As soil conditions across NSW continue to dry and winter closes in, farmers are looking to maintain feed supplies. Increasingly farmers are negotiating with interstate suppliers in South Australia and Victoria to purchase fodder. NSW Farmers’ Association welcomes the financial support available to farmers, including freight subsidies for donated fodder, and the recently introduced low interest transport loans. However, the reality is that due to significant constraints for heavy vehicles on major state roads and regional highways the freight costs are potentially increased.
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These roads often contain multiple passing lanes, well designed rest stops, and adequate road width to accommodate B-Double Heavy Vehicles and Road Trains. Disappointingly along these routes there are minor obstacles that restrict heavy freight access including short-timed level crossings, and narrower gauge bridges. This means high productivity vehicles such as Road Trains, are required to take significant diversions or ‘double-shuffle’ trailers to overcome the restrictions. Both of these actions add time and cost.
The NSW Government spent millions on road upgrades, but in many rural areas this has not improved freight transport access. There are still restrictions to free vehicle access such as narrow bridges, level crossings and single lane highways.
How are farmers supposed to manage the increasing costs of freight and fodder without good freight access? NSW Farmers strongly urges Minister Melinda Pavey to prioritise the removal of barriers on the Newell, Silver City, Sturt, Castlereagh and Mitchell Highways so that the hay can reach the farms where it is desperately required.
Farmers are paying a significant amount in fodder and transport costs, up to and over $18,000 per load in total. They deserve timely delivery.
NSW Farmers’ policy director rural affairs Kathy Rankin
