News Archives

This Christmas, Thank the Farmers Who Don’t Get a Holiday

Posted on 11 December 202511 December 2025

As Australians prepare for festive feasts filled with fresh seafood, vibrant summer fruit, crisp vegetables, quality meats, artisan dairy, wine, grains and more, Rural Aid is urging the nation to support the producers who keep Christmas on the table. These Christmas staples don’t arrive by magic; they are the result of tireless work by farming families across the country – many of whom won’t be taking a break this holiday season.

While most Australians wind down for Christmas, farmers are ramping up. Horticulture growers are harvesting around the clock; livestock and poultry producers are ensuring animals are well cared for in the summer heat; grain and hay farmers are finishing critical stages of their season; dairy farmers continue daily milking regardless of the date; and aquaculture producers are working to meet strong festive demand. Across all sectors, the goal is the same: to deliver the exceptional produce Australians enjoy at Christmas.

Rural Aid Chief Executive Officer John Warlters said Australians often take for granted the abundance of fresh, high-quality food available to them at the festive table.

“Christmas lunch is built on the hard work and resilience of Australian farmers,” Mr Warlters said.

“Whether it’s seafood, fruit, vegetables, grains, dairy, poultry, pork, beef or lamb, every product carries the legacy of months – sometimes years – of effort. Our farmers don’t clock off for Christmas, and this is the perfect time to recognise their commitment.”

This year has been challenging for many farming communities, with unpredictable weather and rising costs placing immense pressure on producers. Rural Aid is calling on Australians to acknowledge the people behind their festive food by supporting Rural Aid’s Christmas Appeal.

“A small donation is a powerful way to say thank you,” Mr Warlters said.

“Every contribution helps Rural Aid deliver essential financial, practical and emotional assistance to the farmers who feed the nation.”

Rural Aid encourages all Australians to offer their thanks this Christmas by donating to support farming families doing it tough at www.buyabale.ruralaid.org.au.

About Rural Aid:
Rural Aid is Australia’s leading rural charity, committed to supporting farmers and rural communities through good times and tough. Since 2015, Rural Aid has been a vital lifeline in times of hardship, delivering practical assistance such as mental health counselling, hay, drinking water, and community connection initiatives. Now celebrating 10 years of service, the organisation continues to stand shoulder to shoulder with rural Australians, helping them overcome hardship, build resilience, and create stronger, more sustainable futures.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Daniel Brown
Media and Communications Officer
0447 116 757
daniel.brown@ruralaid.org.au

International Volunteer Day: Rural Aid Celebrates Volunteers Helping Farmers Rebuild

Posted on 5 December 20255 December 2025

Rural Aid is celebrating International Volunteer Day this Friday by recognising the vital role volunteers play in strengthening farming communities across Australia.

In 2025, 156 volunteers rolled up their sleeves at Rural Aid’s Farm Recovery Events, with several corporate volunteers supporting their work. Across five events held throughout regional Victoria, South Australia, and New South Wales, volunteers contributed more than 6,400 hours of hands-on work, travelled over 180,000 kilometres, and supported 43 farms with pasture or yard debris clearing, painting, small household and property repairs, and fencing and gate repairs

Our Farm Recovery Events take us back onto farms and into communities that have faced bushfires, floods, droughts or storms in recent years. The 2025 Farm Recovery Events were held in:

4–10 May – Bairnsdale, VIC
15–21 June – Eudunda, SA
20 July – 2 August – Coraki, NSW
7–13 September – Wingham, NSW
26 October – 1 November – Peak Hill, NSW

Rural Aid Chief Operations Officer Brian Morton said volunteers remain one of the organisation’s greatest strengths.

“Every hour donated and every kilometre travelled makes a real difference,” Mr Morton said. “Through our Farm Recovery Events, volunteers don’t just rebuild farms — they lift spirits and show our farmers that Australians genuinely care.”

A Coraki, NSW farmer who hosted volunteers this year, Tony Carusi, said the support of volunteers was crucial.

“Jobs like fencing, clearing debris, cleaning flooded machinery parts… these are hard to get on top of when our focus is on re-establishing cattle and crops,” he said. “The help Rural Aid volunteers provide is a huge mental boost.”

A first-time volunteer for Rural Aid in 2025 was Neville Leclere, who said the experience was deeply rewarding.

