Shellharbour councillors have voted to make hay while the sun shines on drought-ravaged farmers.
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Shellharbour Mayor Marianne Saliba gained unanimous support from councillors to produce hay on council-owned land after lodging a mayoral minute at Tuesday night’s meeting.
Councillor Saliba said the initiative would provide some relief for farmers in NSW and QLD, who were in the grip of one of Australia’s worst droughts on record and fast running out of feed for their animals.
While the east coast was also in drought, Cr Saliba said, it was likely coastal rainfall would produce growing conditions for grass ahead of other regions.
“Shellharbour City Council has large parcels of land where mowing could be temporarily suspended,” she said. “This would allow the grass to grow by reducing the current mowing schedules at suitable locations.
“If rainfall occurs prior to temperatures warming up in October it will produce satisfactory hay for baling.
“Council also currently has parcels of land which are not regularly mown that are suitable for cutting for a small amount of hay production immediately.”
Council will commit $5000 to produce the hay that’s currently available and supply it to local farmers and Rural Aid’s Buy a Bale initiative.
The production of further hay bales will be undertaken on a cost-recovery basis, minimising the impact on the community.
“Council has the ability to produce hay on land it manages at a reasonable cost by reducing transport costs and not placing a mark-up on the product,” Cr Saliba said.
“Local farmers have also shown an interest in accessing hay and council will discuss options of supply within the region.
“If further bales are produced above the proposed council expenditure of $5000, it is proposed that local farmers and Buy a Bale be offered the bale for the same price as the rural contractor charges council to produce it.”
At the meeting Cr Peter Moran raised questions about the type and volume of hay that would be produced, and how it would be allocated.
Cr Saliba said the volume and quality depended on several factors including weather and weed management. “It won’t be prime hay but it’s better than the alternative – which is none,” she said.
Farmers in need could register their interest with council.
Meantime council staff estimated around 160 bales could be produced now from the uncut grass.
Areas where mowing could be suspended included council-owned land near Dunmore landfill, Dunmore railway station, the East-West Link road reserve and Benson Basin.
