Further accolade for country campaigner

Mr Nixon has been a PGA member since 1966.

After working on the family farm at Dalwallinu, and then share farming at Dalwallinu and Kalannie, he purchased a farm at Moora in 1964, where he ran a successful Angus stud with his wife.

Mr Nixon has been involved in farming and pastoral ventures in West Kimberley, Victoria Plains, Noggerup, Boyup Brook and Mt Many Peaks.

In 1994, the family sold the farm and purchased a property at Gingin with a registered stud.

PGA president Tony Seabrook said along the way he found time to raise three daughters.

"Murray was elected to the Legislative Council in 1993, as a Member for the Agriculture Region and served for eight years," Mr Seabrook said.

"Murray was a great advocate for farmers during his time in Parliament and was responsible for Liberal Party members crossing the floor to vote against their own party on government policy - which would have introduced very restrictive conditions for producers on their ability to produce what they wanted.

"He was also instrumental in ensuring the exclusion of broad-acre cropping and grazing from the APC Act, which would of placed further levies on WA farmers."

Mr Seabrook said since Mr Nixon's retirement from parliament, he was still fighting for producers' private property rights.

"He has been successful in assisting producers prosecuted for clearing," he said.

"Murray is a supporter and promoter of governments introducing Private Property Right legislation to ensure rights are protected.

"Murray is chairman of the Gingin Private Property Rights Group and has been instrumental in bringing all spheres of agriculture together to fight the issue as a single voice."

Mr Nixon said he was honoured to receive the award.

"It was great to be recognised by my peers and the PGA," he said.

"I can't think of an organisation that works so hard for private property rights and for pastoral and agricultural industries.

"To receive an award from the PGA is a great honour."

Earlier this year Mr Nixon received the Medal of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours, recognising his significant contribution to the WA community, particularly in rural areas, and last month was presented with Liberal Party (WA Division) life membership.

"To say that the recipient of this year's award encompasses the very best, not only of the PGA, but of regional Western Australia would be an understatement," Mr Seabrook said.