Drought relief for NSW farmers
Salvation Army Rural Chaplains Majors Maree & Trevor Strong with farmer Gordon. (Photo by Hayley Ferris)
Farmers across drought-affected rural New South Wales are seeing some relief, with strong community support through several appeals.
The Salvation Army is distributing donations received through a range of appeals, supporting the farmers and rural communities struggling to survive the devastating drought.
Major Peter Ridley, who serves as Salvation Army Rural Chaplain Northern NSW, together with wife Major Jean Ridley, says after years of drought, floods and low commodity prices, many farmers and small businesses in rural communities are at breaking point.
“We are three years away from the breaking of the ‘millennium drought’ that devastated much of the country. It was 10 years of dry weather patterns that crippled the agriculture sector,” says Major Ridley.
“Normally farmers would get two or three really good seasons between droughts and that would pull them through financially and mentally. Many farmers and businesses people who rely on farming haven’t had that at all, so financially they are struggling – and emotionally they are doing it really tough.”
In mid-February, Woolworths launched its ‘Rural Drought Assistance Program’. This kicked off with an initial corporate donation of $250,000 in gift cards distributed throughout rural Queensland and New South Wales by The Salvation Army. Woolworths will match any donations in their NSW and Qld stores, dollar for dollar, until 5 March. So far $200,000 has been donated, with Woolworths matching this sum.
The NSW Farmers Association has also asked Salvation Army rural chaplains to help to distribute an initial $16,000 worth of IGA cards on their behalf. The Commonwealth Bank, Sydney’s Daily Telegraph and 2GB radio’s joint ‘We’re for the Bush’ appeal is also partnering with The Salvation Army to distribute funds raised. The community is able to donate at Commonwealth Bank branches and online. The funds are going towards buying IGA food vouchers, CRT rural
merchandise vouchers and in certain isolated cases, cash grants. More than one million dollars has already been raised through the appeal.
The Ridleys recently participated in a ‘fodder drop’ at Walgett as part of the ‘We’re for the Bush’ appeal, and although Peter says so much more is needed, he believes it was very significant emotionally, because it tells them that others care.
“The amount of hope that it gives people, even in the midst of desperation, is unbelievable!” he says.
Dubbo-based Salvation Army Rural Chaplain Major Maree Strong also sees many in farming and rural business communities who are burnt out and exhausted.
“On the whole, many of the farmers that we visit are folk who hadn’t recovered from the big droughts, then experienced more floods, and now drought. The fallout from the accumulated disasters is not just financial, it’s also emotional,” says Major Strong. She, along with husband Major Trevor Strong, has already started distributing food cards.
“To put some food on the table is helpful because it means it’s one thing they don’t have to worry about. Many are already maxed out on their credit cards just for food and fuel,” says Major Strong.
“Generally, they are so appreciative of the fact that someone cares.”
Channel 7’s Weekend Sunrise has also launched a month long ‘Dollar4Drought’ appeal, offering vouchers and some cash grants for isolated farmers. There is also a range of appeals and fundraising drives running at the moment by service clubs, media outlets and Salvation Army corps and churches.
Naomi Singlehurst and Nathalia Rickwood