News Archives - Page 12 of 70

Flooded farmers receive new water tanks, installed by volunteer tradies

Posted on 4 December 20234 December 2023

Ten central west farmers have received a new household water tank, installed by volunteer tradies, thanks to a Rural Aid and Reece Foundation partnership.

Tank recipient and Eugowra farmer Matt Parker is still recovering from the catastrophic November 2022 flood.

“We lost all our cereal crops… it was a huge expense and a huge loss of income.

“We lost quite a number of sheep in the floodwater. It just seemed to be one thing after another for a while there,” he said.

Matt was one of ten central west New South Wales farmers to receive a new 22,000 litre tank for his household water use.

“It’s much appreciated. It was something on our to-do list before the flood but financially we just haven’t been able to do it,” Matt said.

The tanks were installed by qualified plumbers volunteering with the Reece Foundation.

Plumber James Woolford donated his time, expertise, equipment, and employees to the project.

“It’s come at a busy time of the year too, but it’s just what you do,” he said.

Plumber Mick Spencer visited Eugowra to support the community in the days immediately following the flooding events and returned recently for a second time to volunteer his skills.

“My passion for giving to a community is that if something happens in [my town], I would expect someone to come and give to our community, which is the way I look at it.”

The Reece Parkes branch has been a staunch supporter of Rural Aid for many years.

Branch manager Chris Cunningham connected Rural Aid with the Reece Foundation, and provided free materials for the project, after seeing his region still grappling with flood recovery.

“There were a lot of families, lot of people, affected,” Chris said.

“The past 12 months have been a bit of a process.”

Brian Morton, Rural Aid’s Operations Manager, said it was great to be able to offer an installed tank to the region’s farmers.

“We’ve worked in this region for a while now over the past 12 months, and [now] working with Reece, we’ve come back as part of the disaster-recovery process.”

The tanks will also help farmers as they prepare for, and recover from, drought.

Robert and Linda Ireland received a new tank, which has boosted their spirits as El Niño looms.

“Through that [2019] drought, and possibly coming up again this year, you go ages without rain and you run out of water,” Linda said.

“The tank would just go down and down and down and you can’t even be guaranteed to have a shower every day.”

“You just forget how precious water is,” she said.

To register with Rural Aid, or to make a donation, visit: https://buyabale2023.ruralaid.org.au/

The Reece Foundation works with volunteer tradies and partners to fund and initiate projects that provide clean water and sanitation to communities at home and abroad.

To find out how you can get involved, visit: https://www.reecefoundation.charity/

About Rural Aid
Rural Aid is Australia’s most trusted rural charity. We stand with our farmers when they need us most. Rural Aid provides critical support to farmers affected by natural disaster through financial, wellbeing and fodder assistance. Rural Aid’s community programs help create more sustainable communities by building stronger futures for all Australian farmers. Find out more at www.ruralaid.org.au

About Reece Foundation
Launched by Reece in March 2022, the Reece Foundation, is a registered independent charity that unlocks the power of trade skills to improve access to clean water and sanitation in the communities that need it most in Australia and overseas. The Reece Foundation was created to support the trade to be able to ‘do good’, using their skills and knowledge to deliver practical water solutions where it can have the greatest impact. By taking a community-led approach and harnessing the essential skills of the trade, the Foundation aims to improve the health and wellbeing of the communities it supports and have a positive ripple effect on education, food security and employment outcomes through clean water.

Find out more https://www.reecefoundation.charity/

Media Contacts
For more information or interviews, contact:

Rural Aid media on media@ruralaid.org.au or 0447 116 757
Reece Foundation media on chloe.dougherty@reece.com.au or 0476 611 584

Source: 9Now

Thank a farmer for National Ag Day

Posted on 16 November 202316 November 2023

Australia’s most trusted rural charity is encouraging the country to put farmers front of mind today, National Ag Day (17 November).

Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said the hard work of Aussie farmers is taken for granted too often.

“There are families doing it incredibly tough at the moment, yet it’s an issue that’s barely making it onto the national agenda or national conversation,” Mr Warlters said.

“At Rural Aid, we believe it’s so significant that it has to come right to the very top of the list of priorities for everyday Aussie to understand, and hopefully contribute to, being part of that solution.”

Mr Warlters said there are dozens of ways to support our mates in the bush.

“Celebrating our farmers on National Ag Day is as simple as going and buying some amazing produce and when you cook it up, have a conversation about where it came from and what it means to you.”

“They [Australian farmers] are the best in the world and they’re worthy of our thanks and gratitude.”

According to Rural Aid, farmers across the nation are at a crossroads, as dry conditions take hold.

“It’s a super challenging time for farming families right now, coming off the three driest months on record,” Mr Warlters said.

The public is encouraged to make a donation to Rural Aid, as a way of saying thanks to our farmers.

“Make a donation to the organisation that’s there to support farmers when they need a hand up,” Mr Warlters said.

Rural Aid supports Australian farmers with financial, hay, counselling, drinking water and volunteer assistance.

For more information, or to make a donation, visit https://buyabale2023.ruralaid.org.au or call 1300 327 624.

Rural Aid fears ‘tipping point’ after driest three months on record

Posted on 13 November 202313 November 2023

THE surging demand for fodder for drought-stricken livestock has come as no surprise to the nation’s most trusted rural charity, Rural Aid.

It says the Bureau’s declaration of the three months, August to October, as the driest on record since records began in 1900, coincides with the rapid increase in calls from farmers for assistance – especially hay for livestock, emergency drinking water and mental health and wellbeing support.

Rural Aid chief executive officer John Warlters said farmers had registered requests totalling more than a $1 million for fodder, the majority of which had been received from families in NSW drought hot spots including the Northern Rivers, New England, Hunter Valley.

More than 50pc of NSW was now impacted by drought, an almost doubling of the area affected since September.

On the Queensland side of the border, the State’s south was desperately dry and without widespread and substantial rain it would only be a matter of time before drought declarations followed.

Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said, while attending a hay drop for bushfire affected graziers, that it’s a challenging outlook for farmers.

“Right now, what we’re seeing is below average rainfall, above average temperatures and so much of the countryside is tinder dry.”

“It’s very, very early to see this level of fire activity and it gives us great concern about what this summer is going to look like.”

Mr Warlters said Rural Aid has been monitoring the impending weather conditions closely, as the reality of the current season starts to emerge.

Requests for Rural Aid’s assistance have increased markedly over the past three months.

Mr Warlters said many farmers have no feed for their livestock and are extremely anxious about the months ahead.

“We’re really concerned at Rural Aid that we are almost at a bit of a tipping point right now.”

“Collectively, it means we’re all on edge, and we know that really puts so much more stress and worry on our farmers at this time.

“The number of calls to our counsellors has effectively doubled from this time last year.”

Mr Warlters said Rural Aid is working hard to support farmers, but it can’t do it alone.

“As we come into Christmas, it’s a time that we can all contribute to an organisation like Rural Aid so that we can help farming families and get them through these challenging times,” Mr Warlters said.

Donations can be made at https://buyabale2023.ruralaid.org.au or by calling 1300 327 624.

SOURCES
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/#tabs=Summary
https://edis.dpi.nsw.gov.au/

Rural Aid delivers emergency hay to fire-damaged farms

Posted on 2 November 20235 November 2023

Australia’s leading rural charity is delivering truckloads of hay to struggling livestock affected by the Queensland bushfires.

Burnett and Central Queensland farmers are welcoming the fodder, organised in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF).

Five road trains are delivering hay to Carnarvon Gorge, and the North and South Burnett regions.
Rural Aid’s CEO said the charity is well versed at sourcing hay urgently during times of disaster, and often when it is in short supply.

