Tablelands farmers mobilise

Mr Keogh (pictured), the executive director of the Australian Farm Institute, will speak at the official launch of the farmer initiated association, Tablelands Farming Systems (TFS), at 2pm on Friday, February 14, at the Crookwell Showground Pavilion.

Established in 2013, TFS was formed by local farmers to provide research, development and extension to assist farmers and their businesses to be more profitable and resilient.

The group will be officially launched at this event by Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson, with the aim of showcasing the benefits of joining.

"Formed in the same vein as the highly successful Monaro Farming Systems group, TFS aims to bring together farmers from across the region to not only engage in research and extension, but have a platform to discuss and ex- change ideas pertinent to their business," TFS chairman and Bigga grazier Tom McGuiness said.

"It is this bringing together of like-minded farmers that is the purpose of this launch, for farmers to not only understand the objectives of TFS and see if their business would like to participate in the group but also hear from leading agricultural researcher, Mick Keogh."

Mr Keogh's keynote address will focus on the key global opportunities facing the agricultural sector, and how farmers in the Southern Tablelands region can capitalise.

"We are so fortunate to have Mick coming up to Crookwell as he is renowned for challenging the traditional way of thinking and providing interesting insights into the biggest issues facing agriculture," Mr McGuiness said.

Interested farmers are encouraged to attend the event, which ends with afternoon tea at 3.30pm.

A cost of $20 per business applies for non-members, to cover the cost of catering.

RSVP by 10 February to tablelandsfarming@gmail. com or 0467 340 045.