Thursday 5 June 2025

S.A. livestock farmers put up with drought, floods, poor sales pricing on their stock, Dust Storms, Bush Fires, working long hours (sometimes for no reward for months even years) ...

... BUT the one thing that really causes distress is seeing their animals suffer and die.

Many farming families are still recovering from the 2018 drought, particularly in the northern and central regions.

This new drought we're living through today in fact began in 2022 ... got worse in 2023; led to a massive crop failure in 2024; topped off with little to zero rain in 2025. 

The northern regions of South Australia are worst affected - but really, every single area of S.A. right down to the South East are reaching out for critical help right now!

Imagine yourself ... working 12 hours a day for up to 3 years with no pay. Add to that costs that keep rising ... rates, taxes, buying in water. Being told the solution is selling your breeding stock, which may have taken you 40 years to develop.

"Destock" is the latest buzz word - but the pricing at the sale yards is so low right now, farmers literally cry as they see their futures slipping away. More despair as their children say "mum, dad, we don't want to take over the farm - it's too hard!"

And then - when times do improve in the future, for these farmers to buy back breeding stock, it will undoubtedly be at over inflated prices. So they lose when they destock and lose again when they have to buy back. Their banks just won't support them.

One farmer noted that many of her 'girls' (cows) are pregnant right now. She refuses to sell them, knowing that through the sales yard, the baby will be killed when the mum goes to the abatoir. Therefore, she has no choice but to try to nurture these mums through to having their calves.

Distress is not a strong enough word for how they feel, but it is the only one that fits.

It's Time to Redress Distress

Rotary across South Australia (about 84 separate clubs) has loved partnering with Farmers Relief Agency (FRA) since February 2025.

We've been raising funds to give these farmers hope by delivering truck loads of Hay and (now) Pellet Feed direct to their farms to help them maintain their breeding stock and future livelihoods.

All of the funds invested by our Clubs; the General Public; generous businesses; churches and community groups, has been invested only in buying this feed. Very focused on this specific purpose!

FRA have a contract with PIRSA (the Government of South Australia, Department of Primary Industries and Regions), who subsidise the transport costs for our fodder deliveries. Critically important support to ensure Rotary's fundraising efforts can purely focus on sourcing and purchasing quality animal fodder.

Traditionally over many decades, many farmers would donate excess hay to other farmers in need. It's just how they support one another. Not this year!

This long term drought across South Australia and Western Victoria is so severe, coupled with the natural disaster floods in Queensland and NSW recently, means that any spare supplies of hay previously available, are either gone or so expensive, it's literally unaffordable.

• A large 600kg bale use to sell for around $60 in good times

• In February 2025, FRA secured 800 bales for $110 per bale

• Now our pricing seems to sit at around $190 per bale ... if and where you can find them

• Some sellers are asking as much as $500 per bale. Prices unheard of. But we believe FRA and Rotary's reputation has helped us stretch our dollars much further.

FRA and Rotary are now focusing also on high quality, nutritious feed pellets for sheep and cattle - produced by a company called Milne in Western Australia. We're bulk transporting them to depots in SA, and then directly out to the farms.

This week, we have purchased 120 tonne of pellets, enough to help 24 farmers.

Our next Goal with your help is to purchase 750 tonne this month to help another 150 farmers. This will enable Rotary / FRA to bring our total number of farmers helped since February up to 244 families. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that we have twice that number registered, in desperate need of fodder for their stock.

We need to raise another $700,000 to purchase the fodder farmers need - helping a further 200+ farmers.

If we can raise $1.4 Million - we can likely assist all of the Farmers currently registered with us. It's a massive job. Quite daunting!

How you can help!

Every donation collectively helps us reach all of our farms.

< DONATE HERE > if you are able to support our immediate efforts, with our sincere thanks, and that of the farmers who hug us when our trucks arrive.

Every donation of $2 or more through Rotary's Charitable arm (Rotary Australia World Community Service - RAWCS) is tax deductible, with a receipt emailed to you when complete.

We were delighted to recently receive a $50,000 corporate donation from the MGA Whittles Community Foundation - a massive undertaking from this Insurance specialist (themselves with many farming clients). Their outstanding corporate citizenship and genuine passion to help is truly heart warming.

Beyond massive donations of this nature, we have also had so many other donations from small businesses. Trust us when we say, we are so very appreciative.

Other Ways to help

• If you’re in the city, take a trip to the country, have lunch at a country pub or café; buy a cream bun or pie at the local bakery to take home.

Most importantly say “G'day” to the locals, talk about the weather, the football, or anything you like. It is nice to see the Aussie-way of supporting other Aussies regardless if you know them or not.

Sometimes, farmer and others in their communities affected by the flow on effects of the drought (such as the pubs and local grocery stores) just need to have some normal, happy conversation to lift their spirits.

• Spread the word. Talk to your local politician, councilor or social media follower about the distress of farmers. You could be the one who has someone in your network in a position to really help.

Finally, when it rains ...

... don't think the drought is over. It takes several inches over several weeks to break a drought.

It also then takes months for crops to germinate, grow and mature to a point that it can be harvested.

Thank you for reading this article. We'll try to keep you updated as to the real situation as the weeks progress.

Thank you again for your support.