General News
14 December, 2023
Rural Aid: Farmers 'on edge'
Rural Aid is appealing for donations to help farming households in a tough lead-up to Christmas this year.
Rural Aid is appealing for donations to help farming households in a tough lead-up to Christmas this year.
The national charity's chief executive officer, John Warlters, said the Bureau of Meteorology's declaration of the past three months as the driest in many areas since record-keeping began in 1900 had coincided with a rapid escalation in calls for assistance.
Most urgent pleas were for hay for livestock, emergency drinking water and mental health and wellbeing support.
"Farmers have registered requests totalling more than a $1 million for fodder," Mr Warlters said.
“Right now, what we’re seeing is below-average rainfall, above-average temperatures and so much of the countryside 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 was monitoring impending weather conditions closely as the reality of the season started to emerge.
“We’re really concerned at Rural Aid that we're almost at a tipping point right now," he said.
“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.
“As we come into Christmas it’s a time when we can all contribute to an organisation like Rural Aid so that we can help farming families and get them through these challenging times."
Donations can be made at buyabale2023.ruralaid.org.au or by calling 1300 327 624.