Producer profile: Tom Kelsall, Wagga Wagga, NSW.

We asked Tom about a few key issues affecting food security that relate directly to his food production of beef. Take a look at what's on his mind. (P.S. Tom's the one in the hat in the photo below).

What’s your farm’s name?

River Run

Where are you?

Wagga Wagga

What’s your enterprise do?

River Run is a sustainable beef farming enterprise on the Murrumbidgee River at Wagga Wagga. Our highest principal is to act as land custodians and includes actualising an ongoing vision which, so far, has seen the planting of over 85,000 native trees and shrubs for sustainability, biodiversity and land restoration.

What food do you produce?

Angus and Wagyu beef.

What are the three key issues you believe are affecting food security in Australia?

1. Climate change.

2. Fracking and mining (which affects the quality of the soil, water and health – and consequently the food produce from it, as well as the natural beauty of the landscape).

3. Land clearing and land degradation (land clearing and over stocking degrades the land and climate in the long-term).

What are the four key issues influencing your enterprise's food production?

1. Climate: rainfall and temperature etc.

2. Seasonal conditions (E.G. Springs in the S.W.Slopes of NSW are getting shorter and less reliable).

3. Time for actual farm work versus undertaking unproductive bureaucratic compliance work (E.g. ill-conceived biosecurity plans).

4. Market conditions.

What’s your favourite meal?

My mum’s egg mouse

Paddocks&Plates comment.

It’s interesting to see that Tom has noticed a definitive change in his local climate and also sees it as a challenge for future food production. Also, that as one of today’s progressive modern farmers, he’s implementing sustainable farming practices to maintain his beef yields and to care for his land’s future production capabilities.