JUNIOR FARMERS

Junior Farmers

The Junior Farmers movement was started as a voluntary movement under the auspices of the Education Dept in the mid 1930’s. By 1939 there were some 43 clubs throughout the state. During the war many of the clubs went into recess, but were revived again in the decade following the war.

The Junior Farmer Movement Act of 1955 was proclaimed in 1957.
Under this Act the Council for the Advancement of the Junior Farmers Movement was formed to be responsible to the Minister for Education. The Junior Farmers Movement Council changed its name to the Rural Youth Movement Council from 1 January 1975 following a similar change of name for the enabling legislation.

JUNIOR FARMERS’ CLUB MOVEMENT
A Fine Organisation Neglected

Great Southern Herald
18 May, 1940

Everyone knows that encouragement and interest go a long way to help build something great. If everyone puts his heart into a movement it will succeed, and big things are done by the voice of a number. Anything half-heartedly done fails dismally, even though the object in view may possess great advantages. So it is with the Junior Farmers’ Club in Katanning, and perhaps those in many other towns for that matter.

The club has had a regular attendance of some half a dozen enthusiasts who have laboured to the utmost to establish a sound organisation which will hold decided advantages for those young men wise enough to become members. Disappointment is being expressed by them at the lack of cooperation shown on the part of parents and citizens. The active membership of the Katanning Club has been too low to enable the club to exploit its great possibilities as a social unit for young farmers.

Many and varied have been the suggestions as to the cause of apathy on part of young fellows, but the one suggestion which met with consideration, doubted whether parents were taking enough interest in the activities of their young men in the social side of life. From a social standpoint the Junior Farmers’ movement is unexcelled. It offers opportunities for meeting strangers in your own district; making valuable acquaintances and friendships; and generally brightening the young man’s social life – for dances and social evenings can easily be arranged. Already some very popular evenings have been held.

Of course, everyone knows amusement alone cannot constitute the sole activity for a club, so the club provides well for an intellectual side of its existence. Lectures and demonstrations have been held, field days and outings arranged, and interesting problems are studied, so the club has infinite possibilities.

No wonder the Junior Farmers’ has proved to be the most popular youth movement in the agricultural towns of Australia, and there is no reason why it should not become fashionable and beneficial to the lads of Katanning, if only parents would encourage their young men to attend meetings and take an active part in the proceedings.

Katanning has always been well ahead in material things, but societies and associations have not met with much success. Why shouldn’t the farmers of the district get their sons interested in the Junior Farmers’ Club; why don’t the lads come along and join Australia’s popular movement: to prove that the district can run an organisation successfully. No, there is no reason at all.

Why should Katanning have to acknowledge Wagin, Dumbleyung, Lake Grace or Manjimup as having superior clubs when there is such a fine lot of young men in this and surrounding districts?

There are some people who disapprove of the movement; their reasons are obsolete and rather undefined. Perhaps they think youth is getting too much to the fore, or it has no need for intellectual organisations; but it is only by educating the young men and women of today, to a stage when they will be able to think and construct ideas for themselves, that we will remain a democratic nation. Hitlerism feeds on ignorance of its subjects who will follow any rash ideal, oblivious to the possibilities of degradation and misery.

So, parents and citizens, unite to foster the finest of movements which will mould the men of the future. Do not neglect them, for woe betide the nation that neglects its youth. Remember the child of today is the man of tomorrow, and every individual has the power to take his part in training the youth by encouraging attendance at Junior Farmers’ meetings. So, see how you can do your bit now.

Written on behalf of the Junior Farmers’ Club
by Noel Beeck.

Taking on Western Australia’s last Rural Youth in 80th year

ABC News
4 March, 2015
By Karla Arnall

The Katanning branch of Rural Youth has bucked a state-wide trend and has seen participation grow in recent times. With a new President and plans to modernise, the last functioning branch of the association hopes to inspire a new generation of 18-35s to get involved in their town.

Times have changed since Western Australia’s first Junior Farmers Club was founded in Harvey in 1935. In a world without social media, the club provided a unique opportunity for young people living in regional Australia to connect, share ideas and meet in person.

Junior Farmers

Katanning’s Rural Youth President, Mark Letter,
hopes to modernise the decades old club.
(Karla Arnall – ABC Great Southern)

Nowadays, the landscape is radically different. Mark Letter, Katanning President of the now named Rural Youth, understands this more than most. With approximately 20 paying members and with more attending regular events, the group is the last operational club in Western Australia.

Letter is determined to stay relevant and grow membership numbers.
“I think we’re undergoing what a lot of volunteer clubs are facing and that’s a struggle for commitment and members,” says Letter.
“In regards to mobile phones, you can quickly catch up with someone and that’s what I feel Rural Youth was intended for, to bring people together. Now with technology, that’s kind of lost its place.”
“So to be able to continue we have to change, we have to grow.”

Partying with purpose?
Elected President in November 2013, the Tambellup born Letter has a close connection to Rural Youth – his mother also served on the committee. Moving back to Katanning for work at 25, he found that the social side of the group made his transition back to country life a lot easier.

Socialising remains big on the club agenda.
Katanning’s Rural Youth hosts an annual ball, ice-breakers and meet ups. On any given Saturday, club members and their friends can be found in the local coffee shop doing the Saturday paper quiz.

Whilst on face value this may seem like fun and games, Letter says that bringing people together in a face-to-face environment serves a broader function for the community.

“By having a social event you can advocate a community agenda,” said Letter.
“So it’s done subtly, but ultimately it’s there for youth to know that there are other people there with shared interests. Then hopefully, we can bring together an agenda for the community where we will benefit the town,” said Letter.

The club recently raised $4K at its Pre-Harvest Ball for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and is working with the Katanning Action Network to purchase flags representing the different nationalities of the town.

Letter recently spoke at a SuperTown meeting and advocated for a town cafe with WiFi. He said that spaces such as these are important for the town’s youth so they can catch up, “not just over a drink”.

Letter plans on pursuing such ideas and stresses the importance of doing so via formal social networks such as Rural Youth.

“I think that the youth are probably concerned that their voice isn’t heard, but there’s also a part of us to now realise that we’ve got a place in the community and we need to work on that.”
“I think some youth are probably a bit scared of doing that and I think that’s where we’d like to show them that it’s not a life sentence if you’re putting your hand up to help with a BBQ or help out with a sporting club,” he said.

A changing community
Katanning’s population has changed rapidly over the last four decades and is now one of Western Australia’s most culturally diverse towns. Many 18-35s also come to town on work contracts and aren’t necessarily committed to staying on. In this environment, couldn’t Rural Youth be seen as a vestige of a bygone era?

“My vision would be for us to regroup our interests that we’ve always had, the interests at heart, but reach out to people in a different way and really take ownership in our community,” said Letter.
“I think we’re starting to realise that now, that there’s also a change within the youth of the town. We’re getting a lot of fresh blood who do come from the city, who do want the cafe rather than the pub, but also like the pub at the same time. It’s about finding that balance and that’s what I think the challenge for Rural Youth is, is to find a way that we can bring people together in different areas.”

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