After a tough few months, and visits to many different EP regions, Steve Whillas, of EPIC Grain Brokers, and Lain decided over a coffee that we needed to do more than mental health focused events for the farming families. We wanted to find a way to ease the burden, especially when many crops weren't going to grace their farmers with their presence this season. We decided to focus on donating feed for stock.
The short-term requirements are for agistment and any leftover hay or grain. If there are any Lower EP farmers with part-loads, or any leftovers that can be made available now for short-term needs, that would be wonderful. In the longer term, the goal is to bale straw this harvest to help growers through the upcoming summer months.
The first load of Lower EP straw organised through our fundraiser was delivered to Arno Bay on the 13th August, and another load was dropped at Cowell the following day. With livestock worth so much at present, producers are desperate to keep their breeding stock to give them a head start when the season does break, and so they don’t have to rely on cropping.
The Trust is a response to the tough conditions that many farmers across the Eyre Peninsula are facing. As you know, Mentally Fit EP has been travelling the peninsula delivering Men’s Wellness events and are aware of the struggle that many of the farming communities are facing. EPIC Grain Brokers also travels the region constantly and Willo is having conversations around the dire conditions.
It was very evident that help was needed as soon as possible, and therefore asking the community for donations of feed for stock, space for agistment, and funds to arrange baling and freight began two months ago. The response and support has been enormous.
Due to the work that Mentally Fit EP and EPIC Grain Brokers do in this particular region, the project focus on the geographic region of Eyre Peninsula, and their producers managing stock in this area, was a natural choice.
Criteria that we have implemented to determine who receives fodder is: 1. Farmers who have livestock in their business, 2. Visual inspections of different districts and regions, 3. Consultation with Mentally Fit EP or rural support for referrals.
CPH Accounting in Port Lincoln, Mellor Olsen Lawyers, EPIC Grain Brokers, and Mentally Fit EP have all donated their time and services to set up, run and audit the EPIC Charitable Trust. Donations to the organisation are non-tax deductible.
Our plan is to have 5,000 bales of Barley Straw baled on the Lower Eyre Peninsula after harvest. Growers in this region have already GENEROUSLY donated the required amount. To access these bales, there will be a written contract informing growers of: 1. their allocated bales (100 bale per business), 2. time frame to pick up feed, 3. and a statement suggesting the hay should be used in a feedlot or containment setup as there will be a risk of foreign weed seeds and resistance grass issue that their farm may not have. It will be made clear that EPIC Trustees, donating farmers, and potential financial or in-kind donors are not liable for.
42 beneficiaries who have registered to date. If you are suffering from the drought and wish to be added to our list PLEASE CONTACT US!
The success, and size, of the initiative will be determined by the amount of funds that the Trust receives.
The mental stress load is high at the moment which we are gauging through counsellors here at West Coast Youth and Community Support; from conversations with farmers and their partners; and through events such as 2 farm incidents last week. Trying to limit farm injuries and stress is incredibly important.
Measuring the success of doing this is hard to do however, various phone calls, texts, comments on, and inboxes through, the Mentally Fit EP Facebook Page, and emails of gratitude and thanks all work towards a bigger picture.
As mentioned previously, the support has been strong!! Donations between $15-$8,000 (some in-kind) have been received by: • MGA • Bowls SA • Port Vincent Uniting Church • Whyalla Uniting Church • Wayne & Kay Puckridge • Peter Knife- Modeling Railways of SA • Ramsey Bros. Cummins • C & T Puckridge Family Trust • ND Sturm • Zonia Thompson • Brett Masters • A & T Robins & Sons • Port Lincoln Kmart • St Andrews Primary School, Walkerville • Emma J Manthorpe • Sonell Pty Ltd Mobil Morlock • MJ Yates • Rowena Lescher • PGH Bricks Golde - EP Drought Morning • Avriel Barnett • NJF Wellness EP - Help an EP Farmer • St Margaret Kind • Port Lincoln Gymnastics Club • Nicole Reichelt • Peter Meyers • As well as anonymous deposits!!! ... and more in the pipeline still to come!
On behalf of the farmers who are benefiting, thank you for your generosity and events that you have organised!
If you wish to donate, you can through our account with ANZ: EPIC Charitable Trust BSB 015 420 Act no: 4686 16441
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