The NSW allocation announcements on Monday 16 August 2021 were extremely disappointing for irrigators in both the Murray and Murrumbidgee systems. Despite many farmers in southern NSW being told to prepare for flood conditions, Murray General Security sits at a frustrating 30%, with Murrumbidgee General Security not much better at 52%.
Keeping a close eye on the latest in RD&E is what sets Darrell Fiddler apart from other rice growers and earnt him the accolade of 2021 SunRice Grower of the Year.
Today NSW Murray growers can breathe a sigh of relief that they will not have to repay the massive Barmah Millewa environmental water borrow before receiving a 2021 general security allocation.
The Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia (RGA), Griffith City Council, Leeton Shire Council and the Irrigation Research and Extension Committee (IREC) remind farmers who are planning to burn stubble, to do so responsibly.
“The Productivity Commission’s draft review of National Water Reform report has blundered the opportunity to make a significant and lasting contribution to the future of water reform” is the view of Ricegrowers Association of Australia President Rob Massina.
The RGA welcomed the opportunity to have face to face meetings in our region with the Hon Keith Pitt, Federal Water Minister, Member for Farrar, The Hon Sussan Ley and Senator Perin Davey this week.
The key finding from a Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) report released 17/12/20 confirms that southern NSW and northern Victorian farmers dependent on irrigation allocations have been deprived of an average 375,000 megalitres of water each year over the last seven years (2012–19).
