FARMER RESILIENCE NETWORKING SERIES
The Farmer Resilience Networking Series aims to support our producers to build resilience and capacity, create community cohesion, improve mental wellbeing, create a network of support during hardship, and enable opportunities and practices to support a sustainable agriculture industry.
This project is supported by the Grower Group Alliance through funding from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's Dry Season Response initiative and the Synergy Community Giving Fund.
GROWER OUTREACH SESSIONS
The SFFC is actively engaging its members - ranging from value-added producers to meat and livestock farmers, young farmers, and winegrowers—to identify their priorities. Early feedback suggests a strong interest in topics such as water management and climate adaptation, but the program will remain flexible to meet evolving needs.
Grower outreach is critical as we want to deliver information that is not just relevant but meaningful - ensuring we’re addressing what matters most, rather than dictating what we think our growers need.
SFFC value-add members came together in November to socialise, discuss key issues affecting their businesses, and walk through two new processing facilities in Manjimup.
Over 60 young people working in ag attended a Young Grower Sundowner in Feb. The impressive turnout of 18-25 year olds gathered with enthusiasm and are now exploring options for future activities.
PROJECT BACKGROUND
The Southern Forests region is located in the beautiful South West corner of Western Australia and is home to over 50 different types of fruits and vegetables, truffles, nuts, wine, gourmet products, beef, sheep and dairy farms as well as extraordinary culinary experiences.
Agriculture is the major industry and employer for the region, supporting hundreds of agribusinesses and generational farming families and is the highest valued horticultural producing region for the State, valued at over $237 million each year.
The industry is incredibly versatile and resilient, having faced many challenges over the generations. The ongoing wellbeing, sustainability, and resilience of the region’s farmers is a priority for the Southern Forests Food Council (SFFC), particularly given the culmination of recent challenges and impacts the industry are currently facing, including extreme weather events, dry season, policy and legislation, biosecurity incursions, rising input costs, and loss of markets.
Farmer confidence and sentiment are low, with both the National Farmers Federation and peak industry body AusVeg recently releasing statements on the state of the industry. Farmers in the Southern Forests region are no different.
With the support from funding partners the SFFC will undertake outreach to various key groups within the Southern Forests farming community to identify key issues, concerns, and priorities to then create a series of targeted, relevant, and valuable events, workshops, and networking opportunities.
The Farmer Resilience Networking Series aims to support primary producers to build resilience and capacity, create community cohesion, improve mental wellbeing, create a network of support during hardship, and enable opportunities and practices to support a sustainable agriculture industry.
Through innovative and targeted projects and collaborations such as this one, the SFFC will continue to play a critical role in unifying the area's diverse producers to strengthen economic performance, build resilience and capacity, attract further investment, create jobs, promote regional pride, and ultimately achieve recognition as a highly regarded sustainable food producing region and culinary tourism destination.
Southern Forests Produce
Southern Forests Produce
Southern Forests Produce
Southern Forests Produce
Southern Forests Produce
This project is supported by the Grower Group Alliance, through funding from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the Synergy Community Giving Fund.
