WAFarmers congratulates member Blythe Calnan on being selected as the WA State finalist for the fourth NAB Agribusiness Rising Champions Initiative. Blythe is one of seven State finalists chosen from a competitive field of more than thirty-five applicants. She will head to Canberra from 28 – 30 October where the State finalists will have the opportunity to build networks, develop skills and gain insights into the policy-making role of the Cattle Council of Australia. “I’m

WAFarmers is inviting farmers and those operating farm enterprises to fill out a quick and easy survey to help build a profile of the lending practices of financial institutions in the rural sector. The survey will help determine the range of interest rates being applied to farm borrowings and whether farmers are facing additional pressures in their businesses. Both WAFarmers members and non-members are encouraged to fill out the survey, which contains only five questions

Ahead of this weekend’s Federal election, WAFarmers is asking the next Federal government to make agricultural research and development a priority to provide industry with the best opportunity to meet the challenges of competing in the Asian region. WAFarmers President Dale Park said while the funding commitments made by both parties for agricultural research during the campaign were welcome, there was always room to do more in the vitally important sector. “Injecting funding into agricultural

WAFarmers welcomes the issue of foreign investment entering the Federal election dialogue this week. As part of WAFarmers five policy priorities, WAFarmers is calling for a balanced foreign investment policy to be established following a full investigation into the current state of play through a foreign investment register. WAFarmers President Dale Park said it was encouraging to see both parties commit to establishing such a register. “Without knowing where we stand in terms of foreign

WAFarmers is disappointed the Labor party’s ‘Fair go for Farmers’ policy does not deliver on the real issues facing the agricultural sector. While the announcement of an agriculture policy from the Labor party is welcome, the plan lacks details, especially on key issues such as profitability and competitiveness, WAFarmers President Dale Park said. “Throughout the election campaign, WAFarmers has been detailing its five policy priorities which indicate the issues of biggest concern to our members,” Mr

After a long wait for formal agriculture policies from the two major parties, WAFarmers is pleased to see the Coalition announce their plans for the future of the farming sector today. The policy includes many of the priorities set out in the WAFarmers Federal Election 2013 Policy Statement and will provide a strong boost to agriculture should the Coalition be elected, WAFarmers President Dale Park said. “Earlier in the campaign, WAFarmers called for parties contesting

WAFarmers welcomes the commitment from shadow agriculture spokesman John Cobb of $2.2million in Native Title respondent funding, should the Coalition be elected on September 7. The funding would restore the former balance where respondents and claimants were equally supported by the Federal government, WAFarmers President Dale Park said. “The system that has been in place for the past six years, where respondents had to fund their own defences to Native Title claims while the Federal

Leading Ladies is urging the wider community to support Lockridge Senior High School in its battle to retain a viable amount of land to run its highly beneficial agriculture program. The Lockridge Senior High School Farm has been operating since 1984 and the school is one of only two in metropolitan Perth offering agricultural courses. Earlier this year, the Barnett government announced plans to build a Disability Justice Centre on part of the land used