Staff-driven initiative sees more than 80 bales of hay donated to needy farmers

13 March 2023

Off their own bat, East Gippsland Water staff have coordinated the donation of 88 bales of hay (two semi-trailer loads) to flood-affected farmers and rural communities in the Rochester and Kerang regions of northern Victoria. 

The bales are being donated for distribution via Need for Feed – a program run by volunteers to provide emergency fodder at state and national level to farmers and rural communities in drought or flood-affected areas.

The hay comes from East Gippsland Water’s water recycling facilities at Kalimna West (near Lakes Entrance) and Metung.  High-quality fodder, it is the product of recycled water used on pasture for irrigation purposes – a great example of water reuse for an environmentally beneficial outcome.

East Gippsland Water’s Managing Director, Steve McKenzie, said, ‘We’re really proud of our staff who came to us with a proposal to donate this hay from our water recycling facilities. They pulled out all the stops to bring the donation together.

“As an organisation we are delighted to be able to contribute in this way to such a worthwhile initiative. Following the assistance provided by Need for Feed to East Gippsland farmers during recent years of drought, fires and floods, this is an opportunity for us to now pay some of this help forward to assist others in need.”

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