NSW led the way as the first state to introduce this legislation for farm debt mediation, which has worked well for over 20 years, and this review will enable us to continue to improve. 

Farm debt mediation has been on the national agenda with a working group established in 2014 to investigate options for a nationally consistent approach.

Reviewing the Act will enable NSW to contribute to and lead the development of model legislation.

Farm debt mediation is a structured negotiation process in which a neutral accredited mediator assists farmers and their creditors to reach agreement on their present and future financial arrangements.

It is a simple, low cost process, where farmers can communicate openly and confidentially to explore options like refinancing or restructuring loans, or changing the nature of a farm business.

Farm debt mediation is valued by both farmers and creditors as a dignified and effective dispute resolution mechanism.

Of the almost 1700 satisfactory mediations that have occurred since the Act began, 90 per cent have resulted in agreements.

I encourage farmers and interested stakeholders to make a submission to the FDMA review so that resolving financial disputes in NSW can continue to be inexpensive, efficient and equitable.

The Act was last reviewed in 2000 and amended most recently in 2010.

The Issues Paper and a list of consultation questions can be accessed via raa.nsw.gov.au. Public consultation closes May 3.

John Newcombe

Director – NSW RAA 

CHARLES Sturt University (CSU) researchers will be surveying rice crops prior to the rice harvest to collect weed seeds for herbicide resistance testing.

They will be collecting weed seeds from around 100 random rice crops in the Murrumbidgee, Coleambally and Murray Irrigation areas over the next week.

The weed seeds will be taken back to CSU and tested for resistance to a range of herbicides.

Weed species to be collected include dirty dora, arrowhead, starfruit, water plantain, barnyard grass and silvertop. 

This survey forms a major part of a RIRDC funded research program to determine the level of herbicide resistance in the major weeds of rice.  

No individual paddock data will be released from this survey, only the overall findings.

The information gained from this survey will improve the understanding of the extent of herbicide resistance in weeds of rice crops and assist in designing strategies for management.

Because of the large number of farms that need to be surveyed within the short time frame prior to harvest,  John will not be able to call each grower prior to entering each rice field.

He will be driving a white Land Cruiser with the CSU logo on it’s doors.

Please call John Broster on 0427 296 641 or email jbroster@csu.edu.au if you do not wish your paddocks to be sampled and provide a map showing the location of the paddocks not to be sampled.

Gae Plunkett

Rice industry extension co-ordinator

Yay: To Leeton Shire Council for taking on the golf course for another four years. This a wonderful asset to the town. Even if it's not something everyone uses, it would be a real shame to see it go down the drain. Hopefully a long-term solution can be found.