Rain across four states has failed to dampen demand for fodder to feed drought-affected livestock.
According to the charity, Rural Aid, the sigh of relief from farmers who received rain in the past week was almost audible, such was the desperation among producers in regions such as in south-western West Australia, after its driest conditions on record.
“This rain could not have come at a better time given the circumstances producers had in front of them,” Rural Aid chief executive officer John Warlters said.
“But we don’t expect the demand for fodder, or the challenge in sourcing it, to change in the short to medium term.”
The challenge was still ahead for many farming families whose enterprises had received only light relief.
Large parts of Victoria remained especially dry. Rainfall during autumn had been in the lowest 10pc of records in the Victorian south-west, and parts of the west, north-east and East Gippsland.
South Australia had enjoyed some relief with falls on average of between five to 15mm but much remained parched.
“Rural Aid continues to be active right across the country at this time providing hay for livestock, drinking water, and financial relief,” Mr Warlters said.
“Our counsellors are particularly active in providing one-on-one support, but are also attending a wide cross-section of industry events to ensure they are visible and easily accessible to anyone that wants to chat.”
In the past month, Rural Aid had coordinated 29 fodder drops across the country.
In Queensland, producers across the Southern and Western Darling Downs who had been impacted by bushfires in late 2023 were being supported with hay and counselling. Thirty volunteers recently spent a week working on nine properties in and around Tara.
Mr Warlters said Rural Aid relied heavily on community and corporate support to fund its activities and was encouraging tax-time donations to help sustain its efforts.
“With June 30 just around the corner now is an opportunity to make a tax-deductible donation in support of Rural Aid and ‘our mates in the bush’ – the farming families that need our help,” he said.
