Some Emergency Relief for Drought

This is the opinion shared by Ian MacCallum whose family have farmed their Moonan Flat property for 170 years.

Never has he seen or heard of a drought as bad as that now being experienced.

“We’ve been here 170 years and I have never heard my grandfather or father ever say that the water hole near the home ever ran dry, if it doesn’t rain soon, we will be hardly able to live hear ourselves,” Mr MacCallum said.

The package announced this morning offers 50 per cent freight subsidy, waived Local Land Services  rates and fixed charges on water licence registration costs, class one agricultural vehicle registrations and interest on existing Farmer Innovation Fund loans.

The fact that freight subsidy can be back dated only to January this year reflects a government that truly doesn’t fully comprehend the dire situation farmers have been in for the past two seasons.

“We haven’t had a season here since 2016, we’ve only got core breeding cattle, all the surplus have gone and we are feeding our wethers which we have never had to do.

“I have never seen a worse situation and it it is exacerbated by the fact the whole state is in drought.

“Things were bad in 1965 and 1980 but we were able to send stock off on adjistment but now there is nowhere to send them to,” he said.

He said many people just didn’t realise how bad it is but ever optimistic, Mr MacCallum said  the announcement might be a sign of more relief.

“Maybe they are starting to realise,” he said.

He said the emphasis on hay supply overshadowed the need for grain, which was as important, if not more to sustain healthy stock.

Use of molasses was another option this experienced farmer has used to supplement feed but even that is running out.

He rang his supplier over the past couple of days only to be told they’d run out.

“They have already used their quota for the entire year and are desperately trying to get more out of the mills,” he said.

Freighting in grain from Western Australia and stock piling it in easy access for those in need was an option that would help, according to Mr MaCallum.

That and rain.

Visit the Department of Primary Industry for more information: Emergency Drought Relief Package.