Australian farmers are a hugely important part of the food manufacturing supply chain, as the feedstock to our industry, we want to support where we can. foodpro is pleased to be partnering with Aussie Helpers to fundraise and give back to the farming community via donations.
Life on the land in rural Australia has never been for the fainthearted. In 2O22, Australian farmers continued to be hit by devastating weather events and natural disasters, ongoing pressures of farming and isolation, concerns about climate change and sustainable land management, greater economic uncertainty, and staffing issues.
As back-to-back years of La Nina and flooding rains finally come to an end, we’re preparing—and bracing—for El Nino, and our sunburnt country once again. We’ve all been through so much in recent years but the devastating impacts of drought and bushfires—from environmental, to economic and the extreme human toll—are forever scorched in our memories.
Aussie farmers are tough and resilient. They know there’s no such as thing as perfect climate forecast. But a drought during the current economic climate could see many Australian families—already struggling with the cost of living—pay even higher prices for their groceries. Many Aussies, including farmers, will go without. If property values drop with the drought and farmers are unable to service their loans due to macro-economic conditions—some farmers will be forced off their land, impacting our food security. As farmers are working hard to prepare for El Nino, we’re also preparing by strengthening our services and our relationships with farming communities.
Many farmers struggle in silence. They are more likely to experience depression and anxiety and are almost twice as likely to die of suicide when compared to the general population. Almost one third of farmers have reported a decline in their mental health over the past few years (National Farmers Federation, 2023). Shockingly, it’s estimated that one Aussie farmer dies of suicide every 10 days. The impact on farming families and communities is huge, which is why all Aussie Helpers’ team members are certified Mental Health First Aiders—to provide essential counselling to farmers in need.
Despite advances in technology, students from rural and remote locations continue to be significantly disadvantaged throughout their education and in their post-school futures compared to metropolitan students. Recent NAPLAN results highlighted the continued education inequality between Aussie bush and city kids. Aussie Helpers Volunteers for Isolated Student Education (AHVise) initiative was established to fight education inequality and has have helped more than 1,500 farming kids.
Thanks to Aussie Helpers—and our supporters—farmers are not alone. Their mission is to help farmers, farming families and communities survive through the tough times so they can thrive in the good. As one of Australia’s largest farming support charities, they have provided support directly to farmers for 21 years and created lasting connections with rural communities across Australia.
They are led by their purpose—to help the heart of our country—and are driven every day to ensure farmers know that help is just a phone call away. They are open and flexible to responding to the unique needs that individual farmers, their families and rural communities face. They can provide immediate help—wherever, whenever and however—farmers and farming communities need it, which makes them different to many other charities.
They help 1,000s of farmers every year, whether it be providing animal feed, financial assistance, food hampers, fuel cards, laptops, school fee support, student tutoring, access to mental health services, and little luxuries like Christmas hampers and gifts for kids. Their regular farm visits are a vital lifeline to many farmers and their families. Their team provide open ears, minds and arms for farmers who simply need to know they are not alone.
We know there is so much more to be done—and that we can do—to support farmers and communities. We know that many farmers continue to struggle alone. And for us, that’s not ok. foodpro is proud to host Aussie Helpers as their charity partner for this years event.
The next major natural disaster, that will devastate farms and rural communities, is just around the corner. As a not-for-profit, they are entirely funded through donations and sponsorships and rely on their network of volunteers and small but mighty team to support 1,000s of farmers every year.
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