“Rural Aid has great relationships with hay suppliers, growers and transport companies, that we have built and maintained since 2015,” John Warlters said.

“We’re pleased we could support the Queensland Government’s request for high-quality, emergency hay for the hardest hit primary producers in the worst-impacted regions.”

Mr Warlters is expecting hay demand to increase as a direct result of the fires.

“We expect to be inundated with requests for hay, on top of already high-demand,” Mr Warlters said.
“The intense fires have wiped out any remaining grass on these properties, leaving livestock hungry without easy access to pasture.”

“We’ve received more than $1million worth of hay requests from our registered farmers in the past month alone.”

Mr Warlters said Rural Aid will need another huge and generous outpouring of support from the Australian community and business sector to meet the rapidly escalating demand for its services.
“Rural Aid delivered $56 million of hay and other services over a two-year period between 2018-19 when drought and bushfire were ravaging the country,” Mr Warlters said.

Australia’s most trusted rural charity is asking Australians to dig deep and rally together to help meet the significant challenge ahead. You can buy a bale by visiting www.buyabale.com.au or calling 1300 327 624.

“Primary producers should register their losses and request assistance via the DAF’s Disaster Impact Survey at www.daf.qld.gov.au “

“As well farmers needing fodder, financial and well-being assistance are encouraged to reach out to Rural Aid at www.ruralaid.org.au.”

Featured in Queensland Government Media Announcement and Southburnett

Flood, drought-affected Singleton farmers get helping hand

Posted on 2 November 20235 November 2023

Australia’s most trusted rural charity, Rural Aid, is in Singleton, New South Wales, for a week of flood recovery and drought response works.

Twenty-eight volunteers are donating a week of their time across seven Hunter Valley farms as part of the Rural Aid Farm Recovery Event.

Dairy farmer Jason Cousins has a team of Rural Aid volunteers on his property, who are helping to repair his flood-damaged fences.

“It means a lot to me to just have that bit of assistance to get jobs done… We’ve had so much on our plates, getting over the floods,” the Singleton farmer said.

“When you start getting emotional because of sad times, it slows you down.”
John Warlters, Rural Aid CEO, said the last eighteen months had been particularly tumultuous for Hunter farmers.

“Farmers like Jason endured five floods over the space of nine months in 2022,” Mr Warlters said.
“It’s takes years of courage, good luck, and hard work to get over knocks like that.

“Unfortunately, these farmers don’t have years to recover; Singleton has been plunged into drought, less than a year since floods swept the region¹.

“It’s a difficult time for these producers, but as always, Rural Aid is standing with our mates in the bush as they face their next battle,” Mr Warlters said.

In addition to volunteer support, Rural Aid is also coordinating water tank deliveries, counselling appointments, and hay drops in the Hunter region.

“We’re seeing huge local demand for our assistance measures like hay, water and counselling,” Mr Warlters said.

“The Hunter is one of the driest farming regions in the country right now.”

Also lending a hand to the region’s farmers are eight Commonwealth Bank of Australia employees, who are volunteering their time on-farm this week.

Commonwealth Bank’s General Manager Regional NSW, Vanessa Nolan-Woods said, “Many communities across New South Wales have been impacted by floods and extremely dry conditions and Rural Aid’s Farm Recovery Week is one of the ways we can help provide some support to local farmers in the Hunter Valley area.”

“We’re proud to be able to contribute to the vital work Rural Aid is doing to support communities affected by natural disasters – whether that’s delivering hay, support with groceries and bills, or counselling – Rural Aid is doing a lot to support farmers and we’re proud to partner with them.”

The Singleton Farm Recovery Event runs from Monday, 30 October to Friday, 3 November.

The Rural Aid volunteers are staying at the Singleton showgrounds, where dinner catering is provided by generous local organisations and charity groups.

¹ https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/climate-landing/ssu/nsw-state-seasonal-update-september-2023

Featured on NBN News