Rain wrecks harvest in North West – Torbay seeks Govt support

Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay has asked the NSW Premier to seek additional natural disaster assistance for farmers in the north-west areas of the Electorate following the widespread failure of crops.
Recent heavy rains and flooding across the region effectively destroyed the bumper crops ready to harvest leaving thousands of acres of grain and forage to rot in fields saturated by rain.
Mr Torbay said for many farmers in the north-west the ruined crops represent a year's income with many left without the means to replant paddocks and recoup their losses.
"The State Government can seek additional support from the Commonwealth for flood-affected primary producers including low-interest loans, clean up funds and recovery grants," Mr Torbay said. "I have asked the NSW Premier, the Hon Barry O'Farrell, to take into consideration the dire circumstances in which these farmers now find themselves.
"I have spoken to farmers in Delungra, Inverell and the Bonshaw area who are facing the heartbreak of a bumper harvest now left to rot in fields that are too soggy for machinery to even turn a wheel.
"Added to that loss is the destruction of internal roads to the cropping areas and the massive clean-up required before a new crop can be sown.
"These farmers were looking forward to a good result after years of drought and this latest disaster really compounds their losses.
"I have asked the Premier to reassess the level of assistance available through the Natural Disaster Declaration to take into account the serious economical impact on farmers who rely on cropping for their income."