Farm loses $1.5m following ‘frustratingly hard’ start to growing season

Over a million dollars worth of produce has been washed away from a single South East Queensland farm, with growers saying this season has taken a “significant” emotional and financial toll and calls for help have gone unanswered.

Over a million dollars worth of produce was washed away from a single farm this year, with the grower saying major flooding and rain events have taken a “significant” emotional and financial toll on the state’s farming industry.

Mulgowie grower Belinda Frentz from Coastal Hydroponics was hit by two major floods in the Lockyer Valley in February, with the farm only just now recovering four months later.

“The first flood took out about 50 per cent of the original plantings, and we were able to get back on our feet from that. And then the second round of floods took out 100 per cent of supply,” she said.

The flooded crops at Coastal Hydroponics. Picture: Supplied

Soaked planting grounds meant the farm, which focuses on growing baby leaf salads and herbs, was set back weeks without solid income with Ms Frentz saying workers were also forced to reduce their hours by 50 per cent.

“We’ve suffered a loss of at least a million dollars. Now that is in product alone, that’s not with the sustained damage to the property which would be looking at another half a million dollars,” she said.

The soaked crops at Coastal Hydroponics. Picture: Supplied

But it wasn’t just the financial pipeline that took a hit, with local growers starting to feel a fear of replanting again for the third, and sometimes fourth time, after a number of failed attempts.

“There’s this pressure and stress on the family businesses to survive. Because that’s the start of the season, if you don’t have that strong financial start-up then it has a ricochet effect on the rest of the year where you’re effectively playing catch-up for the whole season,” she said.

Director of Mulgowie Yowie Salads, Shannon Moss, looks over crops grown since the floods. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Ms Frentz said the farm has now managed to replant as the team waits with bated breath to see if the weather will allow them to harvest the crops.

“Everything feels slow and like it’s not happening. It honestly feels like we’re watching grass grow. Every day we’re taking photos of the crops to see the progress,” she said.

The replanted crops the Mulgowie farm. Picture: Supplied

“It’s the first time in 15 years where we haven’t been in full supply and capacity. It’s unknown territory. It’s taking a deep breath and recognising the long-term risk of the business so you can get the job done but without any financial support.”

Meanwhile, at Wellington Point Farm, farmer Adrian Lynch said the start of the growing season had been “frustratingly hard”.

The strawberry fields inundated with water at Wellington Point Farm in May. Picture: Adrian Lynch

“It’s always going to rain at the start of the season, but this year the exceptional volume has put us behind the eight ball. This year you just can’t catch a break,” he said.

At the farm, which mostly grows tomatoes and strawberries, production has reduced to about 50 per cent of what it was this time last year.

Adrian Lynch said production has reduced to about 50 per cent of what it was this time last year at his Wellington Point farm. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“We’re farmers, we’re resilient, we come back year after year, but you have your year planned out and then it all goes out the window because of the weather,” he said.

Growcom CEO Richard Shannon has been campaigning for farmers to get state and federal disaster relief funding but said there’s been “no change” following the announcement of the state budget this week.

“We’re asking state and federal governments to provide farmers with an emergency support package to get them back on their feet,” he said.

“Costs of input have doubled, and sometimes tripled in price, for many growers … Some growers have replanted three times and don’t have the capital to get back on their feet.”