THE letter responding to Jim King’s “CSG hypocrisy” (The NDL, July 31) said that Santos and AGL were sponsors of the NSW Farmers’ Association conference to answer farmers’ questions and to offer the “science” on coal seam gas.

Santos makes no secret of its gasfield aspirations from Scone to the Queensland border and beyond, and in particular the Liverpool Plains area. 

The NSW Farmers’ position on CSG extraction remains in stark contrast to their recent (and appropriate) response to the recent approval of the Shenhua coal mine.

Perhaps Shenhua (and BHP) should be offered the opportunity to offer their science (and sponsorship) at next year’s conference?

In this eventuality, the NSW Farmers’ annual gathering would more resemble a Minerals Council or APPEA function.

In Derek Schoen’s letter (The NDL, Aug 4), he states that NSW Farmers’ are uniquely placed to speak on behalf of most NSW farmers.

I believe that, in extractive industry areas, NSW Farmers’ membership is declining and the assoc- iation is losing touch with agricultural communities suffering in the agriculture vs mining debate.

He also says that NSW Farmers’ supports a framework that identifies and protects our most productive agricultural resources.

As a member living in an area deemed “not productive enough”, it is becoming clear to me I can expect little effective NSW Farmers’ support.

After decades of support of this association, I am choosing not to pay membership this year.

Obviously NSW Farmers’ seeks to fund their activities from other sources.