Young District Grazing Group Start-Up
Young District Grazing Group Start-Up
Building a resilient farming community in the Young community.
Community Participation -
LEP23_036_LLC5_1
The issue
Farmers in Young lack a local community group to discuss sustainable grazing, mental health, and general farming practices, making regular participation in the distant Boorowa group challenging. Richard Paige saw the need for a local group to address these issues and foster community support. Australian farmers face a suicide rate up to 94% higher than the general population, driven by social isolation, long work hours, financial pressures, extreme weather, and limited mental health services. Cultural reluctance to seek help worsens the problem. For immediate support: NSW farmers can contact
- Lifeline at 13 11 14, a 24/7 crisis support hotline.
- Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP) provide tailored mental health assistance ramhp.com.au.
- The Farm and Rural Legal Service can also offer help regarding financial and legal stress 1800 178 605.
(Life in Mind Australia) (Queensland Mental Health Commission) (Health.gov.au)
The solution
Richard Paige, Chair of the Young District Landcare Group, recognized the need for a local grazing group after benefiting from the Boorowa Group. With the Local Landcare Coordinator's support, he established the Young District Grazing Group, hosting its first event after eight months of planning. The inaugural event, led by Richard and local farmer Jake Chandler, focused on grazing management and land assessment. Attendees learned to calculate grass availability and use grazing charts for informed decisions, emphasizing paddock health. The group’s motto, "Engage with curiosity, not judgement," promotes a supportive environment. Subsequent events covered mental health and strategic planning, helping farmers create priority plans, visions, and mission statements. A WhatsApp chat was created for ongoing support among the 40 engaged members. The group, initially self-funded with volunteer speakers, plans to apply for funding for bus trips and prominent speakers at future events.
The impact
The Young District Grazing Group has successfully started up a new grazing group and engaged local farmers, providing them with valuable knowledge, support, and a sense of community. Through two meetings, the group has connected around 40 participants, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing. The group's initiatives have helped engage farmers with new ideas and explained them in a way that farmers could try out some of their ideas back on their farms and even get guidance from members with more experience. The group's outcome is to help better understand and manage their land, improve mental health, and build a strong, supportive network.
Key facts
- Outcomes: 40 participants across 2 events
- Started up a new grazing group
- Funding: Currently self-funded, with plans to apply for external funding for future activities and support