“I’d always wanted to do this kind of volunteering,” he said. “Working alongside farmers and being welcomed by the community was fantastic. I’ll definitely be back.”

Rural Aid’s 2026 Farm Recovery Event calendar is nearly finalised, with more opportunities for everyday Australians and corporate groups to lend a hand.

Interested in lending a hand? Register today at: www.ruralaid.org.au/volunteers.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Daniel Brown
Media and Communications Officer
0447 116 757
daniel.brown@ruralaid.org.au

Farmers Urged to Register with Rural Aid as Storm Season Intensifies

Posted on 5 December 20255 December 2025

Leading agricultural charity Rural Aid is urging farmers across Australia to register for support as the summer storm season continues to deliver destructive and unpredictable weather.

In recent weeks, severe hailstorms have battered the rich agricultural lands of Queensland’s Darling Downs and Western Australia’s Wheatbelt, causing extensive damage to crops and farm infrastructure. Tropical Cyclone Fina has also brought significant impacts to northern parts of the country, leaving many producers facing clean up and recovery efforts. With more volatile conditions forecast, Rural Aid is encouraging all primary producers to ensure they are registered so assistance can be delivered quickly and efficiently when required.

The charity is also urging the community to lend their support. Donations made through the Rural Aid website help ensure farmers impacted by storms and the challenges of 2025 can access relief quickly, rebuild their farms, and keep Australia’s food supply strong.

Rural Aid Chief Executive Officer John Warlters said the early impacts serve as a timely reminder of how disruptive the summer period can be.

“We are seeing significant damage already, from flattened crops to structural losses on properties,” Mr Warlters said. “The storm season is proving unpredictable and fast moving. Being registered with Rural Aid ensures we can make contact quickly and provide the right support when farmers need it most.”

Rural Aid provides a broad range of free services to registered farmers, including:

Financial assistance to help with immediate or unexpected expenses
Professional counselling and wellbeing support to assist farmers and their families
Hay deliveries for livestock during recovery periods
Water deliveries for drinking and household needs
Volunteer support through the Farm Army program to help with on ground recovery tasks
Mr Warlters said that early registration plays an important role in improving the speed and coordination of Rural Aid’s response.

“Registration only takes a few minutes and it means our team has the information needed to reach out promptly if a farmer is affected,” he said. “We encourage all primary producers, regardless of their current circumstances, to make sure they are registered. It is a simple step that helps us deliver meaningful support as quickly as possible.

Farmers are encouraged to register with Rural Aid today at faa.ruralaid.org.au or by calling 1300 327 624 to ensure support can be delivered when it is needed most.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Daniel Brown
Media and Communications Officer
0447 116 757
daniel.brown@ruralaid.org.au

Rural Aid Urges Australians to Buy a Bale or Fill a Tank to Support Drought Affected Farmers as Registrations Surge

Posted on 5 December 20255 December 2025

Rural Aid has recorded a 60 per cent increase in farmer registrations from South Australia and Victoria in the past financial year, as both regions endure one of the worst droughts on record. Farmers are turning to Rural Aid for essential hay and water provisions, and the surge in registrations also reflects a growing demand for mental health support.

Rural Aid Chief Executive Officer John Warlters said the sharp rise in registrations shows how significantly the drought is impacting farming families and highlights the urgent need for donations.

“The increase in farmers registering with us is a clear sign of how difficult conditions are. Every registration represents a family that is struggling to keep going in the face of extraordinary pressure,” Mr Warlters said. “We need Australians to get behind our efforts and donate today. Their support is vital.”

Rural Aid provides practical and emotional assistance to primary producers, including hay and water deliveries, financial assistance, and counselling through its mental health and wellbeing program. These services are helping families stay on the land and cope with the emotional strain of prolonged dry conditions.

Farmers are sacrificing their own wellbeing to save their stock. Kaye Wicker, a sheep and cereal crop farmer from Waitpinga, South Australian farmer described how desperate the situation has become.

“Some weeks I went without groceries, to buy feed for my lambs, so they could eat” she says. “You just do what you have to. They come first.”

Ms Wicker said the support from Rural Aid made a significant difference. “The support from Rural Aid… it just means so much,” she says.

