Aussie mateship on display as desperate farmers gifted hay bales
The largest ever mass movement of donated hay ploughed along the state’s highways and byways today to the relief of drought-ravaged NSW farmers, amid dire predictions hay will completely run out within three months.
NSW
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In an inspiring display of mateship on our national day, more than 13,000 large bales of hay worth an estimated $4 million were delivered today to hundreds of farmers in drought-crippled western NSW towns.
“It doesn’t get more Aussie than bloody helping someone you don’t know,” farmer and Burrumbuttock Hay Runners founder Brendan Farrell told The Sunday Telegraph.
But there were also warnings that, unless there are significant rains soon, the NSW hay shortage will become a national hay shortage.
It was all about the mateship today with three separate convoys organised by farming charities Lions Need for Feed, Burrumbuttock Hay Runners and Rural Aid mustering a combined 275 truckies from as far afield as Western Australia, who came bearing hay to feed starving stock.
“It lets graziers know they aren’t forgotten and someone still gives a shit about them,” Mr Farrell said.
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At Bogan Gate, between Parkes and Condobolin in the Central West, third generation grazier and father-of-four Andrew Gartner, 52, was given enough hay to keep his 1600 ewes and 800 lambs alive for another three weeks.
Mr Gartner has spent more than $150,000 on hay and grain in the past year to keep his livestock alive and will need to keep spending big because his 1100 hectare farm still “looks like the desert”.
Two semi-trailers of hay pulled up at Mr Gartner’s farm, with enough hay for him and 15 neighbours, paid for by hundreds of sausage sizzles and farmer-themed dress up days at G8 Education centres from the Blue Mountains to the Gold Coast.
“The fact other people are thinking of us farmers and feeling for us while we’re doing it tough gives us confidence,” Mr Gartner said.
“We really appreciate that people are aware we’re in tough times, because without that farmers can get down and think we’re on our own.”
With the entire state in drought, demand for hay is outstripping dwindling supply despite tripling in price last year.
According to online hay marketplace Feed Central managing director Tim Ford, a national stockpile from good growing conditions in 2016 and 2017 has been used up, and if it doesn’t rain by the end of March graziers will be hard pressed to feed for their livestock.
“We will run out of hay during April or May if we don’t get rain on the east coast,” Mr Ford said.
“This time last year we had a stockpile, but we don’t anymore.”
There have been isolated summer storms in the state’s west but, according to NSW Department of Primary Industries agricultural climatologist Anthony Clark, the drought hasn’t let up since late 2016.
“The drought is now well over 18 months, closer to two years long,” Dr Clark said.
“Some isolated storms have given the land a green kick for a couple of weeks but unless there’s follow-up rain it’s of little value. In the state’s northwest from Walgett to Coonamble, farmers have missed out on rain altogether.”
Originally published as Aussie mateship on display as desperate farmers gifted hay bales
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