A commitment to balancing profit, sustainability and lifestyle has seen one young farming couple take out the 2009 New South Wales Young Farmer of the Year award. Stephen and Amity Chase, Trangie New South Wales, believe profit, sustainability and lifestyle goals need to be in balance to achieve business success and fulfilled lives. Recognising the couple's efforts in combining sustainable environmental practices and profitable production the award also acknowledges their work in preserving natural resources, improving biodiversity, together with their commitment to their local community.The Chase family run a 270-cow self-replacing commercial Angus herd targeting the long-fed feedlot market and 170-cow stud Angus operation selling 50-60 registered bulls a year, mostly at an annual on property sale. They also sow about 2000 hectares of cereals, oil seed and grain legume crops in a minimum-tillage, controlled traffic system. Farming in partnership with Stephen's parents Geoff and Diana, Stephen and Amity manage the stud and commercial cattle enterprises and have recently taken over grain marketing operations.
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