Australia is known all over the world for having some of the best produce that the world has to offer. From the fruit and vegetables, to the seafood and the cattle, our nation prides itself on producing some of the most brilliant produce in the world. While quality is not an issue, currently there is one business that is struggling due to weather resistance. In Australia, the supply of the very best fresh fish, shellfish, octopus and other seafood is both consistent and reliant, particularly on the east coast. But in the heart of Australia’s New South Wales farming community, the entire business is in dire need of assistance.
The business that is farming is one that should be of concern to us all. Since news of the drought began to spread, there has been debate among the Australian community that farmers “should have had plans in motion” for this. As well as the fact that farmers simply cannot control the weather, there is the realisation that the farming business is one that affects all of us, not simply just the farmers (though the effects on them and their families are substantially worse). The truth is that this business is unique in one very important way: the farming industry is responsible for feeding the entire country. Yes, every business has its falls and rises, but this is a business that we all rely on to get our produce. Australia is renowned for its
The trees are dying and the farming properties in central-western NSW are dust, with literally all the surface water long gone. As most of the Australian public are unaware of the crisis, the farmers that are living it know all too well that this crisis turned into an epidemic a long time ago. The rains this year just do not compare to those in past years, and while there have been some errors in some farmers’ processes (like the purchase of cattle years ago when it was so green and lush being so cheap because of the abundance of rain), the fact remains that this is an industry that is not only responsible for the majority (if not all) of the produce that the entire country consumes on the daily, but they dedicate their entire lives and their very being to the cause. We should all care. We should all be doing more to help.
There is no easy fix, there never is. Even with the government dedicating $600 million to relief for those in dire need in the business, the astounding amount of money is sadly not even enough to scratch the surface of what is needed to bring the industry back from the brink. It seems to be a brutal and unfathomable issue, and while it may seem there is little that can be done, donations (no matter how little…the phrase “it all counts” has never been truer), awareness, and compassion for the business in decline is more important than ever. The farmers know better than any of us how frustrating the situation is – they simply do not need the rest of the country heckling them about “knowing the risks of their business”. They know. They are living it.
Photo by Jake Gard on Unsplash
