The Murray Regional Strategy Group says it supports the ‘Keep Farmers Farming’ campaign launched recently by the National Farmers’ Federation, and encourages the Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues to work with regional communities so issues can be better understood and solutions developed.
“In the NSW Murray region, perhaps more than any other agricultural region in the nation, we understand the frustrations being faced by farmers,” MRSG chair Geoff Moar said.
“Our group is desperately trying to work with governments, especially the Albanese Government, to support balanced agricultural and environmental policy and collaborate on solutions that achieve both.
“However, like many other organisations we are finding it extremely difficult to get any traction with this government, which seems to ignore the agriculture sector.”
Mr Moar said MRSG would support the NFF campaign.
“It is time to start working together as a nation to support each other and achieve balanced outcomes, not have an adversarial approach with differing views pitted against each other and a ‘them or us’ attitude,” he said.
NFF takes ‘desperate measures’
Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell said the NFF had been forced to take the extraordinary step of launching its largest advocacy campaign in almost 40 years, as Labor continued to decimate the agriculture industry and the regions.
He said the Federal Government had stripped farmers of confidence and the NFF was desperately trying to save the sector from the impacts of a litany of poor policy.
“In a country where farmers feed the nation and contribute billions to our economy, it’s disappointing a campaign like this is necessary,” Mr Birrell said.
“It should serve as a wake-up call to the Labor Government and its punishing policies.”