This week’s top stories from our Young Farming Champions across the country
In the Field
With almost all of NSW in mild to severe drought and the NSW DPI Drought Hub providing a one-stop online destination for information on a vast range of services and support available to farming families and communities to prepare for and manage drought some of our Young Farming Champions are reporting some good news .
Marlee Langfield now making all the on farm management decisions on her farm at Cowra took a gamble and sowed her first crop.
Its was a very nervous wait and a great relief to get two small rainfall events which give hope for the season ahead
After planting her canola in what some may describe as a dust bowl Marlee was very pleased to see the rain which has encouraged the canola to shoot
Photos Marlee Langfield
Likewise Emma Ayliffe purchased her first farm this year and planted her first crop of barley and along with fellow Riverina farmer Dan Fox was pleased to see the clouds open up.
Many other YFC farmers like Emma Turner, Bessie Thomas and Anika Molesworth are looking forward to the day the rains return in their region and grass can replace hand feeding with grain and hay
Photo Emma Turner
Out of the Field
Our Cotton young farming champions are visiting schools in Sydney and the Hunter this week
James Kanaley will be visiting Airds High and Mamre Anglican School and Casey Onus is visiting Irrawang, Muswellbrook and Oxely High School and Raymond Terrace Public School.
Wool Young Farming Champion Sam Wan and Youth Voices Leadership Chair Jo Newton are attending the Heart of Victoria Gala Dinner .
Wool Young Farming Champion Lucy Collingridge is doing a great job keeping us uptodate on UNE IFAMA tour
Photo L-R: Jasmine Whitten, Meg Rice, Macarena Calderon and Lucy Collingridge
Updates from our global travellers
Today three Young Farming Champions (YFC) had the opportunity to meet with Macarena Calderon and discuss the issues agriculture is facing in Argentina.
Macarena is a member of the Pergamino Rural Society, particularly the youth section of the organisation.
The Pergamino Rural Society, which is like a combination of NSW Farmers and YFC, supports their rural members through political advocacy, education and training, networking and extension services. The society also supports rural youth, aged 15-35, and provide educational opportunities.
Experiences were shared, with both Macarena and YFCs understanding the difficulties their respective industries faced in educating the broader communities about where their food comes from and attracting young people to careers in agriculture.
Until next week #youthvoices18 #youthinag #archieaction