As fire-devastated farmers across the state determine the extent of the loss, the Victorian Farmer’s Federation is reporting over 126,600 hectares of farm affected and over 44,700 livestock lost, with its Disaster Relief Fund supporting over 220 fire-impacted farmers.
Comments from affected sheep farmer Matthew Plunkett:
For sheep farmer, Matthew Plunkett, the Longwood fires tore through his property, claiming around 8,000 sheep, along with essential pastures and fencing.
“The road to recovery will be a long one and we anticipate it will take at least two and a half years to restore our pastures and stock to what it was,” Mr Plunkett said.
“We’re trying to stay positive amid the devastation, and we are incredibly grateful to the unbelievable community support we’ve been shown, with people sacrificing their own time and income to help us begin recovering.
“The support shown by the VFF through its Emergency Fodder Support Program and Disaster Relief Fund has been life-changing – the flexible nature of the fund allows us to spend the money on what we need now, which at the moment is predominantly fencing.”
Additional comments from VFF President Brett Hosking:
While visiting affected farmers across the region, VFF President Brett Hosking said that while the devastation he saw was confronting, he was also encouraged by the immediate impact of the fund on the ground.
“Affected farmers don’t have the option to wait weeks or months for funds – they need help now,” Mr Hosking said.
“For many, the immediate grants delivered through our Disaster Relief Fund have gone towards essential recovery needs – purchasing generators to restore power, repairing damaged fencing and feeding surviving livestock.
“While the fires may have eased for now, the recovery is far from over. The threat of further fires remains, and many farmers face months – if not years – before they can rebuild feed supplies and regain-self-sufficiency.
DID YOU WANT TO HELP? The VFF’s Disaster Relief Fund is taking donations to help fire-hit farmers.