DEAR News Of The Area,

ESSENTIAL food crops grown by farmers have advanced civilisation.

Many people argue for a right to farm which is understandable particularly when legally producing an essential crop in a farming area.

In parallel, science has proven that exposing unsuitable varieties of fruit or vegetables to the wrong environment increases plant stress resulting in plant systems closing down and being unable to store enough carbohydrates to complete essential growth stages.

Plants weaken attracting insect pests and disease organisms in the absence of competitors.

Addressing poor crop choice with pesticides, fungicides and herbicides can have a significant impact on the local environment away from the plant and are subject to pertinent laws governed by the Pesticides Act and the Protection of Environmental Operations Act (POEO).

Importantly, it is our responsibility as farmers to become educated about the permitted use of each chemical we use on our farm.

In November 2022 a report commissioned by Coffs Harbour Council on the Hearnes Lake catchment highlighted that of the twelve pesticides identified, one which is illegal in Australia, many have a drastic impact on aquatic life, translating into a significant impact on the fishing, oyster and tourism industries on the Mid North Coast.

Farming sustainably by removing pesticides and fungicides from the irrigation is quite straight forward.

Deploying an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) combines biological, physical and chemical tools to identify, manage and reduce risk from pests while minimizing overall economic, health and environmental risks supporting a sustainable future.
Regards,

Marc PERCIVAL and Ljubov SIMSON,
Nambucca Valley.