The idea for this new social enterprise was borne when taking part in an Australian Futures Project initiative aimed at tackling wide ranging agricultural challenges.

A growing disconnection of people knowing where their food comes from drove the initial idea.

The online Visit My Farm platform provides a really easy way for people to connect with a farmer and have a first-hand experience by going to visit a farm for an hour, a morning, or a whole day.

Farmers are looking to add diversity to their farming operations and are keen to provide a window into farm life so people better understand what farmers do.

Visitors have the opportunity to choose from a variety of farm locations across the state. There are farmers on board from Bourke to Bulahdelah, from Gloucester to Young.

The trial will run until April 30 to test the concept.

Visitors are encouraged to participate and provide valuable feedback so the project can be developed further.

Participating “farmer hosts” have provided profiles outlining the farm experiences they can offer to visitors.

Depending on the farm, visitors can do things like pat an alpaca or a calf, learn about chickens and collect eggs, check out the sheep yards and farm machinery, watch a farmer muster stock, or maybe try their hand at catching yabbies in a farm dam.

All activities provide an opportunity for visitors to meet and chat with a farmer to learn more about agriculture.

To book a unique farm visit or to get more information visit www.visitmyfarm.com.au. 

Sonia Muir

Manager business and social resilience programs

DPI 

HEADLINE-SEEKING commentary by ANU Water Economics Professor Grafton claiming “little to show” for the money spent on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is selective and misleading.

Last week Professor Grafton gained a few headlines attacking hard working irrigators and basin communities.

He claims irrigators are not using less water and says overnment funds would be better spent buying water entitlements.

I’ve read Professor Grafton’s article and some of the research he refers to.

His comments appear to me to be selective and ideological rather than research driven.

The truth is since the start of the basin planning process, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder has acquired from irrigation water entitlement holders 2000 Gigalitres of water, which was previously available for extraction, but now is for the environment.

That is enough water to fill Sydney Harbour four times, or fill 800,000 Olympic swimming pools each year.

The Professor’s claims are a slap in the face for the environment, and for the communities of the Murray-Darling Basin.

Fundamentally, the Professor’s analysis excludes a big slab of the picture for Murray-Darling communities.

It ignores recent economic impact work indicating that water buyback has significant impacts on entire communities.

It also fails to grasp the importance, for every Australian, of being able to produce here, at home, the food we eat, the natural fibres we wear and the export income our country earns from competitive irrigated agriculture.

Steve Whan

Chief executive officer

National Irrigators’ Council