Below are resources that provide assistance directly to farmers affected by the recent bushfires in Australia. This assistance helps keep livestock alive and healthy. These resources have been shared with TSA and are believed to be the best direct-to-source contributions. If you know of any other resources our members should know about, please submit them as an Opportunity to our website.
Blaze Aid: An army made up of (mostly) retired farmers, tradesmen and grey nomads who set up ‘base camps’ in disaster zones and rebuild boundary fences of farms. Ensuring sheep are safe and enclosed is critical to biosecurity and to reduce erosion after significant fire events. https://blazeaid.com.au/
State Based Funds: Australian bushfires tend to be managed at a state level, and as such various state governments take ownership of farm support during natural disasters. These funds generally fund immediate cash grants to farmers to buy food and replace essential infrastructure after fires/floods. Bushfires are currently burning in most states around Australia. The worst effected have been NSW, Victoria and South Australia.
VIC: http://www.vff.org.au/donations
NSW: http://www.nswfarmers.org.au/ndrf
SA: https://www.kangarooisland.sa.gov.au/notice-board/latest-news/ki-mayoral-relief-and-recovery-bushfire-fund
Australian bushfires have also decimated natural vegetation and millions of hectares of habitat. Australian farmers farm in the some of the most challenging and dry environments in the world. As a result they must work with nature; Biodiversity is at the core of agricultural productivity, and without the vast array of native plants and animals, farming would not be possible.
With over 1.25 billion native animals estimated to have perished in recent fires, significant investment in natural bushland regeneration is critical to all Australia’s agricultural sectors. Various organisations work to restore these. Greening Australia will play a crucial role in the regeneration of native parks and wildlife, in order to protect critically endangered animals and restore biodiversity to fire ravaged regions.
Kangaroo Island Wildlife Fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-save-kangaroo-islands-koalas-and-wildlife
RSPCA: https://bushfires.rspca.org.au/
Greening Australia: https://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/donate/
Whilst there are countless funds and opportunities to donate, we believe the links above to be the most targeted and most effective ports for incoming donations for farmers in the immediate aftermath of disaster. In time, the state and federal governments will provide funding, subsidies and assistance but right now the farmers just need to make sure farms remain healthy and viable into the immediate future.
