Dear Member,
I trust you had safe and festive Christmas and enjoyed some well-deserved rest ahead of what promises to be a busy year.
Unfortunately for some of you, the past few weeks have been spent battling huge bushfires across Victoria, particularly throughout the Grampians National Park in the state’s west.
On behalf of the VFF, I would like to extend a huge thank you to the emergency services helping to keep our communities safe and the farmers that took measures to prepare their farms before the fire arrived.
Many of our members spent their Christmas on the fireground and we thank them for their effort, hopefully you get a break with family soon.
Thankfully and despite the dangers posed, widespread stock losses have been kept to a minimum, with the majority of farm impacts being shed losses, destroyed fencing and burnt pastures.
I want to stress impact assessments are still underway, but at this stage it looks as though communities have heeded the warnings and prepared in the days before the worst fire conditions arrived. I myself intend to visit the Grampians region later this week to get a first-hand look at the damage.
For those directly impacted and continuing to face dangers, we’re working hard to get you the support you need as your focus turns to recovery.
In the meantime, below are some resources you can access now:
- Vic Emergency December 2024 Relief and Recovery information
- Disaster Recovery Allowance
- BlazeAid Australia
- Agriculture Victoria bushfire recovery information (including financial assistance information for those eligible)
- Vic Emergency urgent animal welfare hotline 1800 226 226
- Agistment offers via Nutrien Ararat. Call Kevin Doolan 0417 900 631 or David Preston 0408 149 113.
- Mental health support National Centre for Farmer Health
For those wishing to lend a helping hand, the VFF’s Disaster Relief Fund is taking donations. The VFF Disaster Relief Fund goes towards assisting farmers during times of crisis. You can read more and make a donation on our website.
In the coming days and weeks, the VFF will be continuing to monitor the situation closely with the assistance of the Victorian Government and our members on the ground to ensure support is directed to where it’s needed.
While conditions may have eased over the past few days, I urge you all to keep monitoring conditions right across the state in the coming weeks and months and keep telling us here at the VFF the situation on the ground to help us get you the support you need.
Please keep safe.
Thank you,
Brett Hosking
Victorian Farmers Federation President.