Particularly, don’t forget those in the south of the state (NSW), who’s crops are again failing. This is the 5th year in a row for some, a completely unprecedented situation. Many who have sought help are on anti-depressants to help cope, particularly with the anxiety that comes from watching yet another warm cloudless day roll in. Some crops can hold on for another couple of weeks, some are already dead (particularly those who have been trying to do the right thing by rotation – canola has been the first to suffer).

We are facing another year of more stock being destroyed because the abbatoirs will be full to capacity, yet prices in our supermarkets will stay up. Meanwhile the stock will be returned from sale – deemed no commercial value.

Many more farmers will suffer in silence, not seeking the help that they need, leaning instead on family members who themselves are overburdened with the stress of seeing your life’s investment slowly wilt in the heat. The average age of farmers is 57 – too old to be considered employable by most businesses. Some of the younger generation will cope, particularly those that can relocate to take advantage of the resources boom. Even those will be hard hit by being removed from their family and community support structures. Despite being able to earn a living, they will have to live with the grief that comes from being the first (often in 4 or 5 generations) to fail.

They need your empathy and support now more than ever.

Please tell us the best things we an do to help the situation and we will endeavour to do so.
These are hard-working people who deserve a better break.

There are many ways tht help can be provided. Most however will require government intervention. Let me explain:

1. Irrigators in the Murray/MIA areas are required to pay for their water rights whether or not the water is there to be delivered. This is a resounding blow to the bottomline when there is little or no income.

2. Likewise the Federal Govt could subsidise land rates to local councils and the RLPB - perhaps restrict to those that qualify for the interest rate subsidy, as criterium have already been met (saves the cost of new assessments)

3. Free up restrictions on accessing Centrelink serives, such as the Professional Advice and training Grant (up to $5500) and the assistance grant for leaving the industry. The Advice grant gets up my nose, as it oculd potentially be used for so many things, but is basically restricted to paying agronomists and farm consultants for a "drought management plan", which will do nothing but sit on a shelf and collect dust. It should be available for both financial and farming advice - one thing that many farmers are seeking to do at the present is reorganise finances and seek the lowest possible interest rates, and they cant afford to pay their accountant to help them put together solid proposals to financiers. Result - they dont get what they need. The grant for existing the indsutry is $50,000, but you can only get it if you cant access any further commericial financial assistance - ie you have to be destitute. Better that its provided to farmers who will be able to exit with some equity still left, so that the $50,000 helps to support them while setting up a new life, and their leftover equity helps to buy a house in town/city from which to base themselves.

4. Grants to help pay for wasted fertiliser. When I say wasted, I mean because the crop has died. Fertiliser is prohibitively expensive and a major cost in crop production. Providing a grant next year to cover the cost of wasted fertiliser in this season will at least go someway towards helping with the cost of going around again, and the cost to the government is not too difficult to estimate (an important point in seeking assistance).

Most of all, help re-raise the profile of these people in the media. Their plight has fallen by the wayside in light of the election and floods in other areas of the country.

You seem to be very knowledgeable about ways of kickstarting rural recovery but why are the politicians making it so hard for them?
The average Aussie guy on the street, I would bet anything would want to help if he knew how.

Country Gal,

Good points, especially about farmers being forced to pay for water that isn't there.

I have a thought and I would like to put it out there for comment. In areas that are suffering long term drought, where there is little short to mid term prospects for decent crop production, would there be a place for paying farmers to maintain the land. Rather that trying to till unproductive soil the government could institute a programme to pay the farmers to improve the land as much as can be done given the circumstances.

Again its just a thought, but it would help to keep farming families on their land, while at the same time ensuring that in the future when circumstances change the land can once again be productive.