Rapid Relief Team deliver hay and seed to flood impacted farmers in Lismore

Northern Rivers farmers have been gifted over 1,000 bales of premium grade hay and 22 tonnes of rye-grass seed. Here are the details.

Northern Rivers farmers have received over 1,000 bales of A-grade lucerne hay and 22 tonnes of tetraploid annual ryegrass seed with ultrastrike coating thanks to the Farmers Community Connect initiative.

Stud farmers, graziers and grain growers loaded up their trucks, utes, and trailers on Friday with help from the Rapid Relief Team (RRT).

The second feed and seed convoy to stop off in Lismore, RRT’s Farmers Community Connect (FCC) initiative set up a community day out for farmers to enjoy, with access to a BBQ lunch, coffees, local support services and a donation of fodder.

Over the years, this event has come to the aid of farmers impacted by droughts, bushfires and now devastating floods.

The Rapid Relief Team arrived in Lismore on Friday with 1,241 bales of hay and 880 bags of rye-grass seed to gift to 305 flood-affected farmers.

After back-to-back floods the region remains crippled where stock and crops have been destroyed.

Yorklea grazier and grain grower Paul Flemming said the floods were ‘absolutely incredible’.

“Water that we have never seen before in sheds that we have never ever had water in,” Mr Flemming said, “We had 1.5 metres of water in.

“Nothing’s impossible after what I’ve seen,” he said.

Minister Emergency Services and Resilience, the Hon. Steph Cooke MP, stepped out in support for farmers on the day.

“The weather events up here over the last five weeks have really taken a toll on the community and our hard working farmers have been really deeply impacted by not just one but two significant floods that have come through this area,” Ms Cooke said.

“We have heard of farmers who have had their stock marooned in patches of high ground but have been unable to get feed to them.”

More than 100 bales of hay were flown by helicopters to farmers flooded in, thanks to support from Rotorwing Helicopter Services and RFS Air Operations.

Farmers had saturated paddocks and limited feed due to the floods – making the high grade lucerne hay incredibly valued.

Mr Flemming said the six bales of hay and five bags of rye-grass will go a long way to sustaining his animals during winter.

“Our cattle property lost a lot of feed and crops,” he said.

The Rapid Relief Team arrived in Lismore on Friday with 1,224 bales of hay and 880 bags of rye-grass seed to gift to 290 flood-affected farmers.

Wendy Wright from East Coraki lost a third of her cattle and 19 horses in the floods.

“I don’t have a whole lot left,” Ms Wright said. “I had three metres over ‘74 level.”

“We have very little feed, I lost a cow yesterday.

“The feed today will keep the others alive until I can get them out onto agistment,” she said.

What cattle has been saved will be transported up onto the tablelands Ms Wright said.

“I won’t get cattle back on my place until mid summer, maybe autumn by the time I get my place cleaned up, seeded and get the weeds under control,” Ms Wright said.

Drainage and weed control are among the setbacks facing flood affected farms.

Ms Wright, her daughters and son have been living in a gooseneck and a caravan

“We’ve managed to get one room tidied up in the shed and we’re still showering in the stockyard but it is what it is.

“We’re just trying to rebuild our lives an hour at a time,” Ms Wright said.

28 trucks of hay were sourced from the Riverina, funded by RRT’s generous donors which travelled from Cowra and Yenda up the coast to Lismore.