Category: News

Rural counsellors to help central west producers

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From July, 1, Rural Aid Counsellors will be distributed across NSW with the aim of helping farming families.

The counsellors will based in Dubbo, Broken Hill and the Hunter Valley areas.

“Those counsellors will go farm to farm and will work with farmers and families to not only help manage and build resilience but also provide assistance to them with referrals to financial counsellors, marriage counsellors or whatever else it might be,” said Rural Aid founder Charles Alder.

“And just be a conduit in the community. A person who will live in the community for a number of years and be widely recognised.”

Mr Alder said farmers don’t necessarily put their hand up for help, so they’ve got to come to them.

“The big issue for us is actually coming to see these farmers, not necessarily waiting for the farmers to come to us because they wont.. we’ve got to go to them,” he said.

“If we can help farmers communicate better with their families, if we can reduce the onset of Domestic Violence or stress, and save them from divorce then we’ll be able to… help families get through this.”

Mr Alder said the Rural Aid counsellors will even be able to organise for farming families to have a holiday.

“It may just be the thing that they need mentally to help them get through,” he said.

Another program that the Australian charity has formed is Farm Rescue, which takes volunteers and tradesmen to help fix infrastructure that farmers do not have the skill, time or money to do themselves.

In 12 months they have visited western NSW including Coolah, Duneedoo and the Pilliga.

If you would like to volunteer or wish to nominate a farmer in need of help visit www.farmrescue.com.au

“If we can’t provide the feed to your farm, but we can come out and paint the place for you, or clean the gardens or house… those are some of the things farmers put off…,” Mr Alder said.

“It lifts spirits… surroundings are an important thing for people in their lives.

“Just a fresh coat of paint on your place can give you a pride and you are now welcoming your friends back to your place.”

Since April and through to October, Farm Rescue will be making these trips at least one week a month, Mr Alder said.

“At the moment we’re looking for a retired builder to help us out as a volunteer to help us out and coordinate some of these trips,” he said.

Source: https://www.westernmagazine.com.au/story/5492887/rural-counsellors-to-help-central-west-producers/

Help southern Southern Tableland farmers survive the drought

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Bega District News, Bombala Times, Braidwood Times, Crookwell Gazette, Goulburn Post and Yass Tribune have joined forces with the charity Rural Aid and its Buy A Bale campaign to help southern NSW farmers as they fight to survive the challenging conditions. 

These Fairfax Media mastheads have also united with sister newspapers across the state to launch a petition which urges the state government to do more for drought-stricken farmers. 

Want to help? Click here for more details. 

More than 74.8 per cent of the South East is in drought or at the onset of drought, while the remaining 25.2 per cent is considered borderline, the NSW government’s Combined Drought Indicator shows.

The indicator looks at pasture growth, soil moisture and rainfall. 

The region includes the Hilltops, Upper Lachlan, Wollongong, Wingecarribee, Shellharbour, Kiama, Shoalhaven, Goulburn, Mulwaree, Yass Valley, Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional, Eurobodalla, Snowy Monaro Regional and Bega Valley local government areas. 

Read More

Southern Tablelands on watch  as most of the state no edge 

Farm tracker to give government “full impact” of drought

Drought onset worry

Big dry bites at Braidwood

Queanbeyan Palerang classified as drought onset following low rainfall

Take a look at the South East

DROUGHT: 74.8 per cent of the South East is in drought or at the onset of drought, while 25.2 per cent is considered classified as watch. Source: NSW government Combined Drought Indicator.

 DROUGHT: 74.8 per cent of the South East is in drought or at the onset of drought, while 25.2 per cent is considered classified as watch. Source: NSW government Combined Drought Indicator.

 

The unfolding situation has left paddocks full of dust, water resources dry or drying up and fodder being sourced from as far as South Australia at exorbitant freight costs.

Managing Editor NSW South Kim Treasure said the Fairfax Media mastheads had united to help make a difference.

“Farming is such an important part of regional NSW. We are partnering with Rural Aid to help the farmers who have been hit hard by the drought,” she said.

Rural Aid CEO Charles Alder said hay trucks were already being organised to bring some relief to drought-stricken farmers. 

 

Braidwood from the air. Picture: Darryl Fernance.

Picture: Emma Muirhead, Merriwagga.

 
 Drought in southern NSW
 

“Rural Aid’s drought program Buy a Bale has swung behind the dire need of farmers in southern NSW and will over the coming weeks work to provide the assistance these farmers are calling out for,” he said. 

We need the people and companies of southern NSW to get behind our work and help us buy the hay and water we need to supply,

Rural Aid CEO Charles Alder

How can you help?

Donate to buy hay, water and groceries

Click here to make a donation that will help buy hay, water and groceries for farmers in need. 

Funds raised for groceries will be used to buy gift cards at the farmer’s local supermarket. That way, the money raised for southern NSW will go back into the local economy.

Money put towards water will be spent locally while hay will be sourced from outside the region and transported to farmers because of a lack of supply.

Want to get involved at work?

Pop money in a barrel, or help fill a hay truck

 

Take on the challenge at work and see how far you can go. 

