Drought, Floods & Survival - Be Prepared
Welcomed drought-breaking rain (thanks La Nina) soon transpired into one of the worst natural disasters. Local producers and communities are fighting their way back from the devastation and looking forward to a 2023 growing forecast with many of our fire and flood survival equipment plan.
Repeated flood events have proved devastating for many communities in the eastern states — destroying lives and livelihoods.
First there was drought that lead to season after season of bush fires only to have that end and be confronted with rain after rain causing devastation. The old saying of ‘mud is better than water’ has always been true until now.
The Eastern Australian floods have had a significant impact on agriculture that include wheat, potato, mustard and other rabi crops in the NSW region. The yield is low and is expected to continue over the next 12 months. The value of NSW’s food and livestock production rose 23 per cent in 2021-22 and is predicted to hit a record for the second year in a row. Recent flooding and continued extreme weather is expected to cause a 10 per cent rise this year.
The value of the state’s agricultural output reached a record of $23.1 billion last financial year, according to the Department of Primary Industry’s performance insight data report, revealing big jumps in crop production, wool prices and the value of meat exports.
Flood damage to agricultural crops in New South Wales alone last year was estimated at more than $500 million, but the figure is conservative and expected to rise.
Mud is better than water.
When excess water hits the earth over and over it can damage crops, infrastructure, disrupt transportation and the distribution of goods, all leading to soil erosion and degradation. In addition, the excess moisture from floods can cause diseases and pests to spread, further affecting crop yields and sending our agri community into more unwanted stress.
On the other hand, floods can also bring much needed water to some areas and benefit the growth of certain crops, allowing for new farming communities to increase revenue and for maybe the first time ever have an increase that has never been seen before
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The specific effects of the floods on agriculture will depend on the severity and duration of the flooding, as well as the types of crops and farming practices affected. We hope that the affected areas have had their waters receded and are moving forward from these natural and changing climates.
There are things you can do before a flood to ensure your property is flood-ready. It's important to know how to prepare your farm and property for flood. Where possible, flood planning in advance and preparing your property early will keep your livestock safe, and allow you to recover more quickly so you're able to get back to business.
Aussie Pumps IGX800 Class B Python cube Jetter
Fire Captain. 4 Stroke Petrol Gx200. 450L/Min.
Flood preparedness means thinking ahead about safe access routes, whether livestock should be moved to higher ground, and if you have enough supplies should your property become isolated.
This extends beyond just your farm equipment, it also includes the vehicles you rely on day in and day out to get the job done. While you know you can rely on us to keep your farm equipment operational - we aren't much help on the vehicle front.
So, when it comes to bikes - in particular Yamaha or Honda spares & parts, or riding accessories we rely on our friends at Top Two Moto. If you need anything bike related, reach out to Ben and the team.
Ag•Superstore is always supportive of our community and the only reason the sector continues to prosper during all of this is because of the resilience and determination of our agri producers. Ag•Superstore will continue to help the industry by providing much needed fire and flood equipment to those looking for a tailored survival plan. Please do not hesitate to call 1300 326 453 and speak with our very own farmer Glenn when choosing your detailed product needs.