The severe drought has been impacting farming activities in the Forbes district and support measures have become vital for farming businesses. In response to these conditions, Forbes Shire Council has recently appointed Sally Downie as a Drought Coordinator.
As the Drought Coordinator, Sally will be a key liaison point on all things drought related for community members, council staff and key stakeholders and will assist council in developing and achieving drought related goals.
“The primary role for our Drought Coordinator is to be an ‘open door’, listen to the community and understand their concerns,” said General Manager, Steve Loane. “By bringing the relevant people together to support each other when they need it most and together forming solid strategies.”
Sally is a Forbes local, growing up on a family dairy farm and completing her schooling in Forbes. In 2018 Sally was named Forbes Showgirl and is currently studying a Bachelor of Agriculture at CSU.
As the drought continues to impact our area, work available for farmers is reduced and therefore limiting their income. Forbes Shire Council has developed a unique initiative to assist, offering farmers and farm related trades temporary paid casual working positions with the aim of supporting them during this tough time.
Currently, several farm-trade workers have begun work on the various projects set out in this initiative. The flexible hours and conditions enable farmers to care for their stock whilst earning an income off the farm.