A forum offering advice to family farms and small businesses about navigating the drought will be held in Glen Innes next week.
Tenterfield Rotary Club has organised a bus to travel to the forum, which will depart the information centre at 8.30am next Wednesday.
The forum is one of a series being organised by the R U Aware We Care group, where they bring together agencies and experts on mental health, government assistance, tax, employment and more.
The first forum was held in Attunga, 20km north of Tamworth, on Tuesday, and it has been followed by other forums in Narrabri and Moree.
“It’s not just about farmers: it’s also about small businesses, it’s also about families, it’s also about entire communities. This goes way beyond the farm gate,” Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said, when he spoke at the Attunga drought forum.
Mr McCormack said he didn’t want to “pre-empt anything that we may or many not do” in future federal aid.
Asked about possible help for small rural and regional businesses feeling the pinch, he referred to the $12,000 lump-sum payments announced on Sunday for Farm Household Allowance recipients.
Next Wednesday’s forum, at the Services Club in Glen Innes, will include information about emergency food and other immediate aid that will be on offer for farmers in the Tenterfield and Glen Innes regions.
There will also be advice, including about the raft of federal, state and local agencies which might help, and also on the nutritional value of different feeds.
Tenterfield Shire Council’s community development officer, Rebekah Kelly, said the forum is expected to finish about 3pm.
She said people could book to travel on the bus by contacting her on 0439 954 562 or by email at r.kelly@tenterfield.nsw.gov.au.
