IF YOU think I'm going to wade into the murky arguments surrounding the pros and cons of mining on the Yorke Peninsula, I'm sorry, I'm going to disappoint you.
It must be an emotive issue in the area as well as portions of the Lower South East where fracking is a concern, because it is really difficult to entice farmers into action that involves protesting on the steps of Parliament House and disrupting traffic in North Terrace, even if the numbers were disappointingly small.
I know a lot of cockies with long-held opinions that protesters for any cause are a bunch of professional 'dole bludgers' and 'drug-smoking hippies' that hire themselves to any cause in need of numbers.
It helps of course that some are willing to be passively dragged into police paddy wagons; it helps with the public sympathy when supposed innocents are arrested on television for a noble cause.
I don't want to take the seriousness of their cause lightly or sound condescending, but cockies have to take a leaf from the book that is so successfully used by animal activists and so-called environmental warriors.
I imagine it is difficult for a group of farmers, who are so used to acting independently in business and life in general, to network efficiently enough to garner enough numbers to mount an effective protest movement.
I hope I'm wrong because this could be a trial run for agricultural interests to flex their considerable muscle.
There are so many issues facing our industry and, it seems to me, that we meekly present our case while the forces which are trying to deny farmers conducting business can resort to underhand and, at times, illegal tactics to further the bogus claims against agriculture.
Apparently it is quite alright for an animal activist to trespass on someone's property, set up a covert camera and use the footage at some later date to incriminate a whole industry.
What is not alright, is that farmers have no say whatsoever on any new regulation, levy or law that is passed that directly affects their livelihoods; the usual outcome is a grumbling resignation and acceptance from farmers, then it's on with business.
* Full report in Stock Journal, August 7, 2014 issue.
