Time to get excited for inaugural Young Farmer Network Ball

A NEW social opportunity for the region’s young farmers and agricultural workers is kicking off next Friday.

Birchip Cropping Group is hosting its first Young Farmer Network Ball; a formal, optional black-tie event bringing together five of its groups from across Wimmera and Mallee areas and North Central Victoria.

Project Manager at BCG Demi Taylor said the event is aimed at helping form and strengthen ties within the region’s farming communities.

“We decided to have a ball and hold a networking event so farmers from different areas could come together and celebrate the contributions of young people to our communities because they’re so crucial to our rural communities,” said Ms Taylor.

“It’s really important to get them together and bring their ideas together because their innovation, dedication, and passion just continues to flourish in our regions.

“The more people we can get there the more successful it will be, and the more chance young farmers have to network and get to know one another, which I think is really important, particularly through the tougher times like drought.”

While primarily targeted at younger people, Ms Taylor said the organisation wanted it made clear that the ball is open to anyone within the community.

“We just don’t want people to be fooled by the name and think they can’t attend,” she said.

“We decided to start it up because we could see a gap in events that celebrate youth in ag; it’s targeted at the youngest active generation on farms, but also it’s open to anyone who wants to join our events.”

The event is funded by the Loddon Shire Council and the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

The BCG Young Farmer Network Ball will be held on Friday 15 March at Bridgewater Hotel at Bridgewater on Loddon.

Tickets can be purchased at bcg.org.au.