The Western Australian Farmers Federation (Inc) (WAFarmers) Grains Section today elected Scott Crosby, Nyabing, unopposed, as its Vice President at the 2013 WAFarmers Grain Section Conference sponsored by GrainGrowers and supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation(GRDC).
Mr Crosby replaces Esperance farmer, Glenn Mitchell, in the Vice President role while Kim Simpson, Ballidu, and Duncan Young, Beverley, continuing as President and Senior Vice President respectively, after being elected unopposed.
Mr Simpson said Mr Crosby would provide a younger perspective on the Grains Section Executive.
“It is terrific to have Scott step up to the Vice Presidency and provide some younger blood on the Executive,” Mr Simpson said.
Mr Simpson said the last 12 months had been another busy year for the Grains Council.
“From a grains perspective, one of the biggest issues of 2012 was the Wheat Export Marketing Amendment Bill 2012,” he said.
“While the Grains Council acknowledged that Wheat Exports Australia (WEA) had played an important role in the transition from the single desk to a deregulated market place, by 2012 WEA had performed its prescribed functions and was no longer a requirement, so the Council supported the Bill and welcomed its passage through both houses of parliament in late 2012.
“WAFarmers is excited about the collaborative arrangement it has entered into with GrainGrowers now having attended six national forums facilitated by the organisation.
“The forums are a key means of bringing State Farmer Organisations together to discuss national issues which can then be conveyed to the national decision makers to drive innovative policy solutions.
“In October, 2012, in an effort to bring unity to the grains industry, these forums were brought under the banner of the National Farmers’ Federation Grains Policy Group and the Council hopes that a unified, national grains representative group can be established to bring a stronger voice for all grain producers both state and nation-wide,” Mr Simpson concluded.
