Hi Landcarer’s

I am pleased to be bringing a fantastic line up of speakers to the Central West Livestock Exchange on Wednesday and Thursday of next week, between 9am and 3pm.

We have two days filled with presentations that are intended to provide advice to ease some pressure in the Spring and Summer season ahead.

On Wednesday, 25 September, we are holding a Feral Control and Disease Prevention workshop covering issues such as the encroaching feral pest animal species, their spread and impact on ground cover, waterways, infrastructure and precious stock.

As well as providing information and keeping your tummies satisfied, we will have practical demonstrations to show you how to use traps and baits.

Central West Local Land Services biosecurity staff will be providing information on their newly released Pest Animal Management grants, which aim to reduce the impact of pest animals on agricultural production and the environment. If you have a Landcare group that wish to work together to address pest issues, bring them along and work out a plan of attack.

Funded projects can cover a wide variety of activities and resources. Biosecurity Officer, Montana Bennett will be there with all the informatiion

Detective Senior Constable Andrew McGrath, NSW Police Rural Crime Unit, will be speaking to us about gun licencing, safety and farm security. So, if you’ve got any questions that you want answered around feral control as a recreational shooter or landholder, this will be a perfect opportunity.

Peter West from FeralScan will be showing us how to use the amazing FeralScan apps and provide some insight into the benefits of recording feral species.

On the following day, Thursday, 26 September we are holding a Weed Management and Stock Precaution workshop with speakers covering of on fodder concerns as we progress through the drought into the warmer months. What to be aware off when you are bringing fodder on to your property and how to address any issues that arise.

Both Parkes and Forbes Shire Council Weeds Officers will be speaking about potential weed risks specific to our region that are an issue now and those that may be an issue with the potential for ongoing dry conditions and sporadic rainfall events.

Kane and Tina will be pleased to identify any tricky weeds that you might have been wondering about. If you have a sample that you would like to have identified, please bring it in a sealed container for them to have a look at. We will also cover off on the DPI Weedwise App.

Central West Local Land Services Vet Nik Cronin will be speaking on both days about the management options for stock in the upcoming warmer conditions, the disease threat that feral animals pose, and on day two covering off on the risks of summer weeds to livestock.

We are looking forward to hearing from Catriona McAuliffe also at both forums, who will speak about the NSW Farmers policies around feral and weed management.

Obviously, with the drought moving to a new phase for our region, we need to be supporting each other where we can. We are fortunate to have Drought Support Peer Worker, Peter Gorman from NSW Health and Rural Adversity Mental Health Program Consultant, Di Gill to provide information on services that are available to assist rural communities.

If you book your spot, you will go in the running for a $100 fuel voucher. There is one available for each workshop. Bookings must be made by 5pm on Sunday, 22 September 2019. Conditions apply.

This funding from the Department of Primary Industries and Landcare NSW is through funding received from the Established Pest Animals and Weeds Initiative, part of the Australian Government’s Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper.

For further information on this article, please go to www.centralwestlachlanlandcare.org or twitter, facebook or Instagram @cwllandcare