Flood Recovery: Industry Groups To Help Qld Ag. Businesses?

After the welcome announcement of grants up to $25,000 for small business/growers to help with flood clean-up and recovery, peak horticulture body Growcom has called for wider assistance due to the severity of the situation.

Growcom has been contacting growers in Bundaberg, Chinchilla, St George, Emerald, Rockhampton and Yeppoon to assess the extent of damage.

Growcom CEO Alex Livingstone says:

“Crops have been lost in areas such as Chinchilla where the melon harvest was under way; in Emerald where citrus crops and table grape crops are damaged; and Bundaberg where salad vegetables have been hit together with fruit crops such as melons. In addition important infrastructure such as irrigation, pumps, sheds, machinery and accessible roads to markets has also been destroyed. In Yeppoon harvested pineapple crops are cut off from markets due to damaged roads and alternative transport arrangements are urgently required.

Growcom will continue to work with government agencies, other industry groups and the local community…to ensure that growers and their families are able to access emergency relief from the authorities.”

Form Industry Groups To Guide Medium And Long Term Rebuilding?

Growcom says governments must commit to medium and long term rebuilding efforts.

“One important endeavour which followed the Cyclone Larry natural disaster was the formation of industry working groups for those commodities affected by the devastation.

These commodity groups are in the best position to identify practical recovery strategies for each industry. It is essential that all affected..participate in order to have issues and needs acknowledged and addressed during the recovery phase.

Another worthwhile initiative is the appointment of industry recovery officers to work directly with farmers to help fast track their recovery after the floods..to ensure local farmers are kept informed about the various financial, resource and personal assistance measures available to them.

Getting clear and consistent information to affected farmers and to help them access what is available has been a challenge in past natural disasters which these positions can help overcome.

Growcom will continue to engage with government, growers and industry groups to ensure streamlined processes are undertaken in the interests of all concerned.”

It IS all about communication – sad we have to learn from other disasters