General News
18 July, 2025
Need for Feed convoy arrives
FARMERS across the western district were excited to see the arrival of the ‘Need for Feed’ convoy of trucks last weekend.
Thirty-three trucks, bringing close to $500,000 worth of hay, arrived in Camperdown on Saturday night as residents lined the streets to welcome the crucial delivery.
Recent drought conditions, and the lack of available hay in the district, has left many farmers desperate for feed, forced to look interstate for any available (and affordable) hay.
While recent rains has brought some temporary relief across the district, it will be many months before grass of any substance is seen in paddocks.
Last weekend’s 33-strong convoy pulled up at the former Camperdown Saleyards, led by Need for Feed founder Graham Cockerell.
“This convoy is a show of support from us to the community, and the crowds that lined the streets as we made our way through towns was indicative of the support we too received for this effort,” Mr Cockerell said.
“It was pretty emotional.
“There were hundreds of people in Camperdown, but even as far back as Winchelsea there were small groups out.
“Our volunteers wanted to let the community know we all stand with them.”
The hay has since been delivered to several farms across the district, including those in Moyne Shire, reaching dairy, sheep and beef farms of all sizes.
While the hay has brought welcomed relief to the district, Mr Cockerell said the government needed to do more to support farmers in securing hay.
“We have been refused government funding – we have been told there’s none available,” he said.
“We are still waiting for a meeting with the Agriculture Minister; we’ve been trying for six weeks.
“It would be handy if the road train network got opened up properly instead of just half the state.
“All our hay has come in via the Newell Highway, the Goulburn Valley Highway or the Hume Highway and then onto the Murray Valley Highway.
“What the government and VicRoads has done is fairly useless as far as we’re concerned because you can come from South Australia with hay and you can come from Mildura or Echuca as long as you wind your way through Ballarat.
“I don’t believe those roads are particularly suitable for road trains. They have to go in and out of towns instead of coming straight down the freeway from Sydney.
“What the government’s done there is not even a good band-aid solution.”
Despite the challenges, Mr Cockerell said he hoped to do more to assist drought-affected communities and encouraged residents to put their hands up to help out.
“If people would like to support us, they can visit www.needforfeed.org – they can donate money on there, they can donate fodder if there’s anything hiding in sheds, people can volunteer to join the hay run, and they can apply to fundraise,” he said.
