When The Rains Came

Craig Johnston from West Wyalong is a happy man. With the worst dry spell on record, farmers will now be able to harvest a bumper crop and country towns will share the wealth. This year 750mm of rain has fallen on his parched land which was a dust bowl - 350mm above the average. "The last nine years have been tough but this year is looking great, the only thing is we are not there yet" he said. "If we get money in the bank, then this will be the best season I've ever had.

The rains have brought record prices for spring lambs - $230 in the salesyards - because there is more feed for stock. In the tiny community of West Wyalong, more than nine industries will be boosted by Craig Johnston's crop and sheep sales. Everyone from Landmark - who Craig employs to sell his stock - through to the auto-electrician who will benefit indirectly from the truck driver who carts the stock.

But all this good news depends on whether he can harvest his crop and there is no guarantee that he will. There is currently a locust plague - the worst in thirty years - a mice plague, and the threat of wet weather could all ruin his crop. Anxious farmers across NSW are holding their breath waiting to harvest a $2.85 billion winter crop.

GM Scott Abottoirs Cootamundra CEO Len Jones said the national sheep crop had dropped from 170 million to 60 million in the past 7 years due to the drought. "For people on the land, it's been disastrous, so it's important to get our industry and agriculture back on track" he said.

Due to the positive outlook the abottoir will spend $7 million on an upgrade which means more employment opportunities. Dan Tulloch, the transport operator employed by Landmark to cart livestock to abottoirs said his work would pick up dramatically as farmers rebuilt animal numbers. That meant he would have money to spend on truck upgrades at businesses like the local auto-electrician.

It's not just agriculture or machinery businesses that benefit. Diane Kearins from Pat Kearins Menswear said she was expecting the best Christmas for 10 years. "When the farmers have money, so do their wives, who spend it in town" she said.

Who in their right mind would be a farmer? It must be in the blood. They deserve a medal.