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IMPORTANT // Please look after your loved ones, yourself and be kind to others. If you are feeling that the world is too hard to handle there is always help - I implore you not to hesitate in contacting one of these wonderful organisations Lifeline and Beyond Blue ... and I'm sure reaching out to our PRE community we will find a way to help. T.
Assistance for farmers
- Thread starter Rosy
- Start date
rosy23 said:
Having grown up on a farm for 17 years and having my Father, Grandfather and Great Grandfather (and probably more before that) having been farmers and many, many friends who are currently still on the land I know how tough it is. I reckon farmers deserve any handout that they can get. It is a constant battle against drought, disease, overseas import competition etc. and one of the greatest battles today is keeping young people on the land as well because many of them move to the city for schooling or other job opportunities and a great deal of them think that working on a farm is too much hard work for the potential benefits and, in many ways, they are right. Farming is really hard work. Incredibly rewarding but incredibly taxing and often stressful as well.
I don't think you can draw a fair and accurate comparison between farmers and many other small businesses. This country would be stuffed without it's farmers and I will support any government who has the best interests of farmers at heart.
dukeos said:
Farmers are the backbone of our country. It's a lifestyle that many wouldn't be capable of tolerating, always at the mercy of the elements, very long daylight to dark hours and often very physical hard yakka.
Farming is also a lifestyle that most involved wouldn't change despite the massive highs and lows. It's often bred through the generations.
In response to your question "why bother" dukeos there are many reasons but the sad thing is a lot aren't "bother"ing now. Some are walking off the land with nothing and others are taking their own lives because they are struggling so much. It's often a culture bred into them and there's a massive sense of failure, although through no fault of their own, they watch their animals starve or have them destroyed to save their sufferering. There have been many years of prolonged drought now and fodder has been in very short supply and incredibly expensive. There is also the issue of water allocation drying up but 10s of 1000s of dollars still having to be found to pay for the water rights, for water that they don't even receive.
Maybe a more appropriate question is what would happen if they didn't bother? Who would produce our food? Increased importation isn't a viable option if our farmers throw in the towel. It would be very dangerous if Australia depended on other countries to provide what our own farmers do.
From my experience farmers *hate charity of any kind and it would hurt their pride deeply to have to accept Govt. handouts but their families have to be fed.
Farmers are the salt of the earth and Livers' comment about farmers left me gob-smacked, thus this thread to find out if he's really as heartless as he sounds or if I've misinterpreted his comments.
*Edit: They don't hate charity in as much as they would always help others in need but find it hard accepting it for themselves.
rosy23 said:
Working from "soon-see to can't see" as my Grandfather would say.
In this case I think that it goes to show how uneducated many people are towards the plight of farmers and equally how naive they are in understanding one of the major industries that is so important to the economy of our great nation.rosy23 said:
farmers not only need assistance but also PROTECTION,from this stupid level playing field of zero tarrifs.but since hawke and button decided we(a tiny nation in the great scheme of things) would allow the rest of the world to rape us with cheaper imports,and not only in the farming sector,neither keating nor howard have done zilch to change it.and we are now reaping what they sowed.
rosy23 said:
Thanks for using me to start a thread you wanted Rosy... :hihi
The way I see it, is that if farmer's get handouts (or assistance) purely because they are in an industry that might be finding it hard with the drought and such, then other small businesses should also be eligible for similar handouts.
I think it's unfair if farmers are singled-out yet other people struggling equally as bad, are ignored.
Liverpool said:
Yes I did want it, but only for the fact that your comment grabbed my attention and you didn't seem to want to discuss it on the other thread.
What exactly are the "large handouts" you aren't a big fan of?
Your post doesn't make sense to me. Do you think the farmers shouldn't get handouts or do you think small businesses should get similar?
I have to admit that I agree with Liverpool on this. I'm from country stock and my wife is from farming stock and we are in agreement on this, handouts are addictive and discourage farmers using the best of their traits, ingenuity. Exposure to the market encourages farmers to experiment with new crops, new irrigation systems, new planting/feeding/milking systems, etc. Money spent on hand-outs would be better spent on building new dams and other water infrastructure imo.
