THERE can sometimes be a stigma around seeking help, Rural Financial Counselling Service Victoria West senior financial co-ordinator Stephanie Ferdelja says.
But she urges flood-hit producers not to feel guilty or self-assess their losses.
“These sorts of crises are really good levellers – they don’t discriminate between wealthy farmers or small business and poor ones, it is affecting everyone,” Ms Ferdelja said.
RFCS financial counsellor Lauren Fowler, who is based in the Swan Hill area, said while the full impact of the floods was yet to be realised, many farmers were understandably quite stressed.
“At the moment broadacre harvest is delayed,” she told the Gannawarra Times.
“Horticulture farmers are assessing the damage. Livestock producers are focused on animal welfare.
“We’re seeing it pretty much anywhere the floods have already occurred – they have gone from that anxious uncertainty of not knowing how bad the impact will be, and then obviously the realisation of what it has become.
“Then they will be in the process now of trying to work out where to go from here. Some in our region are still waiting for the full impact and won’t know for some time what the extent of the damage will be.”
Ms Ferdelja said that dealing with the immediate needs of farmers in a severe flood situation was the first step, like helping them apply for government grants or loans that they may be eligible for.
“What we try to do is encourage people not to self-assess,” she said.
“What we don’t want, and what no one wants, is people just to see or hear something from someone and think, ‘oh well, I’m this circumstance so I don’t qualify’.
“So we always encourage people to contact us. We know the grant programs and the loan programs inside out, and can give them a hand in that way.”
Ms Fowler is adamant farmers should not feel guilty for applying for grants they are eligible for.
“We are hearing a lot of ‘there are a lot of people far worse off than us’, so they sort of feel that they shouldn’t be taking money because there are others worse off,” Ms Fowler said.
“But I explain that if you are eligible you should apply, the money is not going to run out, and if you get the assistance it doesn’t mean your neighbour who may be in a worse position than you will miss out.”
RFCS has been working with Australian farmers since 1986 as a not-for-profit charity providing financial and wellbeing counselling to help primary producers and small businesses.
Alongside counselling, RFCS offers wellbeing support to help farmers deal with the stress that can come with financial instability.
To get in contact with RFCS Victoria West, call 1300 735 578, or visit www.wswrcs.com.au.
“We are happy to have a chat, no matter how little you think it has impacted you or how much you think it has impacted you,” Ms Ferdelja said.
