Tasmanian farmers today applauded Governor-General Quentin Bryce on her high praise of Australian farmers in her Australia Day Message yesterday.

“In her message to the nation, the Governor-General praised the work of our farmers,” chief executive of the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association Jan Davis said today.

“It was an extraordinary piece of television in which Quentin Bryce positioned the Australian farmer in a way that few have done before,” Ms Davis said.

The Governor General stated that … Our farmers are the life-force of our nation … they sustain local economies and communities.

“In highlighting the integral role farmers play in our daily lives, Ms Bryce reminds us all not to take them for granted; and to value the daily essentials that result from their work”, Ms Davis said.

“This is particularly the case in Tasmania, where agriculture is a key economic driver which generates jobs and well-being for people across the state.

Ms Davis quoted the Governor-General …. The food we eat, the clothes we wear, the wine we drink, our shoes, our office stationery, the timber in our houses and in our kitchen tables are all connected to farming. So many essentials of daily life are there for us because of the efforts of our farmers.

.Again, especially relevant in Tasmania is the Governor General’s recognition of the important role farmers play as environmental custodians … Farmers are the sentinels of our environment. They are the first to see changes in soils, water quality, birdlife, and natural vegetation and they’re also the first fixers. Often environmental degradation is stopped in its tracks by farmers.

Ms Bryce’s final message was that, on Australia Day, we should take time to reflect on our lucky country and to give thanks to the farmers who work so hard to make that luck.

“This is a message we should take to heart – not just on Australia Day. Every day, everyone should thank a farmer for their next meal,’ Ms Davis said.

The Governor General’s message can be viewed in full at http://www.gg.gov.au/
Jan Davis http://www.tfga.com.au/