CWA of NSW to help rural families affected by drought

MEDIA RELEASE    
                                                              
12 FEBRUARY 2014

CWA of NSW to help rural families affected by drought

The Country Women’s Association (CWA) of NSW today donated $50,000 to help families in NSW affected by the current drought.

“We have called on politicians and leaders to respond quickly and generously to help those families suffering in this drought,” said CWA of NSW President, Tanya Cameron. “The current conditions are devastating and escalating dramatically, and we are pleased to see that this has now been acknowledged and addressed with the Deputy Premier, Andrew Stoner and Minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson today announcing an expansion of a temporary financial package of emergency in-drought measures”.

“Just last week, the CWA of NSW joined with the CWA of QLD to write to the Prime Minister asking him and the Treasurer to visit drought affected areas to gain a better understanding of the situation. We are pleased to see that the NSW government has now stepped up their relief package.

“In the meantime, I hope our financial contribution will assist to take some immediate financial pressure off some families.”

The CWA of NSW donation has been given to the Rural Financial Counselling Service who is currently experiencing a great increase in requests for assistance. Local counsellors will identify families in rural NSW who need support and provide them will a financial ‘gift’ from the CWA of NSW to be used to assist with essential expenses.

“Our members know only too well the difficulties of trying to keep a farm and a family going in a drought and so they were keen to help,” said Tanya.  “We know that farmers prepared better than ever for this drought but no one could have foreseen just how long it would last.”

The CWA is the largest women’s organisation in Australia and aims to improve conditions for country women and children. There are currently 10,000 members in NSW belonging to 395 branches across the state.

The CWA of NSW operates a Disaster Relief Fund to assist people in need and donations to this fund can be made via www.cwaofnsw.org.au/donate

Farmers fighting for the industry and animal welfare

GUEST BLOG by Lee-Anne Bright

Lee-Anne's family have lived on a goat property in Western NSW for 3 generations.  Many parts of her family are farmers across Australia.  Lee-Anne is a full time governess and in her spare time runs a website called Governess Australia. She can be followed on Twitter @Bushgovo 
WARNING HIJACKED BLOG: “Thanks to Outback Girl for allowing me to hijack her blog for this issue.  Cheers, Lee-Anne Bright at Governess Australia”

NO species on earth has the same requirements or physical and mental structure. 

  HAS EVERYONE HEARD ABOUT THE COLES AND ANIMALS AUSTRALIA RUCKUS?

Farming Futures --- united we stand

The Live Export Rallies are getting plenty of play.  What a beautiful site were all the trucks honking as they crossed the bridge and all the farming community below.  

Congratulations to the organisers. (Farmers Way Of Life)

Story links have been all over twitter.  This is one from the Herald Sun... Live Export Promotes Animal Welfare

Farming Genius between Laura and Port Pirie

I read this on the NSW DPI site ...  Has anybody seen these or have pictures?

A Country Web reader has written to us to tell us about a fantastic initiative farmers along the Laura to Port Pirie Road are doing - they have signs on their fences identifying the current crop in the field. A great way to spread the word and make a clear link between agriculture/farming and food production.

I would love a photo of one of these farms with the sign identifying the crop.

Do you have a photo we can print in our upcoming edition? Or maybe you know one of these farmers and could ask them to contact me.

Thanks for your help : )

Allison Priest | Project Coordinator | Rural Women’s Network
NSW Department of Primary Industries | 161 Kite Street | Locked Bag 21 | Orange 2800
T: 02 6391 3620 | F: 02 6391 3543 | E: allison.priest@dpi.nsw.gov.au
W: www.industry.nsw.gov.au | www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/rwn
Twitter: http://twitter.com/NSW_RWN  Blog: http://nswruralwomensnetwork.wordpress.com

Farming Perceptions

It really worries me that the current perception of farmer is they are an 'uncaring lot' when it comes to flora and fauna.   

A lot of this attitude is highlighted in the Live Export debate something which I won't tackle in this post as that topic is riddled with 50 shades of grey ;)

What many people in society don't realise is that FARMERS rely on having good healthy flora and fauna.  For the future of their business, their family, their flora and fauna, and their environment.

