Australian farmers are facing overwhelming pressure. They shouldn’t have to face this alone.
Australian farmers are facing mounting pressure as drought, fires, floods and rising costs continue to impact communities across the country.
Rural Aid is calling on Australians to stand with farmers and their families, as many continue to recover from recent disasters while managing the rising cost of keeping their farms running.
Drought, fires, floods and cyclones have hit farming regions in quick succession, leaving many communities still recovering while preparing for what comes next. At the same time, soaring costs for essential inputs like diesel and fertiliser are making it harder to maintain day-to-day operations.
This is no longer a single difficult season. It is a period of compounding pressure, where multiple challenges are being felt at once. For many farmers, that means managing recovery, rising costs and uncertainty at the same time, with limited capacity to absorb further shocks. Without support, many farmers will continue to face increasing pressure, placing further strain on their livelihoods and the future of their farms.
Rural Aid’s latest Pulse of the Paddock data reflects this, with financial strain, climate variability and rising costs continuing to shape daily life on the land. More farmers reported a decline in their mental health over the past 12 months than those who saw improvement.
Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said farmers are facing multiple pressures at the same time, with little separation between recovery and ongoing operations.
“Farmers are dealing with disaster recovery, rising costs and ongoing uncertainty all at once,” Mr Warlters said.
“These pressures are not isolated. They are overlapping, and that is what is causing concern for our farmers’ wellbeing across many regions.”
“Rural Aid is here to help, but we can’t do it alone. Now is the time for Australians to come together to give our farmers and their families the urgent boost they need right now. A donation today will help to provide vital support such as professional counselling, financial assistance, hay, water and water tanks.”
In Victoria’s west, Natimuk farmer Michael Sudholz is among those rebuilding after fires moved through his community earlier this year.
“It happened so fast. Within half an hour everything had changed,” Mr Sudholz said.
“You don’t really understand the scale of it until you are living through the recovery. It takes a long time to work through what has been lost.”
His experience reflects a broader reality across farming communities, where recovery is ongoing and often sits alongside everyday operational pressures.
Rural Aid’s work is centred on standing alongside farming communities through hardship and uncertainty, providing support that is timely, practical and focused on long-term recovery as well as immediate need.
Mr Warlters said this urgent appeal for donations is about ensuring that the right assistance at the right time is available for our farmers and their families.
“We know farmers are strong, but they shouldn’t have to carry everything on their own,” he said. “With so many farmers in need, your support is critical to ensure we can provide the help needed to get them through.”
Make a tax-deductible donation today to help provide the support our farmers need: www.taxtime.ruralaid.org.au.
About Rural Aid:
Rural Aid is Australia’s leading charity supporting farmers, their families and rural communities. Rural Aid delivers practical assistance during drought, fire, flood and other disasters, helping farming families stay on the land and protect their livelihoods. Through disaster relief, mental health support and community development programs, Rural Aid works with partners, supporters and volunteers to strengthen rural communities and ensure farmers have the support they need to recover, rebuild and remain connected.
Media note:
Rural Aid welcomes media interest in the launch of its 2026 Tax Appeal and is available to support feature coverage on the impact of ongoing disasters, rising input costs and the realities facing farming communities across Australia.
We are keen to work with media partners to bring these stories to life, including facilitating farmer interviews, providing access to case studies, and assisting with on-farm filming where appropriate.
Media outlets interested in developing feature stories or arranging interviews are encouraged to get in touch.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Daniel Brown
Media and Communications Officer
0447 116 757
daniel.brown@ruralaid.org.au