“To be able to access a pre-paid visa or speak to a counsellor when there’s a lot of pressure on you – really, they just mean everything. And to receive that generous gift of hay… you never forget how grateful you were to receive it.”

Mr Warlters said farmers are reaching breaking point and that donations this Christmas can make a life changing difference.

“We are calling on Australians to Buy a Bale or Fill a Tank. Every contribution helps to deliver hay, water and mental health support to farming families who are doing it incredibly tough,” Mr Warlters said. “Your generosity ensures we can be there for the next family who needs us.”

To donate or learn more, visit www.buyabale.ruralaid.org.au.

Media Note:
Rural Aid welcomes media outlets interested in developing feature stories on the worsening drought and our Buy a Bale 2025 Christmas Appeal. We can coordinate on-site farm visits, facilitate exclusive interviews with farmers and Rural Aid counsellors, and provide access to our relief efforts across South Australia, western Victoria, and south-west New South Wales. To organise coverage or discuss story opportunities, please contact me on 0447 116 757 or daniel.brown@ruralaid.org.au.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Daniel Brown
Media and Communications Officer
0447 116 757
daniel.brown@ruralaid.org.au

Rural Aid’s 2024/25 Impact Report Reveals Growing Need and Enduring Commitment to Rural Australia

Posted on 26 November 202526 November 2025

Rural Aid has released its 2024/25 Impact Report, revealing a year where practical assistance, mental health and wellbeing and community-led recovery helped thousands of farming families withstand worsening pressures across rural Australia.

Rural Aid has seen new registrations of farming families double compared to the previous year, reflecting the growing strain on rural households. Registrations surged in drought affected South Australia and Victoria, where farming families faced deepening feed shortages, falling water supplies and mounting financial stress.

Throughout the year, Rural Aid provided vital, practical assistance that helped stabilise farming families during adversity protecting their wellbeing and livelihoods. This included:

Nearly 1,500 farming families supported, with 28% of those accessing more than one type of assistance
Almost 10,000 hay bales delivered to help farmers keep stock alive and reduce the emotional and financial burden of destocking.
170 water tanks deliveries and nearly 12 million litres of household water giving families reliable access to safe water. A basic need that becomes precarious during prolonged dry conditions.
Financial assistance provided to more than 530 farming families, easing immediate pressures so farmers can stay on their land and continue operations.
145 volunteers contributing over 5,500 hours across 35 farms, reducing isolation and helping farmers complete work that would otherwise be impossible under stress.

Beyond practical aid, Rural Aid’s support extends to the heart of rural life, helping families, schools and communities strengthen wellbeing and resilience. This year, nearly 2,000 free counselling sessions were delivered to farmers and their families navigating natural disasters, anxiety, financial uncertainty and cumulative stress. While the Mustering Growth schools program equipped nine schools with tools to build mental resilience in children, helping secure the wellbeing of the next generation of rural Australia.

Through its community development program, Rural Aid worked alongside 15 towns to deliver locally led projects that enhance liveability, create stronger connections, and support long-term recovery.

Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said the results reflected the organisation’s holistic approach to supporting rural Australia.

“Rural Aid is there for farmers and their communities before, during and after natural disasters,” Mr Warlters said. “Our work goes beyond immediate relief, it’s about standing alongside our farmers to help them prepare, recover and rebuild.”

This year, Rural Aid supported communities impacted by the Western Queensland floods, the ongoing South Australian drought, and flooding across the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales, ensuring families received immediate assistance and long-term recovery support.

“Rural Aid’s mission is to stand with farmers in every part of their journey before, during and after disasters” Mr Warlters said. “Their wellbeing, their livelihoods and their communities remain at the heart of everything we do.”

With the ongoing commitment of our partners and supporters, Rural Aid can continue to grow its reach and impact, ensuring farming families across the country have access to practical help, emotional care and community connection when they need it most.

Together, we can ensure farmers and rural communities receive the support they need when it matters most. Right now, you can Buy a Bale or Fill a Tank to help farming families through summer. Donate today at www.buyabale.ruralaid.org.au.

The Rural Aid 2024/25 Impact Report forms part of Rural Aid’s Annual Report, available at www.ruralaid.org.au/annual-reports/2024-2025/.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Daniel Brown
Media and Communications Officer
0447 116 757
daniel.brown@ruralaid.org.au