Northern NSW agriculture exporters mobilise on freight challenge

<p>Agriculture exporters in inland New South Wales are mobilising to protect and enhance their share of rail access to ports. </p> <p>Faced with declining availability of rolling stock due to the coal export boom and recent backlogs causing missed sailings, commodity producers west of the of the great divide organised the first conference of the North West Rail Users Group on January 22. </p> <p>Its stated objective was: &#8220To establish and maintain reliable and cost-effective rail services for all users in northwest NSW.&#8221 </p> <p>Of particular concern for the group was the transport outlook when agriculture returned to normal production after the drought. </p> <p>The group believes that this, combined with the coal boom, will put an intolerable strain on freight, and lead the sorts of backlogs and bottlenecks witnessed in the last two months of last year. </p> <p>The group is looking to similarly dissatisfied producers who may wish to create similar bodies in the central west and southwest to provide a &#8220united front&#8221 in pressuring the State Government to address what has been described as a &#8220logistics nightmare&#8221.</p> <br />