Farmers beg for assistance citing green patches on fields are deceiving

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Farmers in southern New South Wales are calling for more drought assistance. There's been some rain in the past month boosting spirits. But farmers say the green tinge in the landscape is deceiving.

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00:00Dams that were dry just two months ago now have water and May's dusty paddocks are looking

00:10green once again.

00:12But looks aren't everything, this short grass still isn't enough to sustain livestock.

00:17We're on a full grain ration for the sheep that are here as well as silage and hay as

00:23well to keep up for the fibre.

00:25Most producers are very well set up for dry periods and what we would call droughts.

00:31It's just when you get two or three droughts in a row.

00:35Despite the recent rain, most of the Riverina is still drought affected and producers are

00:40turning to workshops for advice.

00:43We're going to be against the wall, have our back against the wall in trying to manage feed

00:47costs, manage budgets and source feed available to meet the demands of the stock that they've

00:52got.

00:53New South Wales farmers can apply for low interest loans of up to $250,000.

00:58But many farmers say that help with freight costs for fodder is urgently needed.

01:04In a statement, New South Wales Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty says the government is

01:08monitoring the situation in the Riverina and the assistance required.

01:13Rightly so.

01:14The people have been flooded of getting support.

01:16But in southern New South Wales we haven't had any support at all.

01:19And that's been a little bit frustrating I must admit.

01:22While livestock producers are facing a tough winter, the rain's been a game changer for

01:26croppers.

01:27It's a couple more plants growing quite healthy.

01:30The gamble on planting his crop early has paid off.

01:34We've had 80 mils and that's a significant amount of rain so that'll give us a lot of leeway

01:39that are heading forward for these crops.

01:42Shoots of hope for a better season ahead.

01:44Elder Smith

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