FOR most across the Western Districts, the outcome of season 2024 sits on a knife edge.

With 2024 seeing record low amounts of rain until the end of August across much of the region, soil moisture levels are critically low.

This has farmers across all commodities concerned.

Croppers are worried timely rain won’t come and cereal crops wont fill, and dry conditions could also lead to frost damage.

Many graziers have lower than ideal pasture cover after the very late start to the growing season, and stock and domestic dam levels are critically low across the district.

Dairy farmers are worried about what the dry conditions will mean for the price of fodder, and many irrigators have also dipped into their annual water allocation, with some areas irrigating right through winter.  

The situation across much of the region has been described as a ‘green drought’, which has led to a lot of confusion.

Essentially, for most of winter there had been enough moisture to strike crops and pasture and keep it alive, but not enough to actually support any substantial growth.

So you can look across a paddock and see grass, but there is very little for stock to eat.

Hay sheds are now depleted, with many farmers heavily feeding stock right through what would normally be their growing season. This has seen a sharp rise in hay prices, with increases of over $100 a tonne not uncommon in the now tight market.

The question remains how much hay will be cut for the season; on one hand there has been less pasture growth in many regions, but on the other hand there are many cereal crops that could still be cut for hay. Growers may take the gamble on elevated hay prices if its looking unlikely crops will get through to grain harvest with decent yields.

There have been calls for the situation to be declared a drought, but under Victoria’s Drought Preparedness and Response Framework (‘The Framework’) put in place in 2021, drought declarations are no longer made.

The Government have indicated that current ‘seasonal conditions’ will not at this stage trigger direct support, beyond the existing services available.

The main support farmers can tap into includes financial and wellbeing counselling via the Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS).

This service can link farmers into any support options available, such as Farm Household Allowance or subsidised loans with the Rural Investment Commission.