The Hawkesbury is the new front line for food production and moves should be afoot to stop swallowing up land for housing, according to TV and radio personality Graham Ross.
On hand as official guest to declare this year's Hawkesbury Show open, Mr Ross said the Hawkesbury had been part of the nation's food bowl since the 1800s and it was important to stop consuming land for housing to ensure food quality.
"It used to be when I worked at Castle Hill and around Dural way that was where our food was coming from and you guys were way out almost near Broken Hill. Well, suddenly Broken Hill's on our back door," he told the crowd at Saturday's opening ceremony.
"We've really got to stop consuming land for housing. Eventually if you increase your food miles - in other words the distance your food travels to your local green grocer - the quality of the food decreases by 40 per cent pretty much every day that it's left the paddock.
"We've got to stop consuming our state with housing at some stage and make sure we keep our food production. Well, if it's got to be Hawkesbury, then that's the front line and that's where it should stop and that's where our food should be coming from," he said to applause and cheers from the crowd.
Mr Ross also paid tribute to the local police force, saying one of his saddest memories was planting a tree at Windsor police station for Bryson Anderson, who was killed on duty in 2012.
"[He] lost his life defending our freedom, and it's great to see your area commander here today because I love these guys, they are just brilliant, they are the best force in the nation," he said to more applause from the crowd.