Farmers are family people who need to live in harmony with animals and the environment.  

Farmers need to be outdoors enjoying the beauty that nature offers.  

Farmers need to do whatever we can to help feed the world, without food we all will wither.

Farmers know we have to do the best job possible to make sure the environment is intact for future generations. 

Farmers make decisions daily to keep the environment in balance.

If we don't look after our animals (or any part of the environment) then we will not be able to sell our stock and this will result in many issues which are all dependent on each other.  

And YES the word profit is going to come up. 


If we don't care for our animals (and environment)... the animals will be not be in the best possible condition meaning the farming business will not make a profit need to improve the quality of care and to support the family.  Profit means that a business can survive and improve the quality of what they do and the way they do it.  Profit and good animal welfare go hand in hand.  Good animal welfare and a good healthy, balanced environment.  Animals in poor condition make less profit which impacts on welfare. 


I could name a doesn't different examples of environmental care by farmers. 

I don't know a farmer who can walk past an animal suffering and ignore it.  AND when I say suffering I am talking not just human factors but natural suffering as well should be taken into account.

Many of the farms around my area recently been involved in 50/50 funding projects to fence off swamps and dams which have endanger trees around them to protect.  


Sometimes what annoys me the most is the people that are making remarks in social media have not been to many farms at all.  Maybe the government bring in a law on enforced conscription to farms AND I don't mean hobby farmers.  Would this help close the city-country divide.  Would this bring city folk back to their roots so that they start to remember the process of life.

Farmers are the original 'greenies'  we are the countries first line of defense for the environment.

If someone thinks that a farming method is wrong then rather than BAN it outright we should be...

• investing money in research and development for new methods
• educating farmers on better methods.
• adjusting laws to make if easier and cheaper to access 'greener' methods.

I am in no way saying that all Farmers do the right thing by their farm.  Like in ALL PARTS of society some are ignorant or cruel.  These people need educating or exit the industry.

OKAY enough waffle from me, I need to head out and do some work :) see you all on the flips side

What is on the fruit and vege we are eating?

I found on a website with not much information.  I am keen to research more on this topic.

One of the advantages of living in the outback is often we have our own vegetable garden.  More and more that is seeming like a great idea.

Does anyone have any good websites about this or researched info for themselves?

Farming parodies

Has anybody been watching all the farming music parodies cruising around all the social media.

I love the fact that in our Year of The Farmer farming is hitting the front.
Fiona Lake has wrote an interesting article on the Peterson Farm Brothers utube sensation I'm farming and I grow it
The Peterson Farm Brothers also have released the Farm Slam Poem on Itunes,  be interesting to see hour much money they earn off this.
Also check out this Dairy Farm song by Lil Fred called Farm It Maybe

I don't know if we are bridging the city-country divide but everyone is being entertained and that will bring people together.

A mate sent a picture of her swag the other morning,

would you like to camp out with that much ice on top?

The Red Window

Finally finished my BAS and Tax today after school.....yippee...as a treat I decide to tidy all my computer files up.  Make sure all the photos are in the correct folders - control freak or fruit loop? Your pick.

Teaching bush kids all day can leave you loopy  :)  That is my excuse anyway.

This photo below is of the blackout duststorm that Western NSW had in 2009.  

This was taken looking out our schoolroom window before the storm became to dark to take photos.  At full strength the sky turned as black as night.  The big trampoline somersaulted into the swimming pool, a relief maybe other wise it would have been well down the flat. 

I love the Australian outback even at her fiercest, her beauty shines through.  I love the red dust, it's the dry dams and hungry sheep that is tough to deal with.

My job often requires me to support my work family through these tough situations.  Duststorms not only effect their work but also their personal like which are so closely intertwined.  

Sometimes I have to put aside all my personal problems and just smile.  A smile always makes people feel better, especially when it is accompanied by a cuppa and a chat.  

AND if that fails its 5 o'clock somewhere......