Rural Aid CEO John Warlters on new rural kids campaign and ongoing farm support

As farmers across the country continue to battle drought, floods and financial hardships, Rural Aid has launched a new campaign to help safeguard the next generation of Aussie farmers.

Speaking with The Country Viewpoint on Flow FM, Rural Aid CEO John Walters said the campaign aims to address the often-overlooked impact of natural disasters on children from farming families.

"We wanted to emphasise the point that our kids are part of farming families. They're a whole lot more than gate openers," Mr Warlters said.

"They're really involved in farming enterprises from a really early age. So when situations get stressful - for example the case in South Australia right now with the current drought - the effects and the impacts of that flows through to the kids as well."

While recent rainfall has provided temporary relief for some areas , Mr Walters warned it’s far from the end of the drought.

"Just because we now have a bit of a green tinge across the countryside, that doesn't signal the end of a drought,” he said.

“Rain is welcome... but we need a whole lot more before we can even entertain the thought that this gut-wrenching drought is behind us.”

Funds raised through the new campaign will support Rural Aid’s work, including feed for livestock, emergency drinking water, and the Mustering Growth program—a school-based wellbeing initiative designed to help rural children process the trauma of droughts and floods.

“During a flood, kids can be evacuated quickly, often at night, and that leaves them wondering what's happened to the pets, the house, their belongings. Understandably that can cause a lot of intense stress and anxiety” Mr Walters said.

“These are the young people that we want to be our future farmers, and we want to make sure they're supported.”

At the end of the interview, Mr Walters thanked the public for its ongoing support.

Rural aid has been the beneficiary of a whole lot of generosity and it's generosity that's been directed to us to make sure that farmers across the country get the support they need," he said.

“We just can't do it without those donations and that generosity and we're very, very grateful for it."

To make a donation or learn more about the charity's work/services, visit ruralaid.org.au