Farmers discuss ‘perfect storm’ of issues affecting farms at urgent meeting in Yornup

The Manjimup-Bridgetown Times spoke to five farmers about their concerns for the season following an urgent urgent crisis meeting was held in Yornup last week. While water woes amid the dry season was the main concern, other issues including the impact the Federal Government’s decision to phase out live exports, and the exporting of fodder, were raised. Mat Daubney - Bannister Downs Dairy owner and Northcliffe farmer. Bannister Downs Dairy owner Mat Daubney said this season’s conditions were “definitely unprecedented” and the lack of water at his Northcliffe farm was unheard of. “When I filled out a form earlier today asking about the capacity of my dam I wrote 0-20 per cent,” he said. “To write that number when you live on a farm in Northcliffe, that’s unheard of. “If you have the cattle numbers and the livestock, water is a critical aspect to running your business. “The decision we’ve got to make: is this a one-off or is it the new normal? Because if it is the new normal, we’re going to have to make some changes.” Mr Daubney believed his business, along with other farms, needed a bit of “future proofing” with the present conditions. “We’ve had a 12-month feed source in front of us for our stock, and now we’re down to 90 days (worth of feed),” he said. “Farmers are going to need to be supported in the next few months, along with their livestock, until winter, where hopefully things will look greener. “For the broader community, it’s a dire situation with livestock that don’t have homes and need to be looked after.” Hugo Bombara - Boyup Brook farmer. Mr Bombara said the overstocking of sheep was a fundamental issue for farmers within the region, given the stress of the lack of water and buyers for the livestock. “I think the fundamental issue is that everyone is overstocked with sheep,” he said. “Particularly in Boyup Brook, we can’t sell sheep or cattle and that’s a direct consequence of the Albanese Government’s ban on live exports.” He said it was harder for sheep farmers to deliver stock to other areas for sale, and said the farmers were “hammered” by the conditions. “Sheep farmers are really hammered because of the lack of ability to move stock,” Mr Bombara said. “It’s deeper than what a lot of people think because it broke the system and in Katanning at the moment, there’s no bid, so there’s nowhere to go.” Garry Buller - Monterey Murray Grey and Angus Stud owner and Karridale farmer. Mr Buller said the environment was the “perfect storm” for farmers with a “triple-whammy” of water woes, fodder issues, and lack of confidence in the livestock market plaguing their livelihoods. “It’s a triple whammy at the moment — water’s an issue, fodder’s an issue, and the price we’re getting for our product is another major issue,” he said. “It’s like the perfect storm in the sense that we’re not getting enough money back to pay the exorbitant price of fodder and water and dams.” He also took note of low supplies of fodder and hay, and gave a suggestion of putting a moratorium on State hay and fodder exports until a stock-take was done. “The cost of hay has gone through the roof, having gone from $230 earlier in the season to $400 or even $500,” he said. “I can’t see the point of hay going to places like China — which haven’t wanted it for the past four years — while we need to look after home.” Bevan Eatts - Manjimup farmer. Mr Eatts said he hoped the concerns brought up by farmers allowed those representatives to understand the extent of the drought. “Having a couple members from the drought taskforce there gave them a bit of insight and reinforced that we are in a crisis and need some action now,” he said. “The fact that we are in a (drought) crisis shows we need action and government support now to alleviate it, otherwise it will get a lot worse.” He said he had been frustrated by the policies and legislation changes by the State Government during his time as chair of the WA Water Users Coalition. “We’ve worked in the areas of the Warren-Donnelly and have been frustrated by the local water policies and legislation changes, especially about spring rights,” Mr Eatts said. “It’s even more frustrating with being told that farmers now have to prepare for droughts, when we’ve spent the last two years making sure that farmers don’t have their water licences reduced and have the ability to drought-proof their properties through spring rights. “I don’t know if the Government have realised that it’s their policies that have put farmers in the position that they’re in.” Tim Bleechmore - Boyup Brook farmer. Mr Bleechmore said the ongoing issues that plagued farmers like him were water and feed scarcity. “We’ve been buying a road train load of pellet to feed cattle and lambs since December, and we’re turning off cattle earlier,” he said. “There was a shorter feed, and having to finish stock earlier to get them off paddocks.” He also said he wasn’t sure what was going to happen next for the farmers and their problems. “There are no direct answers at this stage on what happens next,” Mr Bleechmore said.