Andrew Wood, a sheep and cattle farmer from northern NSW, says producers in the region are experiencing significant stress due to a lack of rainfall.
"The season's been pretty grim for some time now,” he says.
“A bit over 12 months now we've been feeding stock on and off, and the problem is coming up to this spring, summer.
Without good rainfall, surface water on his Armidale property could run out this spring.
Mr Wood has taken to regularly hand-feeding his stock to ensure their survival, but extended dry periods bring other problems which are tougher to solve.
“We can always feed animals, but it’s very difficult to cart water to animals,” he says.
“We’re always optimistic, otherwise you wouldn’t be in this business, but the forecast is bad, for below average rainfall, and we just have to hope and pray that it’s above average rainfall.”
For many farmers, a second “cash flow drought” follows the physical one.
“Having to sell stock at depressed prices is a real concern for us,” says Mr Wood.
Fifteen minutes’ drive to the north, near the township of Guyra, it’s calving season for cattle farmer Sam White.
The family-run ‘Bald Blair’ Angus stud has been in operation for almost a hundred years.
As we tour the property, we encounter its newest resident: a calf, just a few minutes old.
“At this point in the animal’s life, this is where there’s a huge demand for nutrients, to supply both the calf and mother,” says Mr White.
“In a dry time, this is a very stressful time for us.”
He’s been forced to reduce his stock by almost 40 per cent since January.
Those left require additional food supplements. That means spending more at a time when less money is coming in.
“It’s never good to see your animals in a poor state,” he says.
“All farmers want their animals to look and act and be well, that’s their goal, that’s why we’re in the business that we’re in, but these times test us.”
In NSW, many farmers west of Armidale are doing it even tougher, with around 50 per cent of the state experiencing drought conditions.
Andrew Watkins of the Bureau of Meteorology says the problem also stretches into Queensland.
“Around Australia, we’re still seeing some significant areas of rainfall deficiency, so areas of drought, particularly through Queensland into areas of northern, north-eastern NSW,” he says.
The Bureau of Meteorology is on watch for an El Nino event this spring. It could bring drier conditions to areas already experiencing a lack of rainfall.
And while many farmers have welcomed recent announcements of state and federal assistance, many say -- it’s a drop in the ocean compared to the relief that only rain can bring.
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