TO SEE this many trucks on the road, and all heading in the same direction, is a stunning sight says NSW Farmers Wagga district branch chairman Alan Brown.
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Mr Brown made the comment after travelling back from Sydney this week.
He conceded he had never seen so much fodder on the road.
And while it is not a positive sight in terms of the fact NSW is 100 per cent drought declared Mr Brown was prepared to talk up the camaraderie and ability of the rural sector to work together.
Until last week parts of the the Riverina weren’t actually in drought. In fact, this region was helping to supply some of the hay and fodder which was destined for the struggling northern regions.
Mr Brown said a lot of the hay and fodder supplies from the Riverina had now dried up and it really was a case of primary producers helping each other out.
“I have heard of neighbours giving another neighbour hay,” he said.
Mr Brown said the reason fodder was so valuable, and on the road in vast tonnages was because livestock were valuable.
With record prices being paid for prime lambs in the saleyards he said it was feasible to feed them.
“If lamb is making $9 (a kilogram) you can make an economic decision,” he said.
Mr Brown said this drought also indicated how the winter cropping farmers were helping out their livestock-producing mates.
He said trucks, machinery, and time were all being willingly donated to help in the agricultural industry.
“A lot of this feed is going to maintain the core breeding units, people are determined to do as much as they can to stay in the game,” he said.
In the southern areas Mr Brown said there was still hope of achieving something in terms of a winter season.
“We are marginal here … we were drought declared last week,” he said.
“If we get rain in August then we can still have something of a season, to the north of West Wyalong it is more difficult though.”
- www.therural.com.au