19 November 2024. Shane McCarthy, AgForce General President.
What a privilege to write to you after our fantastic AGM in AgForce heartland out at Goondiwindi. I’m humbled to take on the reins as General President, handed to me by our outgoing GP Georgie Somerset after her incredibly successful six year stint.
My thoughts now turn to two crucial meetings I’ve had recently, one with our new Queensland Primary Industries Minister and one with our new Treasurer. This first week as AgForce General President has laid bare to me the criticality of strong representation for producers.
Across biosecurity, Land Use Protection, Vegetation Management, market access, workforce and sustainability to name just a few, these issues involve powerful and decisive conversations that I want to ensure AgForce is part of.
You only need to look at what is happening in some overseas countries particularly in Europe, and the direction of our previous State Government, to know the enormous contribution Agriculture provides is being put at risk by ill-conceived policy settings, regulatory over-reach, and undue political influence from anti-farmer groups.
We have a chance for a ‘course correction’ with this new Government, which has already made some encouraging promises and appears to take a strong and considered approach to their new term of Government.
The AgForce briefings I took with me to these meetings were comprehensive, borne of the incredibly strong, ongoing and long form policy development work that underpins AgForce.
We have significant influence in Government in no small part because of the comprehensiveness of this work, the fact it is ongoing, and that through our committee process our collective views as industry participants, leaders and community members are always clearly represented.
It is clear from my time as Deputy General President the high esteem that the government holds AgForce in, at both a state and federal level.
The foundation of that strength remains the commitment and support of our loyal membership both financially and non-financially.
To producers who are not members, I encourage you to consider joining. The more united we are, the stronger our representative body becomes, and the more we can affect change in policy settings for our industry.
It's an honour to be your General President for the next period.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me at any time, whether you are a member or non-member, and I will do my best to ensure our organisation continues to grow in strength. I assure you that our needs and thoughts will continue to be fed strongly and clearly through to government and decision makers.