THE widely-held perception that farmers are simply whingers with their hands out for support is a serious public relations issue.
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But it shouldn't be.
Young farmers, during recent discussion events held by The Land across the State, have said they want more innovative thinking and proactive policy surrounding agriculture.
Their goal is simple: pay farmers what their produce is worth, and the rest will take care of itself.
But how do we set the industry on a course toward this goal?
First, we must figure out how to break the cycle in which farmers reach a point where they need to ask for assistance in seasons such as the conditions experienced in the past 12 months.
For young farmers, this discussion must venture beyond preparedness - something our governments have been unwilling to do.
These farmers have fresh ideas about how to create low risk entry into farming, how multi-peril insurance could reduce the need for low interest loans, and how as an industry they can use their collective force to bargain with the supermarkets or overseas buyers, instead of waiting for the government to introduce protective policy.
More than anything, young farmers want to be the masters of their own fate.
So why then has our government been so slow to respond?
The simple answer is they're not engaging face-to-face at the grass roots level.
Initiatives such as the White Paper on agricultural efficiency are an excellent start, but the decision makers are in the big smoke while the people with the ideas to make it a success are remain in the paddock.
Few of these farmers have the available time to write a submission to government.
However, they are the key group government needs to engage if this long-spruiked food boom is to come to fruition.
Find a way to break this deadlock and re-engage farmers in the discussion and the ideas we need will flow.
Agriculture, not mining, should be the creator of wealth in this country.
The skills and ideas are there, but the political engagement is lacking.
Get the full wrap on what our young farmers think in the 32-page Growing our Future special publication, free with next week's The Land.
