A few recommendations to highlight include:
- Develop a process to support dairy farmer critical thinking and decision making for natural disaster events (particularly around recovery).
- Consider increasing the accessibility of advisory services and technical resources in critical recovery areas (e.g. feeding alternatives and herd management).
- Develop scenarios and actions already faced by farmers to assist with dairy specific natural disaster preparation, response and recovery.
- Create a state-wide database and user-friendly directory of dairy service providers who service NSW dairy farmers.
Already, a Dairy Registry has been created following last years’ interviews with farmers and service providers, addressing one of the recommendations. This is a database of dairy service providers and can be found on the GRO Rural webpage, www.grorural.com.au
A number of other activities will continue to be progressed by the NSW DPI Dairy team over the coming six months to address further recommendations. These will include creating: i) a resource to support decision making in emergency situations, ii) an online repository of resources to assist with recovery to fire, flood, drought, and disease/biosecurity and iii) farmer case studies (video and written) to share experiences and lessons from other farmers. More generally, findings from interviews also highlighted the difficulty in accessing grants and the need for streamlining processing as well as access to mental health support.
The remaining outputs of this project will become available later in the year. Further information about the broader SFIRP work and other projects can viewed on the program website www.dairyaustralia.com.au/nswfloodrecovery