As for the drought, it is pretty much time for people to realise that this isn't an out of the ordinary drought, it is the status quo. No offence intended to anyone, but how long can people exist on welfare waiting for rain?
As for the drought, it is pretty much time for people to realise that this isn't an out of the ordinary drought, it is the status quo. No offence intended to anyone, but how long can people exist on welfare waiting for rain?
rosy23 said:
Either all small-businesses get help from the Governmnent or 'handouts', subsidies (or whatever you want to call it)....or nobody gets it.
That sounds fair?
Farms should still be run as legitimate businesses.
For example, if someone owns a car-yard and they are selling V8 Commodores...but nobody is buying them because people nowadays are preferring small cars that use less fuel, should that car-yard expect assistance? or should they become 'smarter' and start selling a product that is going to keep them in business?
On the farms.....if farmers are finding it hard with certain crops...then maybe they need to be a bit smarter also and start growing a different crop. Instead of running cattle, maybe they need to grow a crop, or run a different type of animal.....so they are changing their business to reflect the change in environment, and change in market.
I'm not having a crack at farmers.....I just think if people, or the Government want to help them financially, then other small businesses who have found it hard for a range of reasons should be given the same opportunities.
rosy23 said:
For starters, interest rate subsidies on farm loans and the following Centrelink ones:
* an increase to the off-farm income exemption from $10 000 to $20 000 when claiming Exceptional Circumstances Relief Payment or Interim Income Support
* immediate access to the $5500 Professional Advice and Planning Grant (GST included) for farmers in Exceptional Circumstances (EC) declared areas
* an extension of the eligibility requirements of small businesses access to EC assistance, to include small businesses located in towns that are substantially reliant on farm income, have a population of 10 000 or less, and are in an EC area (including prima facia and interim assistance areas)
* a grant of up to $20 000 to irrigators in the Murray-Darling Basin to implement water management strategies in response to significantly reduced water allocations
* an exit grant of up to $150 000 for farmers who have decided to leave the land, and an increase in the assets limit to access this grant to $575 000 (maximum grant payable if assets below $350 000), and
* a further $10 000 is available for advice and re-training, and up to $10 000 for relocation expenses is also available to those who take up the Exceptional Circumstances Exit Grant.
mld said:
I agree mld.
Seems to me you just did a search after you've made the statement Livers and probably weren't aware of the assistance anyway. A list of available benefits doesn't give any indication of qualifying criteria.
Exceptional circumstances is nothing more than a designer dole. No farmer in their right mind would wish to be on it. What's a $20,000 grant to someone who could be paying $100,000 for water they don't receive anyway? There are a lot of terms and conditions in realtion to the grants and I know people who are really struggling who aren't eligible. What do you think the farmers who rely on EC benefits to survive should do? How can their families be fed? Where do you see our food supplies coming from if farmers walk off their land? The exit grant would mean stuff-all to them compared to their heartbreak and sense of failure yet you seem to think they're on easy street.
Exceptional Circumstances are called that for a reason and most of the farmers struggling so badly would be viable again if they could get a normal season or two of rainfall.
P.S. the points you state indicate small businesses do receive assistance too. Next I suppose you'll say rural businesses shouldn't get help if city businesses don't.
Exceptional circumstances is nothing more than a designer dole. No farmer in their right mind would wish to be on it. What's a $20,000 grant to someone who could be paying $100,000 for water they don't receive anyway? There are a lot of terms and conditions in realtion to the grants and I know people who are really struggling who aren't eligible. What do you think the farmers who rely on EC benefits to survive should do? How can their families be fed? Where do you see our food supplies coming from if farmers walk off their land? The exit grant would mean stuff-all to them compared to their heartbreak and sense of failure yet you seem to think they're on easy street.
Exceptional Circumstances are called that for a reason and most of the farmers struggling so badly would be viable again if they could get a normal season or two of rainfall.
P.S. the points you state indicate small businesses do receive assistance too. Next I suppose you'll say rural businesses shouldn't get help if city businesses don't.