Click here to register to receive a donation barrel.

Click here to order a hay truck poster and gradually fill a load of hay for a farmer. 

Businesses can also sponsor a truck load of hay. Sponsorship money will flow into the Hunter account and be put towards supplies. 

Click here to sponsor a truck load of hay

How you can support Western NSW farmers fighting the drought

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Western NSW farmers are battling a crippling drought and they need your help to survive it.

The Daily Liberal, Western Magazine, Narromine News, Nyngan Observer, Wellington Times, Central Western Daily Parkes Champion Post, Forbes Advocate, Mudgee Guardian, Lithgow Mercury, Young Witness and Cowra Guardian have joined forces with the charity Rural Aid and its Buy A Bale campaign to help Western NSW farmers as they fight to survive the challenging conditions. 

The Buy A Bale Western NSW campaign will raise money to buy hay, water and groceries for farmers in need through an online portal.

Options to help include registering for a donation barrel, gradually filling a load of hay for a farmer with a hay truck poster, and, sponsoring a hay truck. 

Money raised will go to western NSW farmers. Funds raised for groceries will be used to buy gift cards at the farmer’s local supermarket. That way, the money will go back into the local economy.

These Fairfax Media mastheads have also united with sister newspapers across the state to launch a petition which urges the state government to provide more help to drought-stricken farmers. 

Want to help? Click here to register for a copy of the petition and obtain signatures.

More than 95 per cent of the Central West is in drought, or at the onset of drought, according to the state government’s Combined Drought Indicator. The system looks at rainfall, soil moisture and pasture growth. 

The remaining 4.5 per cent is considered borderline and is likely to dip towards drought given the current forecast. 

This area includes the Coonamble, Warren, Gilgandra, Warrumbungle, Coonabarabran, Dubbo, Narromine, Parkes, Forbes, Weddin, Bogan, Lachlan, Weddin and Western Plains local government areas.

Take a look at the Central West in March 2018:

DROUGHT: The Central West in March 2018, according to the NSW government's Combined Drought Indicator. Source: NSW government.

 DROUGHT: The Central West in March 2018, according to the NSW government’s Combined Drought Indicator. Source: NSW government.

 

Now, take a look at the central west in June 2018:

DROUGHT: 95.5 per cent of the Central West is in drought or at the onset of drought, and 4.5 per cent is considered borderline. Source: NSW government Combined Drought Indicator.

 DROUGHT: 95.5 per cent of the Central West is in drought or at the onset of drought, and 4.5 per cent is considered borderline. Source: NSW government Combined Drought Indicator.

 

It’s a similar story in the Central Tablelands where 64.8 per cent of the region is in drought and 35.2 per cent is at the onset of drought. 

This area includes the Cabonne, Orange, Blayney, Cowra, Mid-Western Regional, Bathurst Regional, Lithgow and Oberon local government areas. 

Take a look at the Central Tablelands:

DROUGHT: 64.8 per cent of the Central Tablelands is in drought and 35.2 per cent is at the onset of drought. Source: NSW government Combined Drought Indicator.

 DROUGHT: 64.8 per cent of the Central Tablelands is in drought and 35.2 per cent is at the onset of drought. Source: NSW government Combined Drought Indicator.

 

The unfolding situation has left paddocks full of dust, water resources dry or drying up and fodder being sourced from as far as South Australia at exorbitant freight costs.

 
 

YEOVAL: John, Brooke, Chris, Thomas and Jack Haycock on their farm, which has been in their family for six generations

Oberon. Picture: Brayden Gilmore

 PHOTOS: The drought hitting hard in western NSW
Images which showcase the struggle our farmers are facing
 

Managing Editor NSW South Kim Treasure said the Central Western Daily and other Fairfax Media mastheads had united to help make a difference.

“Farming is such an important part of regional NSW. We are partnering with Rural Aid to help the farmers who have been hit hard by the drought,” she said. 

Farming is such an important part of Western NSW. We are partnering with Rural Aid to help the farmers who have been hit hard by the drought,

Managing Editor NSW South Kim Treasure

Rural Aid CEO Charles Alder said hay trucks were already being organised to bring some relief to drought-stricken farmers. 

Buy A Bale truck on its way to a drought-stricken farm

“Rural Aid’s drought program Buy a Bale has swung behind the dire need of farmers in Western NSW and will over the coming weeks work to provide the assistance these farmers are calling out for,” he said. 

We need the people and companies of Western NSW to get behind our work and help us buy the hay and water we need to supply,

Rural Aid CEO Charles Alder

Buy a Bale needs your help to deliver hay

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Buy a Bale needs your help to deliver hay.

The organisation has been inundated with hay which they are over the moon about but now it’s a matter of getting it to the farmers who need it the most. There are 65 to 70 truckloads with 1500 – 2000 bales of hay that need to be delivered as soon as possible.

Buy a Bale’s CEO Charles Alder says if they can get 3 or 4 truck drivers they will be able to deliver 6 or 7 loads to the Hunter each week.

