Flooding in communities across NSW and VIC are causing havoc for growers in the lead up to what was anticipated to be a bumper harvest. While the full extend of the damage won’t be known until rain events ease, growers have increasing concerns for crops, the state of local roads and farm safety.
“At a rough estimate, Australian growers were looking at potentially a 60 million ton crop this year. My estimation is approximately 20 million tons of production are in the cropping areas experiencing current weather events.” said Brett Hosking, GrainGrowers Chair and VIC grower.
“Presently, we don’t know what the damage will be. There are a lot of variables at the moment. However, we know what grower concerns are. Infrastructure, particularly local roads are a concern. Major supply routes are cut in half in many places and damaged roads in regional areas are a significant safety risk for communities.”
“With this amount of water around, communities are also going to be particularly susceptible to pests and diseases. Mosquito borne illness like Ross River Fever are a worry and Japanese Encephalitis is a huge concern.”
“As communities try to take in the impact of current damage, and are also preparing for further flooding, we urge government at every level to work together and provide fast, clear, coordinated, and responsive support. Communities can’t be trying to navigate the intricacies of who does what with disaster declarations.”
“We are keeping all our growers, their families, and communities in our thoughts.We want everyone to stay safe physically and we also acknowledge the toll on people’s mental health. The uncertainty and not knowing what to expect is difficult for growers and their families and we ask them to reach out if needed.”
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