Aussie Farmers

It sucks.

The govt have abandoned the drought stricken farmers and as usual pumping millions of dollars into foreign aid.

Well what about the Aussie Farmers.

Some say the Govt has done little to help them so they can foreclose on their land and sell it to offshore investors.

It's the Australian public that are doing the work... Donating money to the farmers whilst the govt wrap it all up in red tape.

I am disappointed.

a reply to: NJE777

Would flag this but ats issues.

In agreement here.

I am absolutely disgusted that the authorities have done too little too late to help. They have had years.

More than happy to help the big end of town with tax cuts and leave our primary producers in the doldrums. Our farmers are the backbone of this nation.

originally posted by: NJE777
It sucks.

The govt have abandoned the drought stricken farmers and as usual pumping millions of dollars into foreign aid.

Well what about the Aussie Farmers.

Some say the Govt has done little to help them so they can foreclose on their land and sell it to offshore investors.

It's the Australian public that are doing the work... Donating money to the farmers whilst the govt wrap it all up in red tape.

I am disappointed.

But it's OK!!! Sunrise has it covered. They have Edwina on the case, every morning. Or had, not sure if it's still relevant to them now. I think harry and his wife might be something covered now.

Seeing what is happening though, is heartbreaking.

originally posted by: auroraaus
a reply to: NJE777

Would flag this but ats issues.

Weird, I flagged it no problems?

Not seen the issue mentioned though.

a reply to: SummerRain

Yes it flags fine on my desktop but not mobile, others have had issues others have not.

I just wanted OP to know I would have.

a reply to: auroraaus

Oh that's cool. My flag stat is zero LMAO even though I've got flags. Glitch in the matrix.

a reply to: NJE777

Hey look at that it is!!

Think the feds are displeased with your criticism?

originally posted by: NJE777
a reply to: auroraaus

My flag stat is zero LMAO even though I've got flags.

Yeah, but you also have 173 million stars...

Anyway, I heard on the news the governments offering farmers 'drought relief' payments, as if that was some kind of solution... It basically amounts to same as newstart payments.

The drought up that way will break eventually though, then they'll end up with record breaking rainfall... That's how the climate tends to work in Australia.

a reply to: Subaeruginosa

Aye and its only part payment now, part payment in March next year.

It does hardly anything to get the banks off their back, food and water for stock and crops and so on.

Hmm. I do not know about the Aussies farmers and their draughts, but I guess it would be about the same as in Germany - 30 to 40% fruit (wheat, rye, etc) lost to withered crop.

The problem I see with this is that the farmers are demanding (!) a governmental aid - but to me this is the economical risk every businessman has to bear, be it a salesman for diesel cars who can not sell a single one for years to come or be it retail offering clothes not wanted.

Sure it hurts when you see your farm going bankrupt and being sold to some overseas megarich fonds or something. Which makes fast cash by speculating and not caring for your prior property.

But that is capitalism. The higher the yield the higher the risk and so on.

Running to the government when a year or two in a row your company does not make any money is a way to have an insurance where you paid nothing and gained everything (from everybody else's wallet).

Sure, this is the other side of the coin, not the farmer-friendly and cozy one. But why should the government start helping farmers (who where completely satisfied by keeping as much as possible of every revenue as long as they made money) and shouldn't do the same to every other business on the verge of bankruptcy?

a reply to: ManFromEurope

I get your point above.
But......
The govt feels no qualms taking taxes while over-regulating, making it more difficult, in this ''large mega corporate farm'' enviroment here (Midwestern USA), for the family farm to survive.

Family-based farms provide the majority of the food we eat. Schmucker's jams and jellies, based in Michigan, provides an income for literally hundreds of farms in the great lakes region. I pefrsonally know a family who has a blueberry farm, and that is thier bread and butter.

Allow the family farmers to disappear, and see what happens to the food supply here.

[source]https://phys.org/news/2018-08-despair-crippling-drought-australian-farmers.html[/source]

A crippling drought is ravaging vast tracts of Australia's pastoral heartlands, decimating herds and putting desperate farmers under intense financial and emotional strain, with little relief in sight.

While the country is no stranger to "big drys" and its people have long had a reputation as resilient, the extreme conditions across swathes of Australia's east are the worst in more than 50 years.

A smattering of rain earlier this week did little to ease one of the driest starts to the year on record, turning pastures to dust and destroying huge areas of grazing and crop lands.

With no feed, farmers have been forced to ship in grain or hay from other parts of the country to keep sheep and cattle alive, spending thousands of extra dollars a week just to stay afloat.

very sad
not getting much attention in the media.
we in the West (Europe/North America) are so blessed with food that things like droughts and shortages don't get much attention. hunger is for the third world.

hope it rains soon.
farmers are very underappreciated.

a reply to: NJE777

Yeah, it does suck. That and 400 million dollars to the reef at this time. I appreciate the Barrier reef, but assisting the farmers at this time would be a priority.

Kind regards,

bally

a reply to: NJE777

The Farm Household Allowance isn't nearly enough, and not judiciously applied, or so it seems. Even for those who can use it, it's only for a max of 3 years. That don't make the flowers grow.

What can we do? Not much. Buy a bale of hay, if a person is so inclined. Help the farmers with diesel or water as you are able.

I have people in Queensland. They are lucky. Tings are so much worse elsewhere.

a reply to: NJE777

We will be paying a high price for not helping our farmers more.

For years. SMH.