In the black
In last week’s The Land, Dubbo journalist Mark Griggs writes that Rebecca Reardon is reported to have said, in relation to NSW Farmers, that “at present the association was running at a loss” (“Two vying for Treasurer”, July 12, p13).
Given the association will report a multi-million dollar profit at the annual conference this month, the statement was clearly misleading.
Mrs Reardon, however, assures me she has been misquoted.
True it is that our subscription and project income is exceeded by our operating costs, but our investment returns place us well into positive territory.
They help us keep member subscription fees down while keeping member services and advocacy for members up.
This is why we have investments and why we take care to keep them growing .
PETER WILSON,
“Yarraman”,
Trangie.
Editor’s note: Last week’s story “Two vying for treasurer” did contain a mistake. The word “operational” was accidentally left out, which changed the meaning of what Mrs Reardon was saying. The sentence should have said “when looking at the business, Mrs Reardon said at present the association was running at an operational loss”.
More work to do
With the NSW Farmers’ conference approaching, it is important to look at the organisation’s finances.
Due to some significant cost cutting and some prudent acquisitions of office buildings some years ago the net position of the association has improved in recent years.
However, it is important to realise the operating position is still at a significant loss.
Unfortunately, we have once before sleepwalked into a financial crisis due to a heavy reliance on asset revaluations to balance the books.
The organisation has to find more members, more revenue streams, or cut its cloth to fit its operating revenue.
HELEN DALTON,
(Former NSW Farmers director),
Binya.
Still on costs
With regard to comments attributed to Rebecca Reardon in the story “Two vying for treasurer” (The Land, July 12, p13), “at present the association is running at a loss”, referring to NSW Farmers, I understand she is referring to “operational loss” on an annual basis.
While it is desirable to target an operational surplus, funding and reinvestment in our core business is the prime goal.
During the past eight years, successive strong and prudent board management has seen a doubling of the association’s net asset value to $80-plus million and growing.
This strong financial position has allowed us to fund initiatives such as extra-ordinary lobbying effort for native vegetation management reform and the recently launched monthly magazine, The Farmer, which gives an insight into the positives and issues confronting agriculture and the work our association does in seeking solutions and better outcomes on behalf of members.
This has been well received with early indications suggesting it will bolster a second successive year of membership growth.
Ironically, it is such initiatives with significant strategic allocation of resources focused on the long term outcome that deliver a short term operational loss.
The long term vision and big picture of agriculture and how we as farmers get there, should not be lost sight of in preference to the short term fiscal balance of one aspect of our business.
Otherwise you would have to ask; what’s it all for?
MITCHELL CLAPHAM,
NSW Farmers director.
Who feeds them?
Your story on John Barilaro, the NSW government and the brumby issue (“Brumbies: ‘in the same park’, The Land, July 12, p17) raised some serious questions.
Having spent a fair bit of time through the years in the eastern rain-shadow of Kosciuszko National Park, I’ve witnessed the ever-growing population of horses.
With the current savage drought, part of an inevitable cycle, food is going to be a problem.
A few weeks ago there was hardly any feed. What happens if, typically, the drought tightens its grip?
Will National Parks and Wildlife have to begin to feed the starving horses? I note the RSPCA prosecute landowners who don’t attend to the welfare of stock.
Could there be action against National Parks for maintaining unsustainable numbers of feral animals without due regard for their welfare?
Who carries ultimate responsibility for their suffering?
JOHN BLAY,
Eden.
Page turner
Referring to the letter from Gill Sandbrook (“Graze on”, The Land, Thursday, July 5, p22) which sang the praises of Charles Massy’s new book, The Call of the Reed Warbler.
I have just finished the book and plan to start it again, so full as it is of great ideas for Australian agriculture.
Anyone managing land through this recent, long, dry autumn can find the answers to reducing drought risk within its pages.
Massy offers us the opportunity to be part of the solution.
The ideas profiled are multiple and being practiced across Australia – a quiet regeneration of soils and lives – people sharing success and failures towards a better way of growing our food and sustaining the planet.
REBECCA GORMAN,
Mundarlo.
