A major fundraiser has been created to help out the thousands of Australian farmers who have been left devastated following the bushfire crisis.
Even as rain begins to fall in some parts of Australia, wildfires still continue to devastate large portions of the country
The fires have destroyed 10 million hectares worth of farmland and have also claimed the lives of thousands of livestock and wildlife.
The Australia Farming Relief Fund, created by animal nutrition company Alltech, will help provide goods and services directly to affected farmers.
The multinational firm, based in the United States, said it will match donations dollar-for-dollar.
Mark Peebles, managing director of Alltech Lienert, said: “The Fund represents a coordinated effort to support the producers who feed our families and are the core of our rural communities.
“The bushfires have been devastating, but Australians are resilient, and we are committed to rallying around our farmers as they recover from this crisis.”
As farmers assess the damage, the loss of livestock is expected to exceed 100,000 animals.
Producers, who were already contending with a three-year drought, are struggling to secure supplies and feed.
Alltech Lienert and KEENAN Australia will use their resources to distribute supplies either donated locally or purchased using donations from the Fund.
Such supplies will include hay, finished feed, feed supplements, silage, water troughs, fencing and non-perishable items.
The companies will deploy their trucks and drivers to deliver supplies to producers in Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland.
Team members will also volunteer their time to work alongside farmers, rebuilding fences, repairing sheds and providing any on-farm support they need.
The effort will initially focus on dairies, sheep and beef farms, and apiaries.
Alltech is also exploring partnerships that will offer longer-term mental health support for farmers grappling with trauma as a result of the fires.
