FARMLINE editor Michael Thomson’s comments on why Australian agriculture needs its own River Cottage, extract from his article. “But the bottom line is that Hugh confronts the realities of farming and food production, and is proud to put them on display for the world to see. Too often agriculture’s first reaction to questioning of farming methods is to shy away from discussion of how livestock are kept and killed, or why pesticides are used on farms. Most of society holds farmers with a high degree of respect, but that will diminish if it treats the public like fools and pretend the facts of life don’t exist. Most people are fair minded, and if agricultural methods are explained properly, most people accept the hows and whys of where their food comes from” read more