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Is Chop Day a good idea?

Irate landholders sick of bearing the costs of land clearing restrictions marked the new financial year with a tree chop protest, but is that the right way for farmers to get their message across.

AgForce understands their frustrations with the clearing laws but says chopping down trees in protest also puts at risk farmers' image among the wider community as responsible environmental managers.

The Commonwealth Property Protection Association, a NSW farmer group established to fight for fair compensation for the loss of property rights native vegetation laws have imposed, declared July 1 'National Chop a Tree Day'.

As such it called upon affected farmers to cut down one tree on Sunday in protest, and then progressively increase the number of trees chopped each day until the issue has been resolved.

But AgForce chief executive Brett de Hayr says chopping down trees in protest could re-ignite in the public's mind the imagery green groups used against farmers in garnering support for their push for land clearing to be banned.

Market research conducted by AgForce found that while the general public regard landholders as responsible environmental managers, the imagery of the anti land-clearing campaigns was still prevalent in people's minds as a negative stereotype of farmers.

"It's the one issue that pops into people's front of minds that can set you back. We have to be very careful we're not reinforcing that [stereotype] regardless of what you're trying to achieve," Mr de Hayr said.

However, Property Rights Australia chairman John Purcell disagreed, saying city dwellers were no longer attuned to the issue in the same way they were three years ago, but the acts of civil disobedience were a useful way of gaining government attention to the angst over the issue.

"It's clearly paying dividends because they've been invited by the NSW Minister (Phil Koperburg) to come and talk about the issue," Mr Purcell said.

What do you think?

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Date: Newest first | Oldest first
It is about time affected farmers showed the govt and the greenies exactly what they thought of the unfair regulations imposed on them by city dwelling greenies who know only that milk comes from a carton and meat from supermarkets.

Minority groups (including the greens) have for far too long received too much media exposure in Australia in comparison to those producers in the frontline.

Producers have to battle disease, climate, unfair international markets and ill informed city dwellers who make up not only the political majority but also the voting majority.

It is these short sighted politicians hell bent in being re-elected that pander to these minority groups who are full of half-truths and sensationalism to justify their existence and cause.

Although impractical it would be good to see primary producers of all goods to withhold there produce from the narrow minded city dweller and wait for the outcry.

No milk!

No vegetables!

No fruit!

No bread!

No beef, pork, lamb, chicken!

No cheese, yogurt, pasta, etc!

Power to these people until they get the audience from the politicians and the follow through of the politicians for just regulations and conditions for all.

Posted by tony weise on 8/07/2007 3:09:20 AM
I agree with what these farmers are doing because the various farming organisations aren't achieving too much by the methods they are using.

Are they really trying, because the majority of farms are currently fully cleared or almost fully cleared so it seems as though it is easier to let these laws come into effect as they will affect a minority of farmers, and the rest or the majority will not be affected and will have to do nothing.

This uncleared land was previously considered marginal but now with new pastures they can become very productive, but that is being stopped by clearing laws.

In some land invasive woody weeds are devistating the country and badly degrading it and this can only be remedied by clearing of these weeds, but if they are native then there is a problem.

Australia has achieved its greenhouse gas targets by stopping land clearing, which affects these minority of farmers with uncleared land, which used to be considered marginal and therefore this minority are wearing these costs for all Australia.

Being a minority, no wonder the various farming organisations are doing little and don't seem to want to rock the boat.

These so-called distructive farmers are now rocking the boat and I say good on them and I hope they get some results.

Posted by Max Dench on 10/07/2007 4:54:11 AM
This is a very silly idea and will only progate negative images of NSW Farmers in the minds of the urban voter.

Bad idea.

Posted by Jane on 14/07/2007 5:05:47 AM
Global Warming Scam

The seas are going to rise, do you believe that?

Look at a map of the world, look at all the countries that have ice on them that are running into the seas, there can be no increase in levels of seas from the polar caps melting - wondering why?

Put an ace cube in a glass of water, tell me when it overflows.

The only increase in levels of the seas is if it melts off land.

There is not enough land mass with melting water compared to sea surface area to change the sea level.

Another thing to think about, there is NO more and NO less water in the world today than there was 1000 years ago.

A word to the wise, FOLLOW THE MONEY to find the TRUTH.

Sick of being SCAMED and LIED TO.

Posted by dirkot on 7/08/2007 9:03:51 PM
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