Aussie Helpers travel to Boulia to help farmers in...
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Farming charity Aussie Helpers will provide much-needed aid to Boulia farmers next week, hosting a Hay Day on Wednesday March 24. More than hay will be on offer, with Aussie Helpers supplying SuplaBase, stock pellets, groceries, pet food, fuel, gift cards, and personal hygiene products. Aussie Helpers CEO Tash Kocks said the charity assisted 20 farming families in the region, but there was likely many more farmers silently struggling. "Farmers don't like to ask for help, but the challenges of life on the land take a toll," Ms Kocks said. "There is no shame in putting your hand up to say you need some assistance. Even if you are okay in terms of supplies, we encourage you to come out anyway and speak to likeminded people going through the same challenges you are." More than 59 per cent of Boulia's employed work is in the beef cattle industry, which has faced significant challenges over the past few years. "Boulia's farmers have battled volatile commodity prices, international trade tensions and recession all the while recovering from seven years of devastating drought," Ms Kocks said. "While we've had a wet summer, rain doesn't mean families aren't still doing it tough. Weather permitting it could take four to five years for our farmers to recover." Ms Kocks said they had received many messages from locals in the area who were doing it tough "This will be our first trip back to Boulia since 2015, we've had a lot of farmers get in touch and ask for support due to the continuing drought conditions," she said. "Locals are asking for stock feed and water, they have nothing, it's moonscape out there. We have two road trains of hay and one road train of stock pellets making the journey to help ease the strain on farmers." Ms Kocks said a the charity was built on a grassroots approach and it was very important to maintain that connection with farmers. "We have always had that personal touch by having face-to-face contact. We don't want any of our farmers to think they are just a number on a page or an email address," she said. "When making contact with us they may only identify one issue they are facing but when you are sitting across from them chatting, they can identify more concerns they are facing and we can offer continued support. "They are like our family and we want them to know they can come to us for anything." Aussie Helpers is a non-for-profit organisation devoted to helping our farmers, farming families and farming communities survive through the tough times so they can thrive in the good. Since 2002, we have supported more than 15,000 Aussie farmers devastated by drought, fires, floods and hardship. Aussie Helpers is designed to provide financial assistance, counselling, educational assistance, livestock feed and essentials like fuel, groceries and medicines to rural farming families. READ ALSO: Nominate an RFDS Local Hero in Mount Isa. Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: Bookmark https://www.northweststar.com.au/ Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Google News
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Aussie Helpers travel to Boulia to help farmers in needFarming charity Aussie Helpers will provide much-needed aid to Boulia farmers next week, hosting a Hay Day on Wednesday March 24.
More than hay will be on offer, with Aussie Helpers supplying SuplaBase, stock pellets, groceries, pet food, fuel, gift cards, and personal hygiene products.
Aussie Helpers CEO Tash Kocks said the charity assisted 20 farming families in the region, but there was likely many more farmers silently struggling.
"Farmers don't like to ask for help, but the challenges of life on the land take a toll," Ms Kocks said.
"There is no shame in putting your hand up to say you need some assistance. Even if you are okay in terms of supplies, we encourage you to come out anyway and speak to likeminded people going through the same challenges you are."
More than 59 per cent of Boulia's employed work is in the beef cattle industry, which has faced significant challenges over the past few years.
"Boulia's farmers have battled volatile commodity prices, international trade tensions and recession all the while recovering from seven years of devastating drought," Ms Kocks said.
"While we've had a wet summer, rain doesn't mean families aren't still doing it tough. Weather permitting it could take four to five years for our farmers to recover."
Ms Kocks said they had received many messages from locals in the area who were doing it tough
"This will be our first trip back to Boulia since 2015, we've had a lot of farmers get in touch and ask for support due to the continuing drought conditions," she said.
"Locals are asking for stock feed and water, they have nothing, it's moonscape out there. We have two road trains of hay and one road train of stock pellets making the journey to help ease the strain on farmers."
Ms Kocks said a the charity was built on a grassroots approach and it was very important to maintain that connection with farmers.
"We have always had that personal touch by having face-to-face contact. We don't want any of our farmers to think they are just a number on a page or an email address," she said.
"When making contact with us they may only identify one issue they are facing but when you are sitting across from them chatting, they can identify more concerns they are facing and we can offer continued support.
"They are like our family and we want them to know they can come to us for anything."
Aussie Helpers is a non-for-profit organisation devoted to helping our farmers, farming families and farming communities survive through the tough times so they can thrive in the good.
Since 2002, we have supported more than 15,000 Aussie farmers devastated by drought, fires, floods and hardship.
Aussie Helpers is designed to provide financial assistance, counselling, educational assistance, livestock feed and essentials like fuel, groceries and medicines to rural farming families.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: