Help farmers in the New England-North West region battle the drought

The Northern Daily Leader, Namoi Valley Independent, Country Leader, North West Magazine, Armidale Express, Inverell Times, Guyra Argus, Moree Champion, Tenterfield Star, Walcha News, Border News and Glen Innes Examiner have joined forces with the charity Rural Aid and its Buy A Bale campaign to help New England-North West farmers as they fight to survive the challenging conditions. 

These Fairfax Media mastheads have also united with sister newspapers across the state to launch a NSW drought petition, which urges the state government to offer farmers relief on the cost of freight, fodder, water and Local Land Service rates as well as offer the collection of livestock genetics, and restocking/replanting loans after the drought breaks.

Scroll further down to see what the mastheads are doing with Buy a Bale.

Want to help? Click here to register for a copy of the petition and obtain signatures.

More than 70 per cent of the North West, which includes Tamworth, Gunnedah, Narrabri, Walgett - and the Gwydir, Moree Plains and Liverpool Plains local government areas - is in drought or at the onset of drought according to the state government’s Combined Drought Indicator.

This system looks at rainfall, soil moisture and pasture growth. 

Here’s what the drought looks like in the New England/North West

On top of that, 29.4 per cent of this region is classified as borderline and likely to dip towards drought given the Bureau of Meterology’s forecast. 

It’s a similar story across the Northern Tablelands – which includes Armidale, Uralla, Walcha, Glenn Innes, Inverell and Tenterfield. 

More than 41 per cent of the region is in drought or at the onset of drought, and 58.3 per cent is borderline and also likely to move towards drought. 

The unfolding situation has left paddocks full of dust, water resources dry or drying up and fodder being sourced from as far as South Australia at exorbitant freight costs.

NSW Central managing editor Chad Watson said the Fairfax Media mastheads had united to help make a difference.

Rural Aid chief executive Charles Alder said hay trucks were already being organised to bring some relief to drought-stricken farmers. 

“Rural Aid's drought program Buy a Bale has swung behind the dire need of farmers in the New England-North West and will over the coming weeks work to provide the assistance these farmers are calling out for,” he said. 

Click here to make a donation that will help buy hay, water and groceries for farmers in need.

Funds raised for groceries will be used to buy gift cards at the farmer’s local supermarket. That way, the money raised in the New England-North West will go back into the region’s economy.

Money put towards water will be spent locally while hay will be sourced from outside the New England-North West and transported to farmers because of a lack of supply in the region.

Click here to stock up on non-perishable food items for farmers – or buy some food for their pets – and take it to one of the drop off points.

Rural Aid will then make hampers which will be distributed to farmers across the New England-North West.

Take on the challenge at work and see how far you can go. 

Click here to register to receive a donation barrel.

Click here to order a hay truck poster and gradually fill a load of hay for a farmer. 

Businesses can also sponsor a truck load of hay. Sponsorship money will flow into the New England-North West account and be put towards supplies. 

Click here to sponsor a truck load of hay

Press the + button to zoom in and then click on the suns to look at pictures from across the state.

Read more about the drought in the New England / North West