Farmers honoured for contributions

The 2013 WAFarmers annual conference was sponsored by CBH Group and presented by Emerald Grains.

Former WAFarmers president Colin Nicholl was awarded life membership while Distinguished Service Awards were presented to Des Seymour and Jeff Murray.

Industry Service Awards were presented to Sue Pike and Arthur Marshall, while Wheatbelt Railway Retention Alliance Coordinator and Merredin Zone Co-ordinator, Jane Fuchsbichler, was the recipient of the President’s Award.

WAFarmers president Dale Park said all recipients were extremely worthy of their awards, and their commitment and contribution to WAFarmers and agriculture had been extremely important.

‘All the award winners have been involved in different sectors, but their contributions are equally as important to ensure our agricultural industry in this State continues to grow,’ Mr Park said.

Mrs Pike and her family have been members of WAFarmers since 1974 and she has served the zone for many years as a delegate to the group’s annual conference and from 2011 to 2013 as zone co-ordinator.

‘Sue’s crowning achievement in this time was organising the Year of the Farmer Ball in York in 2012,’ Mr Park said.

Mrs Fuchsbichler was awarded the President’s Award for her efforts and commitment to keeping the State’s Tier 3 rail network open.

She has been the co-ordinator of the Wheatbelt Railway Retention Alliance since its inaugural meeting in 2010.

She has raised awareness by speaking at metropolitan meetings on the consequences of closing the Tier 3 rail lines.

‘Jane is the single biggest reason that the Tier 3 rail lines remain open today and have a chance of saving farmers a huge amount of freight into the future,’ Mr Park said.