"Crisis looms for many on land
Every few weeks 20 or 30 farmers gather at a crossroads in the Wheatbelt for a barbecue breakfast. They meet as mates who know they can bank on each other in tough times.
What some of them can't bank on is the credit they need to continue farming next year. With banks warning of a tough round of credit reviews starting next month, Regional Men's Health Initiative senior community educator Owen Catto is urging farmers not to feel overwhelmed when they reach their financial crossroads.
"The reality is if you can pay your mortgage or you go broke in business you have to sell what you have left and it is the same for farmers. We deal with people all the time who have sold the farm, walked off the farm and I can categorically say that there is not one bloke who regrets it," said Mr Catto, who helps to organise the barbecue gatherings and other events to offer emotional support to farmers feeling the pinch.
He predicted the number of broadacre farmers in WA could halve from an estimated 5000 to 2500 within 10 years as financial woes hit home."
Maybe this story exaggerates the situation?
Or with roughly only 5000 full time farmers in W.A,, maybe we face a major farm debt crisis.
We all know the poem "We'll all be rooned said Hanrahan". But this crisis is shaping to be the most serious period of adjustment for W.A. farming that I have seen.
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