The El Niño weather pattern means hot, dry seasons that trend towards drought.
Rural Aid chief executive John Warlters said the announcement would bring unwelcome memories to the surface for farmers.
“This El Niño declaration is a particularly upsetting moment for our farmers. It means conditions are likely to get worse before they get better,” Mr Warlters said.
“Thousands of farmers are already managing their land with a view to drought.
“The past drought was regarded as the worst in living memory for the majority of the country and it’s understandable that many farmers are scared of going through that again.”
Rural Aid offers primary producers a range of assistance measures including financial, hay, drinking water, counselling and volunteer assistance.
“We’ve already seen a huge increase in requests for emergency hay and household drinking water from farmers right across the country,” Mr Warlters said.
“In the past four months, requests to Rural Aid for emergency drinking water have increased by 240 per cent and our free water tank offer was exhausted in just four hours with more than 95 applications. We’re aiming to deliver another 50 water tanks by the end of this year to meet demand.”
Mr Warlters encourages any farmers finding themselves overwhelmed to call the rurally-based counselling team for a free chat “to make sure they’re in the best possible position they can be to take on the upcoming seasons”.
Register online at www.ruralaid.org.au or phone 1300 327 624.
Rural Aid counsellors can be reached on 1300 175 594.
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