“Demand at the moment is outstripping supply and we are now having to hunt for other parts of NSW for hay and we will obviously need these truck drivers to deliver that hay as well,” “The more truck drivers we’ve got the faster we can move it.”

“It [the drought] hasn’t gotten any better over the last 10 to 12 weeks. We have been able to supply feed but they’ve pretty much gone through it all so we need to find more assistance. We really need to find ways of helping these farmers offload what cattle they can while prices are reasonable so we can get just the bare bones of looking after the most important ones,” said Charles.

“Unless it really seriously rains it is almost too late now and the weather in the next few days is going to be quite harsh. We aren’t going to see any pasture growth and whatever cattle we have left on the farms will have to feed for the next 4 -5 months and not only is that going to get more expensive but it’s going to get harder to find hay.”

If you can help deliver hay or you need assistance visit www.buyabale.com.au or call 1300 327 624 Image credit: Grant Broadcasters/Jessica Rouse

Source: https://www.2nm.com.au/news/local-news/75945-buy-a-bale-needs-your-help-to-deliver-hay
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© AM981 Hunter Valley

The Maitland Mercury launches statewide petition to help farmers

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It has been five months since the Mercury started the campaign to help Hunter farmers survive the drought.

And today we go one step further and launch a statewide petition – with the assistance of our sister mastheads from right across NSW.

The petition urges the state government to offer farmers relief on the cost of freight, fodder, water and Local Land Service rates as well as offer the collection of livestock genetics, and restocking/replanting loans after the drought breaks.

The key figure is 10,000 signatures which would ensure a parliamentary debate on the issue. Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison will take the petition to parliament.

The Buy A Bale Hunter campaign – a partnership between the Mercury, Newcastle Herald, Dungog Chronicle, Scone Advocate, Hunter Valley News and charity Rural Aid has given farmers more than $830,000 worth of help since February 14.

A Buy A Bale Hunter truck on its way to a farm

While that is a mammoth effort, the need for help continues to grow as water resources dry up across NSW and fodder supplies become critically low.

We are struggling to keep up with the demand.

Calls for help are flooding in from other areas of NSW too, and Buy A Bale has already delivered more than $200,000 worth of hay and the waiting list continues to grow.

Since February the conditions in our region – despite recent rain, and across the state have dramatically declined.

Right now 62 per cent of the state is in drought or at the onset of drought.

That’s more than double what it was two months ago.

Take a look at the drought in April 2018
DROUGHT: In April 2018 30.5 per cent of the state was in drought or at the onset of it and 63.6 per cent was flagged as borderline. Source: NSW Combined Drought Indicator.
DROUGHT: In April 2018 30.5 per cent of the state was in drought or at the onset of it and 63.6 per cent was flagged as borderline. Source: NSW Combined Drought Indicator.

Now, take a look at the drought in June 2018
DROUGHT MAP: The NSW Combined Indicator shows 99.3 per cent of the state is in drought, drought-onset, or is borderline.
DROUGHT MAP: The NSW Combined Indicator shows 99.3 per cent of the state is in drought, drought-onset, or is borderline.

Want a closer look? Zoom in on this interactive map

Click on the suns to reveal photos of what it’s like.

On top of that, 36.7 per cent is borderline and likely to dip into drought, given the current long-range forecast.

In the Hunter 76 per cent of farms are in drought, or at the onset of drought – 16 per cent more than two months ago, and 23.8 per cent is classified as borderline.

It’s abundantly clear our farmers need more help.

HELL ON EARTH: Farmers across NSW are struggling to survive the drought. Here’s a look at some of the scenes from across the state.
HELL ON EARTH: Farmers across NSW are struggling to survive the drought. Here’s a look at some of the scenes from across the state.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, federal Agriculture and Water Resources Minister David Littleproud and NSW Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair are some of the politicians that have set foot on the farm to see the impact first hand.

Mr Turnbull went on a drought listening tour of Dubbo, Narromine, Trangie and Queensland towns Blackhall, Charleville and Boulia this week.

DROUGHT: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (centre) with farmer Phillip Miles (left), his wife Ashley and their son Jack (front) during a visit to Strathmore Farm in Trangie on Monday.
DROUGHT: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (centre) with farmer Phillip Miles (left), his wife Ashley and their son Jack (front) during a visit to Strathmore Farm in Trangie on Monday.

He also dropped into his own Upper Hunter property.

Since our drought coverage started in February, the only new offer of help has been the $20,000 drought transport loans from the state government. These loans offered a two-year no interest and no repayment period.

A lot of farmers told Fairfax Media the $20,000 wouldn’t last very long and they wanted a subsidy.

Even Mr Blair has said a lot of farmers talk about freight subsidies when he visits farms across the state.

DROUGHT: NSW Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair in an empty dam at Stroud during a farm tour in February 2018.
DROUGHT: NSW Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair in an empty dam at Stroud during a farm tour in February 2018.

He told Fairfax Media in May that he is not ruling out implementing further support measures.

“We’re not ruling out any further changes or further assistance, we’re certainly mindful of the views that different people have because every farming business is different,” Mr Blair said during an interview in May.