Third wet summer would be ‘devastating’ says farmer

Farmers and regional communities are bracing for yet another soaking with the Bureau of Meteorology confirming another summer of La Nina.

Northern Rivers farmer Neil Baker said he and his neighbours were still mopping up the mess from torrential rains earlier in the year, which had devastated Lismore and surrounding areas.

“We can’t believe it frankly, you just wonder where all the water’s going to go,” Mr Baker said.

“One of my neighbours got 1300mm of rain in 36 hours back at the end of February – that’s almost a whole year in a day-and-a-half – and the ground is still just absolutely soaked.

“People are trying to rebuild and get back on top of things, but another huge rain would just be devastating for us.”

NSW Farmers Business, Economics and Trade committee chair John Lowe said another La Nina was a serious threat to farmers and regional communities.

“People just haven’t had time to prepare for more rain because it has been so wet already,” Mr Lowe said.

“While output for agriculture has been at record levels because of all the moisture, in some places it will actually be stopping people from getting onto paddocks to harvest their crops.

“Catchments are so full that there will be a chance of major floods if we get too much rain in the wrong place, we’re just going to have to prepare the best we can and hope for the best.”