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Twenty tonnes of oats by March.
This is the goal of Windeyer’s Warren Richards who is in the process of starting a fund to help drought affected farmers buy feed for the upcoming months across the Mid-Western Region.
Labelled “Seeds of Hope” the fund will aim to raise enough money to supply oat seeds to the region’s farmers most in need.
Mr Richards’ idea began on February 3, when he decided to give up alcohol for six months.
“On my property I was looking after some sheep for my neighbour when I realised one of their prize rams had died,” Mr Richards said.
“I had to go up to their front door and tell them. It was hard enough for me, let alone how she must have been feeling.
“I went to the pub for a beer and couldn’t finish it. I thought ‘What am I doing here? This money I’m spending on a beer could be better spent to help the farmers who really need it’.”
Mr Richards said the region’s sheep farmers in particular were lucking out from a recent hot and dry spell.
“There are friends of mine who are really doing it tough. We’re talking about splitting breeders up from their normal stock and potentially losing sheep bloodlines. It is a dire situation,” he said.
“I went to the pub for a beer and couldn’t finish it. I thought ‘What am I doing here? This money I’m spending on a beer could be better spent to help the farmers who really need it’.”
- Warren Richards
Originally Mr Richards was going to use the fund to buy lucerne but was better advised by Greg Hundy and Stewart Adlington at Landmark.
Since last Monday, Mr Richards said support had been overwhelming.
“My employers Mid-State Smash Repairs were immediately behind it, and I’ve had plenty of support from the likes of Greg and Stewart at Landmark,” he said.
Other businesses such as Cactus Signs and Bradstreet Parts have jumped on board to support Mr Richards in his fundraising efforts.
Mr Richards said he was essentially taking the two biggest news stories in regional NSW and combining the two.
“There is all this talk about new alcohol laws, curbing alcohol-fuelled violence, and of course the drought conditions that some refuse to believe we are in,” he said.
“I’ve stopped drinking alcohol for six months. I’m not asking everyone to do that but if they could donate some of their money they spend on alcohol or other items each week we might raise enough to buy some essential feed for farmers.”
Donations can be made to a “Seeds of Hope” account at Landmark Mudgee.
