Xavier Martin, the President of the NSW Farmers Association, appeared on the Country Viewpoint this week to discuss the celebrations planned for National Agriculture Day in his hometown on Friday.
Martin said it was important to recognise what the day is really about and the challenges involved for producers and growers in Australia right now.
"This year's theme is Grow You Good Thing and that's what farmers are about, we're in the business of growing healthy plants, healthy animals and to provide the food and fiber, the seeds and clothes to the population," said Martin.
"We're going to be pressing on about the celebration for ag and the challenges too for ag, but you know, just informing people about what an important day it really is."
Martin, a farmer himself who operates a wheat, canola and sorghum farm at Mullaley, near Gunnedah, also offered his views on the latest news relating to buybacks and the Murray Darling Basin Plan - one of the most controversial topics in Australian agriculture right now.
Martin also expressed his frustration with individuals in political circles offering commentaries on the current state of the Basin Plan, who are not on the ground and emotionally connected with river towns.
"This so-called restoring the rivers bill will actually wreck the rivers, I mean already the taxpayer water is just flooding out of the rivers and all over farmland in many parts of the valley and it's soaked the river banks so much that the trees are falling in and the banks are slumping and eroding and causing sand slugs and chokes in the rivers, you know, totally dysfunctional," Martin said.
"It's not actually an environmental plus at all, it's actually wrecking the rivers, so we've really got a serious problem on our hands because we've got these theoreticians and academics and environmental activists in Canberra and well-meaning ministers I think, but they don't get out and have a look.
"So they're just listening to these advisors on the hill in Canberra who advise them on all sorts of silly ideas."