AlPhipps
-My husband and I run a mixed grazing property in the Southern Riverina of NSW.

Are you a member of a grower group?

Hi, just seeking some feedback on grower or producer groups? I know they are popular in parts of Australia but I don't think we have anything round us. Keen to underrstand positives and negatives, membership and how yours functions?

Cheers all.

1911 days ago

Im a member of x2 Sheep Breeder organisations, x1 cattle breeder association, member of Cattle Council, VFF, Invisible Farmer, local Landcare, stakeholder memberships: GRDC, Dairy Connect, Agri Futures, Dairy Australia etc and what ever else I can get onto. I think my last count was 15. The most I pay is $20 right up to $800 a year. The perks are the networks Ive made, the workshops and conferences I get to attend and the contacts and access to data I can accessa
CarlyNoble | 1852 days

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Going to confess to bias answer as I'm the executive officer of the Irrigated Cropping Council but value in access to grains research being conducted locally as well as local industry events. In southern Riverina there is Riverine Plains www.riverineplains.org.au who are focused on dryland broadacre or ourselves www.irrigatedcroppingcouncil.com.au and southern growers who focus on irrigated cropping. A little bit further north is Farmlink www.farmlink.com.au. Memberships usually pretty cheap as farmer boards keen to ensure access to information is affordable .

CharlieAves
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1903 days ago

Thanks so much - really helpful. Will check out those links.
AlPhipps | 1899 days

Hi, I'm part of a group in NW Tassie, we started up due to an interest in a particular topic: cover cropping. We're still figuring out what we should do about membership, but we have a strong committee and have been able to access some super useful funding, mostly for on-farm trials, and have used the group to organise visits from guest speakers. We're committed to being majority growers on the committee - which means everyone is super time poor, but it is important to the group to work around that. I think that the members and the broader farming community in this region have got a lot out of it, and NRM bodies, local media and people on social media are really interested in us and what we do.

Theresa
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1900 days ago

Thanks Theresa, look forward to hearing how it goes. INterest to hear about something relatively new too.
AlPhipps | 1899 days

Our local grazing network has been running over 20 years. We have monthly meetings either in town or on-farm where we catch up, talk about any workshops etc anyone has been to, provide updates about any projects we have running, have guest speakers from NRMs or government departments, and then time to talk through any questions etc. And we put in a meal (usually pizza) and a cuppa do there is a social element :)

Through the group we have run joint programs with federal and state government organisations and have great relationships with local NRMs who help us with funding to run courses of interest. This year we've run grazing management courses, launched a beef health monitoring program, run a livestock handling day, done feedlot and abattoir tours, run workshops with AgForce and more - and we already have a weaning day, dung beetle day and bull testing day already planned for next year amongst other projects. We are an incorporated not-for-profit so we can access funding for grants etc and run projects like riparian restoration and weed management on member properties etc.

I have a slight bias here too being the current chair, but I've found it really helpful and we've had access to really great opportunities through the group. It's great to be with like minded people who are really excited about farming too. We have annual membership of $125 per farm enterprise. You get discounted or free access to courses we run, ability to take part on trials/grants etc, early notification of upcoming events etc and free pizza/food at our meetings too! Non-members can also access our Facebook page and general information distributions email list. They can also attend our courses etc but just at a higher charge. You can look us up on Facebook - South Burnett Grazing Network inc.

cheers

Beck C
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1870 days ago

Hi,

A response from @techeweup:

I’m a member of 2... Asheep and SEPWA.. both well run and provide extremely relevant information on a regular basis as well as the odd get together. Can’t think of any negatives.I’m a member of 2... Asheep and SEPWA.. both well run and provide extremely relevant information on a regular basis as well as the odd get together. Can’t think of any negatives.