Barnaby Joyce's costly gamble on coal, page-59

I have been impressed with your in-depth knowledge of farming
and associated environmental issues and of course your past
professional experience now now explains why.

From my travels out the country areas I have been disappointed by
the apparent farmstead and local towns neglect and the overwhelming
sense of despair that that the Bush seems to engender. IMO this is a far cry from the Bush
I experienced 50 years ago where people were upbeat and cheerful and
the towns were abuzz with activity.

I have also traveled through France, Germany, Northern Italy
and I'm always impressed at how farmers there have adapted
and developed farm based and market town based agribusinesses
whereby they, their extended family & local community, have
ongoing yearly work rather than stressing about seasonal crop hands
They are very proud of their food products and are always eager
to promote them at the farm gate or the local farmers markets.

In fact many city folk take the weekend trip to do food
shopping and partake in a truely farm grown lunch
with a local wine or cider

I remember being on the edge go the Back Forrest having
brunch at a farmhouse that had a Shinken & Wurst shop at
the gate and a smoke house at the back .
I asked the waitress if the eggs were the farm's own
in my high school German and quick as a flash the young daughter aged about a full 7
ran our and returned with a Rhode Island Red hen under
her arm in a kid-like "show & tell".

Has Australian farming got to change so that not only the land is
managed in a sustainable way, but also the farming community is too?

I'd be interested in your thoughts...eh?