Potato farmers chip in for drought relief

MORE than 80 tonnes of quality Tasmanian potatoes will be heading interstate on Sunday to help drought stricken farmers feed livestock.

A devastating drought has hit farming areas through NSW and parts of Queensland. Gippsland in Victoria is also struggling with a two-year drought.

Daly Potato Company near Dunalley is donating potatoes, Quinns Transport is supplying the truck and time, with fuel given by Tas Petroleum.

The cargo is destined for struggling farmers in the Orange and Tamworth districts of NSW.

Daly Potato Company’s Ruby Daly said farmers are fast running out of stock feed.

“We hope to get the potatoes away on Sunday, it’s all booked, but it’s also dependent on the fundraising. We know first hand how tough farming can be,” Ms Daly said.

“We just need some help to cover the costs to send the trucks to the mainland.”

During the drought campaign, the Dalys have already donated eight tonnes of potatoes to cattle farmers with the help of Pacific Oyster Carriers and SRT Logistics.

Visit GoFundMe link: www.gofundme.com/feed-forfarmers. Or go to Daly Potato Company Facebook page for more information.

Elsewhere in Tasmania, other rural business are doing their bit to help farmers.

Southern Midlands sheep farming couple Karen and Stuart Burbury, who run Corriedales and the stud Leamington at Pawtella, near Oatlands, have developed a set menu that gives $30 from every meal at Launceston restaurant Cataract on Paterson, which they own, to the drought relief effort.