The South Australian government, in a sweeping round of funding to support farmers impacted by drought throughout the state, have provided $2 million to assist groups completed donation truck runs to farmers.
In a total package of $18 million of funding support, the $2 million will help groups with freight costs to transport donated fodder and assist farmers with feeding livestock.
This means that truck runs organised by the likes of Aussie Hay Runners (AHR) will receive much needed support on their future runs.
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“It’s the best news possible – as we are not a charity and are presently a project of the Heyfield Lions Club, who handle all of our financial donations,” AHR founder Linda Widdup told ABC.
“To access funding to be able to get to farmers around the Peterborough area that no one else will help, as they’ve been deemed too far out to reach, is very important to us.”
The funding will allow the likes of AHR to help more than 100 farmers in need of quality hay. Currently, Widdup is working hard to try and get as many trucks together as possible on a run, with AHR currently having 35 loads organised.
“I’m aiming to go higher, so we need people to donate or even buy a load to get more help to these poor people,” Widdup says.
“Minister Tony Pasin has been a powerhouse in securing this subsidy for us, and Mid-Murray Mayor Simone Bailey has been instrumental in helping us organise this run – she is fundraising for us.
“My aim is to get 50 or more trucks on our next run into SA.”
After seeing the pure devastation on AHR’s last run into SA that it did in November, Widdup is motivated to do more to help farmers in the region.
“Hopefully we can provide some relief in the form of hay and friendship – this is more important than ever to help out,” Widdup says.
“With this fuel subsidy, we’ll be able to help a lot of people in times of despair. For us, this is a hand up, not a hand out, so come the weekend of January 25, 2025, we will be seeing Peterborough in SA.”
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