AN agri forum in Smithton heard from a range of speakers from a dairy beef program, mental health to the advocacy work of the farmers’ peak body.
More than 30 people attended North-West Community Market Association’s agricultural forum at AGRITAS at the Education Studies Centre in Smithton. Tony Hine, one of the forum’s organisers, was pleased with the roll up.
The evening was chaired by Community Bank, Smithton and Districts Bank chairman Tom Glynn.
One of the keynote items was from Greenham Tasmania’s Graeme Pretty, who outlined the Dairy Beef Project, which includes value-adding bobby calves.
Dairy cattle joined to beef bulls to get dairy-cross calves.
Mr Pretty has been a livestock buyer for more than 50 years, he started with Greenham in 1970.
“The beef market is in a purple patch, I’ve been in this job since 1970 and prices are dearest in living memory,” Mr Pretty said.
“We draw cattle from everywhere in Australia.”
TFGA chief executive John McKew spoke about the benefits of being a TFGA member, and advocacy work on behalf of farmers.
Braddon MP Gavin Pearce spoke about training needs of agriculture, and the value of provenance of food, especially food from Tasmania.
Rene Gent from RAW Country provided information to the group about RAW’s programs.
Forest dairy farmer and DairyTas chair Angelique Korpershoek joined the other speakers for a Q&A session.