If there was ever a year to talk up the virtues of the rural sector it's this one. Bushfires kicked off the year and wiped out large tracts of farming land destroying homes, livestock and infrastructure.

The Rural caught up with Katie Henderson and Brad Plum of Borambola. The pair were involved in helping to look after displaced livestock during the fires.

Mr Plum was also one of the deputy captains with the Borambola Rural Fire Service (RFS) and saw first-hand the devastation being caused by the Dunn's Road Fire.

Landholders had still not put recovery measures into place after the fires when the world began to lock down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This region was affected.

People stayed at home and borders were shut.

One of the first commodities to feel the brunt of the coronavirus fallout was wool.

China has been an integral trading partner with Australia in terms of buying the clip.

Concerns over barley soon followed.

However, coronavirus did nothing to weaken intensity in the beef cattle industry.

All records including the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) were broken in 2020 and the industry continues in unknown territory.

Confidence in the beef industry was also a good thing for our seedstock producers with Dunoon Angus Stud at Holbrook selling a bull for $140,000 with Elders studstock specialist Lincoln McKinlay at the rostrum taking the bids.

"There is no better industry to be in ... I am so blessed and I love our stud stock industry here in Australia, I wouldn't do anything else, I love going to work everyday," Mr McKinlay said soon after the sale.

Decent rain helped farmers on their way to what has been described as an exceptional winter crop harvest.

Some are saying it's the best year in more than a decade, others are saying 2016 was better.

However, the buoyant outcome for crops wasn't felt everywhere.

There were some growers who experienced devastating hail damage.

In some parts, barley, wheat and canola was wiped out.

Alan Brown is NSW Farmers Association, Wagga and district branch chairman, and he is also an insurance assessor for damaged crops.

At the time he said there were areas around Junee and to the north of Wagga which had been badly impacted by hail.

Despite the challenges many are saying 2020 was a great year for agriculture, and one thing is for sure our farmers certainly deserve some good results.

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