Farmer of the Year winners announced
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A farmer dedicated to protecting soil quality and a Western Division grazier have been named the State’s top farmers for 2005.
Warren farmer Scott McCalman won the 2005 Farmer of the Year award (FOTY), while Graham Finlayson of Brewarrina has taken out the Young Farmer of the Year title.
Scott's dedication to the principles of zero tillage farming, combined with innovative natural resource management techniques, won him the title of top farmer. Scott also uses permanent stubble cover and opportunity cropping to help him achieve his sustainability goals.
Graham has diversified his business by starting up a farmstay enterprise on his property. In addition, he also introduced a range of measures to make the best use of limited water supplies and also destocked regularly.
Casino dairy farmer Fleur Tonge and Dubbo Dorper sheep breeder Steve Cresswell were runners-up in the FOTY category, while James Friend of Walgett was runner-up in the Young FOTY category.
Initiated by the Department of Primary Industries and the NSW Farmers' Association, the awards are designed to acknowledge agricultural excellence, with a particular emphasis on farmers who combine sustainability with profitability.
Scott McCalman received $10,000 as Farmer of the Year, while Graham Finlayson received $5,000 as Young Farmer of the Year. The prizes will help both winners further develop and improve their farming enterprises. Each of the runners-up will receive $1,000.
The judging panel consisted of Cobar farmer and Independent chair, Marie Russell; NSW Farmers Association CEO, Dr Ray Johnson; Harden Mayor and farmer, Chris Manchester; NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Director-General, Barry Buffier, and DPI Deputy-Director General Dr Richard Sheldrake.
Brief biographies of the two winners follow:
Farmer of the Year winner
Scott McCalman – ‘Jedburgh’ WARREN
Scott and his wife Jo are dedicated zero-tillage farmers, operating two properties totalling 12,500 acres north west of Warren. In 1990 Scott made the decision to completely de-stock their properties in a bid to achieve better pasture and soil sustainability. Attention to soil quality, cover cropping and moisture conservation have been paramount to the success of their operation. Scott's opportunity cropping schedule varies each year and includes crops such as wheat, cotton, canola, chickpeas and sorghum. He has a strong interest in the latest agricultural research, and regularly develops custom-built machinery to achieve his soil health goals.
Young Farmer of the Year winner
Graham Finlayson – ‘Bokhara Plains’ BREWARRINA
Graham and his wife Cathy run a cattle and sheep grazing enterprise, with a strong emphasis on care for the tough environment of western division grazing country. Livestock are managed in an intensive grazing system that balances the health of the animals with the need to rest pastures and promote the native perennial grasses of the low rainfall area. Graham's goal is to increase the property's groundcover as well as improve the biodiversity in the pastures through use of cell grazing. Graham and Cathy added a farmstay accommodation aspect to their enterprise in 1991 which last year attracted more than 2,000 guests.
Media contact: Trudy Glasgow