Mining company Glencore has stepped in with a $200,000 donation to help drought-stricken Hunter farmers as the estimated cost to keep them on the land for the next 16 weeks reaches more than $1 million.
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The significant donation to the Buy A Bale Hunter campaign – a partnership between the Mercury, Newcastle Herald, Dungog Chronicle, Scone Advocate, Hunter Valley News and charity Rural Aid – is equivalent to 1800 bales of hay.
Glencore will hand over the money to Rural Aid co-founder Tracy Alder on a farm at Woolooma, near Scone, on Thursday morning.
The mining company has 24 mines across three states and the Northern Territory, including eight in the Hunter region. It’s operations include the Liddell open-cut mine west of Singleton.
Struggling farmers across the region will travel to Woolooma to witness the announcement and offer their thanks.
The Upper Hunter hasn’t had decent rain in over a year. The paddocks have turned to dust and farmers have been forced to destock and hand feed their starving animals.
Rural Aid CEO and co-founder Charles Alder said the charity contacted Glencore in February and asked them to consider contributing to the Buy A Bale Hunter campaign.
A spokesman for Glencore said the company approached Buy A Bale after seeing the Hunter drought in the media.
Read more: Why we’re backing our farmers
Rural Aid, a Queensland-based charity, were alerted to the serious drought in the Hunter after reading a Maitland Mercury article about it. Mr Alder then contacted the Mercury to learn more about the situation and find out how the charity could assist.
The Mercury and Rural Aid formed the Buy A Bale Hunter campaign and joined with fellow Fairfax Media mastheads the Newcastle Herald, Dungog Chronicle, Scone Advocate and Hunter Valley News to promote the cause.
The campaign has brought more than $320,000 worth of help to struggling farmers in the Upper and Lower Hunter.
Glencore is the first company to open its cheque book for the cause. Until now most of the money raised has come from Hunter families and community groups like CWA branches and Rotary.
Mr Alder praised Glencore for supporting Hunter farmers and the region’s food bowl.
Take a look at the Upper Hunter landscape
He hoped other businesses would follow Glencore’s lead and come forward with donations.
“This is a significant amount of money and it will provide assistance with fodder and other services Rural Aid is providing to the farmers,” Mr Alder said.
“That is the target we need to reach to keep Hunter farmers on the land and their communities viable.”
The estimated about of funding required to provide assistance to farmers over the next three to four months is in excess of $1 million,
- Rural Aid CEO Charles Alder