The big dry

Across Australia, farming communities are fighting the growing and devastating impact of another severe drought. Farming communities are doing it tough with drought impacting Australia's eastern and southern states. The drought has reached severe levels, with 100 per cent of NSW now drought declared and two thirds of Queensland still experiencing drought.

Areas of Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia are facing worsening conditions too. Families are carrying a heavy burden – not only the ongoing struggle to make ends meet, but the despair of watching their livestock perish, and the isolation they feel.

The scale is so big that it can be hard to know how to help… BUT, you can ease the burden on farmers and their families in small practical ways.

What can you do to help?

• Buy a Bale: The Buy a Bale initiative helps farmers receive the fodder they need and the support to get them through this tough time. At $20 for a small bale, that’s less than a week’s worth of coffees at a CBD café!
• Muster’ up some mates: Hold a fundraising event in your local community, whether it’s a sausage sizzle, cake stall or garage sale, your participation and generosity can help lift the morale among farming families and deliver short-term financial relief. Form a team and register your event through the Red Cross.
• Shop local: It is now more important than ever to buy Australian branded products. Sourcing local produce is a big start, and certainly one of the easiest ways to help Aussie farmers.