My name is Timothy Green and I am the current NSW RAS Rural Ambassador.
In my last piece I covered where I have come from and where I am today. In this article I will cover my thoughts on the importance of the Australian show scene and the education it provides.
In an age where ignorance and misinformation spreads like wildfire, I believe that shows will continue to be one piece of the bridge that needs to be built.
A bridge that joins the realities of primary industries to those living in a disconnect to the way their products are made.
It is borderline ironic that this connected life we live is responsible for creating such a misinformed divide. Inflammatory articles based on the minority of producers and minimal science are shared like they are concrete evidence of the transgressions of an entire industry.
Perhaps it is time we stop sourcing information from incredible sources but rather revert to the horse's mouth and proven science. In this situation the horse, along with its mouth, resides at country shows.
In an age where ignorance and misinformation spreads like wildfire, I believe that shows will continue to be one piece of the bridge that needs to be built.
- Timothy Green
There are very few locations you can travel to where a masterclass on a variety of agricultural industries are all presented within a few hundred metres of each other, yet this is exactly the environment that our country shows provide.
It may be a pie in the sky future to believe it will be possible to recreate a world in which this disconnect does not exist, but it is one that myself, alongside the classic country show will continue to strive for.
In my current role I have attended a number of local rural shows as well as some of the larger Royals around the country.
There is one common theme that unites every event that I have been to, and that is passion.
Regardless of the individual sector, no matter who you talk to, they are always full to the brim with energy and a desire to educate others on their particular field.
So I'll leave you with a task. At least once this year go to a country show, find a person in boots belonging to an industry outside your own, and ask them what they love about their job.
I guarantee you'll come away a hell of a lot smarter than you were before, not to mention making someone's day.
It is through these sorts of discussions that we as Australians can work towards becoming more connected and aware, and possibly even slow the dangerous sharing of misinformation. The solution? Country shows.