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Friday, 13 August 2004 With the Athens Olympics days away, the Australian Institute of Sport was buzzing, yet it was rice not sport on the agenda in Canberra this week. Close to two hundred rice growers, committed to maintaining their position as the most efficient and environmentally friendly rice growers in the world, attended the Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia (RGA) Annual Conference in Canberra. Rice growers demonstrated their commitment by building on their leadership in environmental improvement and Senator Judith Treoth recognised this in her address to conference. “I believe yours is the first agricultural industry to develop such an innovative [environment] strategy and, once again, it demonstrates how committed the Australian rice industry is to achieving best practice,” said Senator Troeth. “Your industry deserves congratulations on setting such a wonderful example for other rural industries to follow,” said Senator Troeth. The first of what the industry anticipates will be many innovative rice growers, progressed to Level 1 of the pilot Environmental Champions program and were presented with certificates of attainment by Senator Troeth. Senator Troeth noted that the Environmental Champions is an innovative system to encourage environmental change and understanding among rice farmers and the local community. “It helps ensure rice-based farming systems continue to be productive and financially viable, and enhances their on-farm and regional environment, said Senator Troeth. Fallacies associated with low carbohydrate diets was also brought to delegate attention by Manager of Nutrition services, Ms Trish Griffiths. “A healthy diet is about eating less of everything, and exercising more, it is not about deliberately cutting out an entire food group,” said Ms Griffiths. Ms Griffith said that rice is an excellent source of carbohydrates and provides a good energy source as well as being low in fat and salt, with no cholesterol and is gluten free. CONTACT |
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