Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, announced a drought relief package of $30 million last Monday, for Western District farmers who are suffering in extreme drought conditions.
I must say that my role as a livestock market analyst leads me to many different places, and this gives me great opportunities to meet many producers.
I must confess that I do reside in West Gippsland, and do not travel into the western part of Victoria very often. I must confess this has led me to be forthcoming in commenting on the very good season in parts of Gippsland, and Victoria’ north-east.
Knowing there are part of the Western District that have had only a small percentage of their annual rainfall, not only this year, but throughout the later part of 2014, does not excuse me from being fully aware of the plight of some producers in the west.
It took the news footage of Premier Andrews consoling a producer, after making his Government’s announcement, to really make me sit back and think. I knew it was dry in some areas, but I hadn’t realised it had become quite this bad.
We all think and feel for the producers in parts of Queensland, who have been in severe drought for well over 12 months, but it hard to imagine a similar scenario in Victoria, when one continually sees the greener grass in other parts of the state.
How often is it that we talk of drought and the ramifications of it? The footage on television brought my sympathies home to roost when the Premier put his arm around the shoulders of the producer as he came to tears.
It is hard for many to imagine having not enough grass to feed your stock, especially when one sees the amount of silage and hay being harvested in the areas through which I travel.
But grass is not the only issue here, as ground water is a very big problem.
Some have said, you can buy in feed for your stock, but purchasing water is a hiding to nothing.
We are only in the middle of November, and with the Bureau of Meteorology’s prediction of a very hot, dry summer coming, these producers have very little to look forward to.
Many stories have been written of droughts, and the consequences of continued dry weather. However, very little is written about the true effect on the producers. Most men have great pride, and do not tell of their hardships. It is only when you see how it does affect a man, such as Monday’s story, that one really realises how much pressure is on some producers.
I can only hope that the weather gods give in and supply some much needed rain, not only here, but in other drought declared areas of this great country.
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