STRONG HARVEST FORECAST WELCOMED ACROSS COOTAMUNDRA ELECTORATE
Tuesday, 10 November 2026
A promising harvest season is underway across the Cootamundra electorate, with growers reporting strong yields in many areas despite ongoing pressure from high input costs and softer grain prices.
Cootamundra member Steph Cooke joined local farmer Dan Manglesdorf at his West Wyalong property, where barley harvest has begun, and preparations are underway for several weeks of harvesting across a range of crops.
Mr Manglesdorf said seasonal conditions had delivered encouraging results.
“We’re very lucky to have the increased yields, which will help keep some return in the business," Mr Manglesdorf said.
"It's been a very expensive year for farmers and small business people everywhere, of course, so we're feeling very blessed."
"We've got a good month ahead of us if everything goes to plan.”
Ms Cooke said harvest was one of the busiest and most important periods on the agricultural calendar, supporting both farm businesses and regional communities.
"Harvest is well underway now, and it'll go through right through to the middle of December, and of course then we start pulling in our fruit over there in the eastern part of the electorate in Young and other places," Ms Cooke said.
"We’ve got a really busy couple of months ahead."
Ms Cooke said the benefits of a successful harvest extended well beyond individual farms.
"Agriculture plays a pretty important part for small communities," Ms Cooke said.
Mr Manglesdorf agreed, saying harvest activity provided a significant boost to local businesses.
"Certainly, this time of year in our local communities is very beneficial for the local businesses," he said.
"We're getting dinners catered in town, for instance, not to mention the fuel, oil repairs, everything else."
"We do what we can to keep liquidity in the local community because we're all part of that community."
Ms Cooke thanked farmers across the electorate for their contribution to their local communities and the nation.
"Our country would not be what it is without our farmers, they do an incredible job," Ms Cooke said.
"They are the backbone of every single community in the Cootamundra electorate."
"You are feeding us, you are feeding our nation, and you are employing our locals so that our schools stay open, and that our hospitals are able to exist."
"On behalf of everyone in the electorate, I just wanted to say a huge thank you for what you do."
