TFGA CEO Roadshow 'chance to position the TFGA for the future'

The Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association finished up its series of CEO Roadshow events, that took chief executive John McKew from Ulverstone to Bothwell for a series of talks.

Mr McKew said the roadshow events, which were held in all three regions of Tasmania were designed to connect farmers more closely with the TFGA and had two functions.

The first function, was to allow farmers to communicate any issues that they wanted to raise with the TFGA, but it was also an opportunity for the advocacy group to talk about some recent changes to membership conditions.

Mr McKew said recently the TFGA had to increase its membership fees, as the organisation transitioned to build its capacity to work better for its members.

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"These roadshows gave us the opportunity to connect with our members, to talk with them, but also for us to communicate directly with them and to share messages about why we have increased prices," Mr McKew said.

Since taking on the role of CEO since last year, McKew said he'd been busy looking to the future of the TFGA and how it could position itself as a true advocacy group into the future.

A frequent criticism of the TFGA in the past was that it did not advocate with government or other policymakers to get better outcomes for Tasmanian farmers.

"To be able to do that we need to build the capacity of the business," he said.

Rising fees is one way the TFGA can increase its budget, as a not-for-profit, which Mr McKew said was needed for the future.

He said over the next 12 months, the TFGA was looking to employ more people, to increase its policy capacity, but also its communication aspect - with farmers and internally.

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Mr McKew said issues such as climate change, transport regulation, COVID and other things closer to home such as the Marinus Link project and the shearer shortage were all things farmers raised and that needed the attention of the TFGA.

However, the business was hamstrung in its capacity. He said during the roadshow events he got some frank feedback, which was useful for him to be able to navigate a way forward for the TFGA.

CEO Roadshow events were held last week in Ulverstone, Deloraine, Campbell Town, Swansea, Scottsdale and Bothwell. The final roadshow event was held in Launceston.

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