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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

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

For more information or interviews, contact Rural Aid Media on media@ruralaid.org.au or 0447 116 757.

Featured on NBN News

Demand For Hay Takes Off as Drought and Bushfire Conditions Bite

Posted on 30 October 202330 October 2023

Australian farmers are requesting donated hay at a phenomenal rate.

In the last month farmers have contacted Rural Aid requesting more than $1 million of hay.

Rural Aid was bracing for another wave of requests as devastating bushfires continue to burn across more than 100 locations in Queensland and NSW.

Based on Rural Aid’s experience of the previous drought and the Black Summer bushfires of 2019, demand for hay will accelerate rapidly as conditions deteriorate.

“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,” chief executive officer John Warlters said.

“The drought has already arrived for thousands of farming families. Lower than average rainfall and higher than average temperatures and have plunged families back into financial and emotional turmoil.

“We are seeing that every day through the huge demand for our services and that’s ahead of the hot and dry summer forecast by the bureau.”

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.

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.

Queensland cattle producer Betty Johnson, Biggenden, this month received hay from Rural Aid.

“It’s a great service, it really is,” the 84-year-old said.

“It’s wonderful to get a bit of help when I really do need it. If you have a look at my property, there’s not a green speck anywhere.

“We’ve had no rain at all since about January which means that I’ve been feeding stock for ages. If you’re feeding stock, it costs money.”

Mr Warlters said Rural Aid was hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.

“If the current dry is just the beginning – and that is what the experts are suggesting, then it is going to be an extraordinarily difficult time for our farmers.”

“Aside from the physical hardships of running a farm through drought and bushfire, we know the toll on mental health can be even greater. Recent studies have shown the average suicide rate in Australian farmers to be almost 59 percent higher than the general population – the equivalent of one farmer taking their own life every 10 days.”

Farmer counselling sessions double as dry conditions worsen

Posted on 9 October 202318 October 2023

Australian farmers are seeking mental health support at almost twice the rate they were seeking assistance last year, according to trusted rural charity, Rural Aid.

In the past two months, Rural Aid counsellors have conducted 277 counselling sessions, a 95 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

Rural Aid’s counselling helpline is currently fielding an average of 13 calls each day from primary producers.

Rural Aid offers free, confidential counselling to farmers, their family members and their workers.

Rural Aid’s Manager of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Myf Pitcher, said the range of topics that farmers are worried about has also recently widened.

“This time last year, our farmers were primarily coming to us with concerns about flooding and stress,” Myf said.

“At the moment, farmers are worried about bushfires, dry conditions, water scarcity, fodder, varroa mite and poor stock prices.

“Our farmers have moved from states of stress to states of desperation,” Myf said.

Sheep farmer Ron Dooley said the Rural Aid counselling service helped him get through a difficult time after the Black Summer bushfires.

“I had a bit of a mishap when I was fighting the front of the fire. I couldn’t see where I was going and I ran into a dam wall and stalled the tractor with the flames coming through the bottom of the tractor,” Ron said.

“It was a bit hard when you sat back after that and thought back to what could have been.”

“After talking with Darren from Rural Aid, he made some decisions on what to do when you were feeling like that, and it did help,” Ron said.

Rural Aid’s East Gippsland Counsellor and Community Representative, Darren Devlin, said farmers can easily get overwhelmed by the myriad of decisions they encounter after a disaster.

“Most of the people I’ve spoken to never really got over one disaster before it rolled into the next,” Darren said.

“It becomes very hard to reach out; you’re doubting yourself. My suggestion is reach out sooner rather than later,” Darren said. To watch the full interview, click here

This World Mental Health Day (10 October), farmers are being encouraged to reach out to Rural Aid for a helping hand with their mental health.

Rural Aid counsellors catch up with their farmers where they’re most comfortable; whether it’s on farm, in town, or over the phone.

Rural Aid’s counselling intake line can be contacted on 1300 175 594.

Featured in 7NEWS

Locals needed to advance Central West Queensland’s future

Posted on 4 October 20234 October 2023

Dedicated Central West Queensland locals have been invited to better their region’s future, as part of Rural Aid’s Community Builders program.

Community Builders is a grassroots leadership initiative that helps rural towns work with their regional neighbours to identify the areas’ strengths and weaknesses.

The program encompasses multiple towns in the Central West Queensland region. It kicks off with a workshop in Ilfracombe on 10 October, 2023.

Workshops will then occur every four weeks in a different Central West Queensland town.

The towns of Barcaldine, Jericho, Blackall, Aramac, Muttaburra, Ilfracombe, Isisford, and Clermont are represented in the Community Builders program.

Rural Aid’s Community Programs Manager Jen Curnow-Trotter said the program can be ‘life-changing’.

“Community Builders helps towns beat the trend of dwindling populations, failing economies and fading hope,” Ms Curnow-Trotter said.

“In workshops run by both locals and small-town experts, the participants define their desires for their region; whether it be improving tourism, upgrading the main street or keeping the local pub running.”

“The workshop captures the ideas and enthusiasm of locals who are determined to improve their town, and channels them into a powerful Community Action Plan,” Ms Curnow-Trotter said.

“The Community Action Plan then guides the region through the steps they need to take to achieve the goals they agreed on with expert Peter Kenyon from Bank of I.D.E.A.S.”

Locals are being encouraged to take part in the formation of their region’s future.

The Central West Queensland Community Builders is the first time Rural Aid has run the program in Queensland.

“The chance to influence your town’s prospects is a really special opportunity,” Ms Curnow-Trotter said.

“The workshops are an electric atmosphere and they really do ignite the region’s community spirit and motivation.”

Locals are invited to take part in the revitalisation of their region by heading along to Ilfracombe Sports Centre at 9am.

For more information on the Community Builders program, visit: https://www.ruralaid.org.au/community-development/community-builders/

Biggenden farmers receive hay, volunteer help from Rural Aid

Posted on 28 September 202328 September 2023

Australia’s most trusted rural charity has helped North Burnett farmers with an army of volunteers and large hay delivery.
35 volunteers have worked across six farms in Biggenden, helping to repair flood affected properties.

Local cattle farmer Norm Schonrock went through two floods in a year that took out multiple fences.

“We had a fair bit of fencing down, so the volunteers came and picked up all the old wire that was twisted around posts or lying down because we had cattle getting caught in that,” Norm said.

“All those jobs that we always mean to get done but that don’t take priority, we’re getting a lot of those done now, so it’s really helpful.”

The Rural Aid volunteers completed dozens of jobs as part of the Farm Recovery Event, including repairing fences, building ramps and constructing shade sails.  

Rural Aid also distributed 112 tonnes of hay between a dozen farmers at the start of the week.

Rural Aid Farm and Community Coordinator Grant Miskimmin noted the area was feeling the dry already, and that the 203 bales would help tide locals over.

“It’s pretty dry around here at the moment, and the farmers are all a bit nervous about what’s ahead of them so it’s a great time to be here and to help them out,” he said.  

“Farmers find it very difficult to deal with some of these natural disasters,” Grant said.

Biggenden farmers were also gifted lickblocks and Multikraft Probiotic Solutions throughout the week.

The volunteers stayed at the Biggenden showgrounds and worked on properties between Monday September 25 and Friday September 29, inclusive.