New England-North West farmers are battling a crippling drought and they need your help to survive it.
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The Inverell Times has joined forces with the charity Rural Aid and its Buy A Bale campaign to help New England-North West farmers as they fight to survive the challenging conditions.
The Buy A Bale New England-North West campaign will raise money to buy hay, water and groceries for farmers in need through an online portal.
Options to help include registering for a donation barrel, gradually filling a load of hay for a farmer with a hay truck poster, and, sponsoring a hay truck.
Money raised will go to New England and North West farmers. Funds raised for groceries will be used to buy gift cards at the farmer’s local supermarket. That way, the money will go back into the local economy.
More than 70 per cent of the North West, which includes Tamworth, Gunnedah, Narrabri, Walgett is in drought or at the onset of drought according to the state government’s Combined Drought Indicator.
This system looks at rainfall, soil moisture and pasture growth.
On top of that, 29.4 per cent of this region is classified as borderline and likely to dip towards drought given the Bureau of Meterology’s forecast.
It’s a similar story across the Northern Tablelands – which includes Armidale, Uralla, Walcha, Glen Innes, Inverell and Tenterfield.
More than 41 per cent of the region is in drought or at the onset of drought, and 58.3 per cent is borderline and also likely to move towards drought.
The unfolding situation has left paddocks full of dust, water resources dry or drying up and fodder being sourced from as far as South Australia at exorbitant freight costs.
Managing Editor NSW Central Chad Watson said the Fairfax Media mastheads had united to help make a difference.
“Farming is such an important part of the New England and North West. We are partnering with Rural Aid to help the farmers who have been hit hard by the drought,” he said.
“Rural Aid's drought program Buy a Bale has swung behind the dire need of farmers in the New England-North West and will over the coming weeks work to provide the assistance these farmers are calling out for,” Rural Aid CEO Charles Alder said.
Details: buyabale.com.au/newengland-northwest