Farmer Chris Hall from Wallendbeen’s Hall Family Orchards has been announced as the winner of the 2019 NSW Farmer of the Year award.
The awards were presented by NSW Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall at a ceremony at Parliament House today.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke congratulated Mr Hall on his extraordinary achievement.
“I want to congratulate Chris Hall for his wonderful achievement in being named as Farmer of the Year for 2019,” Ms Cooke said.
“It’s been such a tough year for our farmers battling drought but these awards are a wonderful reminder of all the successes and achievements of our primary producers.
“Chris and his family are great locals and as the Member for Cootamundra I’m immensely proud he’s taken home this year’s award.”
NSW Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall also congratulated Mr Hall on winning the award.
“I acknowledge how difficult it is at present for our farmers and our regional and rural communities but it is also important to stop and celebrate the successes and positives as we look forward to a time when farmers can take every opportunity to capitalise on skills like these when better conditions prevail.” Mr Marshall said.
Mr Hall is a third generation mixed enterprise farmer specialising in growing and packing export quality premium cherries as well as cross breed sheep, Angus cattle, cereal and mixed species cover crops.
He is a self-described environmentalist and innovator and his ethos is to partner with nature rather than controlling it, an approach that has now enabled him to farm pesticide and herbicide free for more than two years.
The Farmer of the Year and Young Farmer of the Year Awards are an initiative of the NSW Department of Primary Industries and NSW Farmers, with support from SafeWork NSW and Fairfax Agricultural Media.
