A ‘one-stop-shop for information’

February 2, 2009
By: Carolyn Bridge, Community Support Project Officer, LPLM

The concept of “Mateship” as a tool for conquering depression particularly for farming communities members will be promoted at the next “Healthy Farmers, Healthy Farm” Forum being held at Premer Hall Wednesday, March 11, 9.30am to 3.00pm.

Southern NSW Farmer, John Harper, the founder of the successful “Mate Helping Mate” program will be among an impressive line-up of primary industry and natural resource management speakers at the one-day forum.

“Healthy Farmers, Healthy Farms” forums take a holistic or multi-faceted approach to the challenges facing farmers.

We recognise that the best way to ensure the well being of individual farmers, their families and communities is to help them run successful farming operations in an increasingly challenging environment.

And as part of the community renewal initiative operated by LPLM over the past 18 months, we have become committed to providing the latest support and advice in the small farming communities, rather than expecting farmers to travel to the larger centres to access those services.

The forum will act as a “one-stop shop” on a wide range of topics including pastures management and stock selection and management for a changing climate, carbon and its impact on agriculture, financial counselling, and government incentive programs as well of course as general health and wellbeing.

Taking a collaborative approach, with speakers from the NSW Department of Primary Industries, the Namoi Catchment Management Authority, Liverpool Plains Land Management, and the NSW Rural Financial Counselling Service, the forum gives farmers and rural residents easy accessibility to the latest information and services.

Getting speakers of this quality in the one room at the one time and providing a forum like this in a small farming community rather than a large centre is a rare occurrence. We are hoping as many residents and farmers throughout the district as possible will travel to Premer for this unique opportunity.

A visiting group of farmers from drought-affected areas of the Parkes – Forbes district will also attend the Premer forum, as a part of a “morale boosting and fact finding” tour of our region. It will be a great opportunity for networking and exchanging ideas.

The “Healthy Farmers, Healthy Farms” forums are held very much as community events, with the local communities taking an active part in the event organisation and also benefiting from a fundraising opportunity.”