From drought to recovery: reflections & lessons

As conditions worsened during what many describe as the region’s worst drought in living memory, Jason chose to share his story to help highlight the challenges being faced by farming families across the region. 

“It was the hardest 18 months – two years of my farming career,” Jason admits.

The drought impacted his mental health and his farm business, forcing him to lay off his two full-time staff, leaving him to work seven long days a week. He also had to borrow money to keep the cows fed and move a lot of his herd interstate.

During the toughest times, it was Jason’s community connections that kept him afloat and a Dairy Australia Colac Discussion Group session was the turning point to get him back on track.

“We had a wonderful debrief session with the Colac Discussion Group after the worst of the drought,” Jason said.

“It was almost cathartic because we’d all been through a traumatic event. When we explained what we felt, we did right and what we did wrong, there was understanding, commiserating and no-one beating their chest claiming they’d done everything right.”

Discussion groups offer dairy farmers a valuable opportunity to get together with other farmers to share experiences, discuss ideas and explore new technologies. Topics are based on whatever is of interest to those in the group and range from farm business, to feed and herd productivity.

A fifth-generation dairy farmer originally from northern Victoria, Jason was no stranger to drought. Ironically, he sold his farm at Horfield in 2013 to move south to a leased property at Simpson in search of more reliable rainfall. He moved to his current leased farm at Swan Marsh five years ago.

While Jason spoke to the media both locally and nationally about the prolonged drought conditions – determined to present an accurate picture of conditions and the challenges - he admits he also shut himself off personally during some of the toughest periods.

“I laid off the staff so I couldn’t go anywhere. It was only after the drought that I re-employed people and had the ability to go out.”

As president of the Simpson Lions Club, Jason helped to facilitate a Need for Feed hay run to the region, helping to reconnect him with the community.

“While coordinating the hay run, I spoke to a lot of people who were in a really bad way, far worse than myself,” he said.

“The hay run was a coping mechanism – it gave me something to think about and helping others made me feel better.”

Jason appreciated one-on-one support from Rural Financial Counsellors, vets, field officers and WestVic Dairy staff who visited his farm to help with a Federal Government grant application and with HR when he started re-employing people, eliminating a lot of headaches.

“In the worst of the drought, WestVic Dairy aimed to touch base with every dairy farm, which helps just to know someone cares”, explains Jason. “When I let the staff go and was living at home on my own, it was very isolating. Having Lions Club members dropping meals in and WestVic Dairy checking in really helped.”

Months on, Jason has emerged with a few scars and some key learnings – many obtained from the Discussion Group debrief session and follow-ups - that he knows will help him through the next crisis.

“You need to be forward planning but be more flexible with your plans,” he said.

“I parked cows in Queensland. I had limited options and made a decision, but it didn’t work because the cows didn’t acclimatise to the tropical heat. It’s a learning curve. I’ve never parked cows before and if I do it again, it will be much closer to home.”

Communication and keeping debt manageable are further priorities.

“You need to sit down with someone and work out your best options,” says Jason.

“Communication is really important, including with creditors. I still have ongoing debt from the drought, as I’m sure everyone has, but I give what I can when I can and I talk to the bank and maintain that relationship.”

Jason also urges farmers not to be judgemental of others and to look after their mental health.

“We never turn off when we live on the farm. You need to get off the farm – you don’t have to spend a lot of money, just go and have a picnic in the park.”

While Jason is doing better financially and mentally with a record cut of hay and silage last spring, he has decided to downsize his herd, mostly due to problems finding reliable staff.

But he is determined and will continue farming.

“I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love it. You don’t get up at four o’clock in the morning unless you enjoy it. The drought was really tough, it made me re-think and change my priorities to spend more quality time with family and friends instead of solely the farm, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

To find out more about local Discussion Groups or other events, contact the Western Victoria team by calling 5557 1000, email info@westvicdairy.com.au or visit WestVic Dairy