The majority of farmers are investing their own time and money to make their farms more sustainable, a new Rural Aid report has found.
Australia’s most trusted rural charity recently surveyed its registered farmers, with 62 percent of the survey respondents confirming they were currently undertaking sustainability and resilience practices.
Fifth-generation farmer, and Rural Aid board member, Erica Halliday, said it’s a figure that might challenge a few stereotypes.
“Sometimes as farmers we feel we’re being blamed for climate change, when no one has more at stake than farmers,” she said.
“I don’t know a single farmer that isn’t trying to do the best by the land. We’re living and learning, but if anyone’s going to make a real difference, it’s actually going to be us farmers,” the Walcha farmer said.
It’s a sentiment backed up by Rural Aid CEO John Warlters, who said no one feels the impact of a variable climate more than farmers.
“Our farmers are the building blocks of what happens for us every single day because their efforts and their energies translate to food on the plate.
“We’ve seen a real change in the nature of requests for help from Rural Aid, and a lot of it is driven from what has been occurring with our seasons as disaster events become more frequent and severe.”
Erica and her husband Stuart are renowned as some of Australia’s top Angus seedstock breeders.
The environment, and leaving the land in a better state for future generations, is something Erica said all farmers strongly believe in.
“We’re working on cattle for the future that have less methane emissions both genetically and through management, as well as meat quality, and efficiency, and making sure they’ve got a kind temperament,” Erica said.
With Rural Aid’s Mates Day approaching on 20 March, John said they were encouraging people from across the country to understand the fundamental role agriculture plays in sustaining our communities and give, where they can, to help farmers when conditions move beyond their control.
“With every meal, we’re typically dining on amazing food grown by an Aussie farmer. And when we go into the supermarket, it’s the same story – just about everything on shelves is the output of what’s occurred on a farm,” John said.
To support Rural Aid’s Mates Day campaign or to make a donation, visit matesday.ruralaid.org.au.
