Frustrated farmers

PETER AND Jane Middlebrook from Finley expressed exasperation at the management in Southern NSW of the Murray-Darling Basin because of the impact it had on their farm.

The couple told the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry that their general security water allocation was at zero per cent.

"It is confusing for primary producers who all work long, hard, intelligent hours to have to pay so much for something that was their right, Peter Middlebrook said”

“Our district is fertile and productive, but we cannot operate without water.

“All irrigators in the Murray Irrigation are highly regulated and every drop is metered and accounted for.

“As primary producers we find it frustrating tow atch water run past us via the Murray River and Mulwala canal to flood forests, fill up a lake that was once an estuarine system and be evaporated so fresh water can run out to sea.

"Our current water entitlement is 1634 Ml. Of this we will incur costs whether we get an allocation or not."

A cursory inspection of the Coles supermarket in Deniliquin turned up plenty of choice in fresh milk.

"I was dismayed to see consumers were not buying the branded milk as the $1 per litre and associated sizing shelves were nearly empty and branded milks of all types were readily stocked.”

“The cheese section was represented by two choices, Bega, which was heavily discounted and the Coles home brand.”

The Middletons urged public debate about food security.

"Australia cannot continue to treat its farmers in such a degrading way.”