You don’t have to talk to Bev Albinus for long to work out she’s an outspoken woman with a passion for agriculture. It’s this passion that has seen Mrs Albinus elected to the NSW Farmers Executive Council for another year.

Mrs Albinus and her husband Rob run a predominantly grains operation 17kilometres west of Inverell, and she’s come to be known as a local agriculture advocate.

Mrs Albinus began her farming life in 1983 when she and her husband moved from South Australia to start their lives as farmers.

“We’re both first generation farmers,” Mrs Albinus says.

“When we met we both knew we wanted to have our own farm and that we’d have to work hard for it,” she said.

So the young couple bought a share in a truck with Rob’s boss. After a few months they bought the truck outright. Bev handed in her resignation as head cook and kitchen manager at the Booleroo Centre Hospital and they began building a transport business together. Over the next 18 years they built up the business which they then sold to buy a farm near Inverell.

“Then we ran into the high interest rates of the 1980’s. It nearly sent us under, but we held on,” Mrs Albinus explained.

“That’s why I’m passionate about speaking up for farmers; we need to make sure they’re getting a fair deal so they can keep producing food and fibre for every Australian,” she said.

Over the years Mrs Albinus has worked behind the scenes to make sure farmers voices were heard on key issues like ovine johnes disease, exceptional circumstances payments for farmers in drought and native vegetation.

Mrs Albinus worked extensively on the Bundarra and Delungra EC applications in recent years.

The issue of native vegetation will come up as part the NSW Farmers Forum in Moree next month.

The forum is a chance for the NSW Farmers Association (now known as NSW Farmers) to reconnect with the North West region under the leadership of new President Fiona Simson.

Mrs Simson wants to reconnect with grassroots members at a local level and give all members more control over the setting of policy within NSW Farmers.

The forum will give members and the general public a chance to tell NSW Farmers what the big issues facing them locally are, and to work towards solutions.

The forum will also hear from President Simson about farmers legal rights when it comes to mineral and gas exploration on their land.

NSW Farmers grains expert Ben Mason will also unravel the confusion surrounding national representation for the grains industry.

Mrs Simson wants to make sure members have their say about the review of native vegetation laws that was recently announced.

NSW Farmers will be making a submission to the review, and will hold a series of round table discussions around the state to get members input before the submission is finalised.

The North West region discussion will take place immediately after the Moree forum.

The NSW Farmers Forum is taking place at Moree RSL at 8.30 on October 5. Anyone interested in attending the event is welcome. Please register with the NSW Farmers Member Services Centre on 1300 794 00.

© 2011 Inverell Times

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