosta.
“People in the outback spend their days dealing with the often very high temperatures, isolation, floods, fires, poisonous snakes, droughts and the wet and increasingly they are finding it even harder to deal with the snowballing government red tape” said NTCA’s Tracey Hayes.
“More access to clean water for cattle and crops is also a critical aspect of agriculture that we should action sooner rather than later. Greater access to clean water means cattle can be healthier and put on weight faster and more crops could be grown” stressed PGAWA President Tony Seabrook.
“For example in West Australia, allowing access to the huge Fitzroy River would help us achieve this and greatly benefit our industry. Every year 99.9991% of the Fitzroy river water is wasted as it flows uselessly out to the ocean, indeed staggering amounts as this water is enough to fill the huge Sydney harbour 14 times over”, added Mr Seabrook.
“Agriculture and their related industries is the most important employment sector in regional Australia and is the backbone of our rural communities,” Mrs Rinehart said.
Adding, “a national day of celebration is also a chance to further inform Australians about the importance of the agricultural industry, including its importance to then support related industries, help living standards plus the needs of the industry to enable it to be internationally cost competitive.
