While the association's annual conference in Sydney on Tuesday was most notable for its election of Bundella farmer Fiona Simson as the new NSW Farmers President, the forum was one very much focussed on the burning issues facing the state's farmers.

The calls for an independent inquiry into the lower lakes follow a campaign by leading figures in agriculture for removal of the barrages at the Murray's mouth which prevent salty ocean water moving upstream.

Mover of the urgency motion at this week's NSW Farmers’ annual conference, John Ward, said the need to deliver additional water to the lower lakes was impacting on upstream irrigators.

Also on the agenda for the NSW Farmers Association was a better co-ordinated and funded campaign mounted to control pest animals.

Its conference carried as multi-pronged resolution that included a call for significant additional funding for the control of wild dogs, rabbits, foxes and feral pigs.

It also asked that public land (including national parks) and private land be treated the same way under the plan.

It suggested there should also be a centralised map-based management data base that tracked pest animals, and stored information on managment activity and funding.

The conference also supported a separate motion for Guyra branch calling for bounties of $10 for foxes and $50 for wild dogs, in line with Victorian bounties.

One delegate warned however that bounties could encourage young men from local towns coming out and shooting at - and missing - wild dogs which were hard to track down.

Another delegate said that a few years ago when fox skins had been valuable young men had come out of town and a stray bullet had come through his homestead window late one night.

Fiona Simson noted that she takes on her new role at a time when there are some particularly core issues affecting the farming industry, and said she has a comprehensive plan to take the organisation forward. She succeeds Charles Armstrong, who was half-way through his four-year term when Mrs Simson, vice-president and chair of NSW Farmers committees including mining and sustainability, opted to challenge, saying that re-invigoration was needed.

Ms Simson becomes the first female president of the NSW Farmers Association.