Now a run of warm weather combined with handy rain has turned the outlook around and given the agricultural sector a spike of hope.

Yerong Creek farmer Ross Edwards of “Pindari”, said crops in southern NSW were looking really good.

“It looks like we have been set up for some handy winter crops at home,” he said.

“At one stage they were really suffering and in need of rain … they have recovered and are looking really well,” he said. Canola at the Yerong Creek property has passed the mid-flowering stage and the wheat was looking well too. 

However, Mr Edwards said follow-up rain during September was needed to sure up yields and put the season in a good position. NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) agronomist at Wagga, Rohan Brill reiterated the sentiments.

He said there wasn’t “huge potential” for the winter crop but things were looking better than a month ago. 

Mr Brill said the season now hinged on falls of around 30mm to 40mm in September. And he said many of the crops were quite “short”. 

However, he warned that the frost on Sunday morning may play a part in damaging winter crops but it was too early to tell just yet. 

“Lupins in this area get hit by frost pretty yard, but canola is more robust,” he said. Meanwhile, the rain and improvements to pasture has provided a shot of optimism for livestock producers too.

At the Wagga Livestock Marketing Centre last Thursday sucker lambs made what was believed to be a record high of $193.20. 

Rodwells Wagga livestock agent Anthony Cummins said the lambs were estimated to weigh 29-kilograms dressed and were sold by Jeff Crawford of Sebastopol. “These were the best lambs I have seen in Wagga,” Mr Cummins said.