To our ratepayers and all our customers

As the year draws to a close we would like to take this opportunity to share some reflections on the year that’s been and wish you all the best over the Christmas period.

It’s certainly been a challenging year for the many local producers impacted by drought.  Local Land Services have tried to stay a few steps ahead with information and advice to help support you make timely decisions responsive to the declining conditions. Our dedicated staff have worked with over 400 land managers at 24 drought specific events and responded to more than 3,000 enquiries via phone and farm visits.

We also continued to deliver a range of general agricultural advisory programs and, in response to the increasing number of small farms in the region, commenced a new program to support small landholders, absentee landholders and peri-urban area landholders understand their biosecurity responsibilities and develop skills to support biosecurity, animal welfare, agricultural production and natural resource outcomes. We continued our work on climate and market risk to help you better prepare your farm for the future.

Our animal health and welfare programs are critical for the protection of your livestock and industries and remained a core component of this years’ service. This year, our team of district vets grew to six working with our biosecurity officers to deliver support and advice and important surveillance programs. Our vets undertook 400 disease investigations to protect individual flocks and herds and validate Australia’s disease free status for international trade.  We also commenced two new disease surveillance programs which will investigate the presence of endemic diseases, mineral imbalances and internal parasites in ewes and heifers. These programs will provide valuable information to support local farm decisions.

The newly endorsed Central Tablelands Pest Animal Management Plan has set the priority for an ambitious wild dog control program, deer surveillance project and investigations into diseases in the feral pig population.  We have commenced or increased programs in these areas while continuing to support all landholders with their pest animal management responsibilities under the Biosecurity Act.

Planning for 2019 programs is utilising the latest data and technology to improve results. We are working closely with public and private land managers for the autumn wild dog baiting program and hosting information meetings in early 2019 to deliver a coordinated strategic program and to build community awareness and knowledge to support initiatives.

In the weeds area we supported the multi stakeholder Central Tablelands Weed Committee to develop the Central Tablelands Weed Management Plan and worked closely with local government for delivery of the NSW Weed Action Program.
   
We are currently working on the development of a regional plan of management for our Travelling Stock Reserves which will complement the State Plan of Management announced by the Minister last month.  This plan aims to improve social, economic, environmental, cultural and recreational outcomes on Travelling Stock Reserves while maintaining grazing as an important economic use and conservation tool.

We also supported growing healthy landscapes through programs and advice on the management of natural resources.  We were successful this year in a tender to secure 5 years of funding from the Australian Government to work with landholders to enhance and protect Box Gum Grassy Woodlands communities, the Small Purple-pea, Regent Honeyeater’s and the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.  An early win for the team was discovering two new populations of the threatened Small Purple-pea. This funding adds to the multiple funding sources we have secured to work with farmers, local community groups and a range of stakeholders to protect our environment.

We put a high priority on working collaboratively with community organisations, universities, farmer groups, government and private agencies, private advisors and other LLS regions to ensure we maximise opportunities to add value for our customers. We have a range of mechanisms we use to consult broadly and welcomed 10 community members to our new Community Advisory Group.  This group includes individuals with interest and expertise across the broad spectrum of our services and includes landholders and the wider community.

This year many of you completed the Customer Satisfaction Survey and it was heartening to see the positive feedback you provided. The survey is a useful source of information for us and we appreciate you taking the time to help us, help you. We genuinely consider the feedback and take on your suggestions so we can improve our core services as well as offer you more of what you need.

On behalf of all the Board and staff at Central Tablelands Local Land Services we wish all our customers and partners a very safe and Happy Christmas and New Year.

As always our staff remain prepared and alert over the break ready to respond in case of  agricultural emergencies, be they flood, fire or disease outbreaks.  While we are on break, we still want to be there for you with advice, so watch out for some summer tips we have planned for you on social media.