A COMMUNITY discussion on drought management will continue at Benalla this week after the Euroa session on Friday proved quite valuable to over 40 attendees.
The four-hour Drought Decision-Making Workshop was hosted by Gecko CLaN at Euroa Memorial Oval and will be re-run at the Benalla Lakeside Community Centre on Thursday, 19 June at 11am.
Gecko CLaN’s Kerri Robson said the discussions on Friday were invaluable to all who attended.
“We are in a water deficit in that, from last year - where we didn’t get a good winter - people did not get the soil moisture profile filled or their dams filled,” Ms Robson said.
“This is about climate change where, all of a sudden, we have these extreme events of 80 millimetres in one go and that is great, and it fills the dams.
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“Then March rain made it all look good but then we went back into the warmer weather.
“We just don’t have the water and because no one has feed on the ground, we are buying in feed."
Ms Robson said that straw – considered a less nutritious waste product from grain crops – now costs up to $500 per ton from Queensland or NSW.
“And freight costs you an absolute fortune.”
Topics at the events include animal health, feeding livestock nutritiously, containment areas, water quality, business management, and mental health.
Discussion on the help of AgBiz Assist has proven a limited success.
The Wodonga NFP offers various financial and professional support programs for small businesses in the agricultural sector, particularly those affected by drought or natural disasters.
The programs include loans, financial counselling, and assistance with developing tailored business plans.
However, at present farmers can only register for AgBiz assistance.
“And when they get around to working out what we are going to do, then farmers can apply for it,” Ms Robson said.
“There’s only so much money, so the bucket will empty quite quickly.
“We are waiting for the agriculture minister (Ros Spence) to release that money.”
Mental health expert Ivan Lister spoke at the meeting and Ms Robson said there had been many referrals on Friday, indicating a watershed moment in dealing with farmers’ wellbeing.
Ms Robson said de-stocking of farms was draining on people’s mental health.
“It becomes very soul destroying,” she said.
“The change for mental health is that we now talk about it all the time.
“It’s embedded in everything we do now, and we need to have that conversation and know where to go to get help.
“That’s our turning point in dealing with all of this.”
Although Ms Robson said the events have been planned as ‘a bit of a catchup’, the group is committed to long-term contact.
“We want to track how people are going up to the spring break - which will bring its own new challenges.
“Let’s stay in touch with each other to ask ‘are we on track?’”
Ivan Lister will speak at Thursday's event.
Registration can be made by phoning 0418 140 710 or emailing kerri@geckoclan.com.au
Registration for AgBiz Assist can be made at https://agbizassist.org.au/
Confidential help is available for those doing it tough by phoning Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 13YARN (13 92 76)
