Media Releases

Rice included in free trade agreement with UK, benefits all.

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).

The Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia (RGA) questions why a supplementary event has not yet been announced for the NSW Murray River system.

Today’s dismal water allocation announcements have left Growers scratching their heads and wondering ‘Where has the water gone?’

The reliability of General Security entitlements in the Murrumbidgee and NSW Murray valleys will be permanently reduced if the NSW Legislative Council drought of record motion is implemented.

The NSW Government should announce an allocation for NSW Murray and Murrumbidgee General Security entitlement holders on 1 June.