RURAL CONNECT AG
RELIEF. RECOVERY. RURAL STRENGTH
Rural Connect Ag (RCA) is an initiative dedicated to supporting disaster-impacted primary producers and rural landholders across Australia.
In times of floods, bushfires, or droughts, RCA provides effective and efficient, needs-based support; delivering quality, feed-tested fodder in the early response and recovery stages, while connecting farmers with vital recovery services and support.
By connecting farmers in the early stages and providing clear pathways to other organisations, RCA helps ensure that farmers are supported from the very beginning of their recovery journey. Once broader recovery services are established, we then direct farmers to the central single point of referral, which continues to support them throughout the broader recovery journey.
At the heart of RCA is a strong commitment to farmer-first solutions, supporting farmers when it matters most, and helping rural communities recover, rebuild, and strengthen their long-term resilience.
Our Purpose
We listen to understand the real impacts and challenges faced by primary producers and rural landholders. Using the knowledge gained through on-ground engagement, we facilitate operational strategies that work for farmers: coordinating response, delivering relief, and supporting recovery.
As a connector and collaborator, RCA operates through a coordinated system, a centralised approach that ensures support is delivered effectively and efficiently. This model provides support that is practical and farmer-focused, helping farmers not only in times of hardship but also in building stronger, more resilient agricultural communities for the future.
The learnings that shaped what RCA is today:
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Early response – acting as a central hub for farmers to contact for immediate fodder support during floods and in the recovery that follows.
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Farmer-first approach – one-on-one support, listening to understand, and standing beside farmers in the hardest times. Quality first, every fodder delivery is feed-tested, giving farmers the confidence and information they need.
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Fair distribution, logistics are mapped and planned to ensure fodder is allocated responsibly and equitably.
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Connect and collaborate with government and non-government services to ensure farmers are supported early in their recovery journey.
Empowering Primary Producers
RCA empowers primary producers by delivering fodder relief in the early response and throughout the recovery stages, while also providing practical support and direct connections to the services they need. This ensures farmers receive timely, effective assistance that strengthens both their immediate recovery and long-term resilience.
Through the relationships we’ve built with more than 2,000 farmers, we have developed a centralised operational model that is farmer-first, with accountability, transparency, and responsibility at every stage.
At the heart of this model is our commitment to deliver quality, feed-tested fodder that genuinely makes a difference. By ensuring suitability for livestock, we give farmers confidence that the support they receive carries real, practical value in their recovery journey.
As early responders, we can act quickly to guide farmers through the first stages of recovery. We connect and collaborate with other recovery support services, government, non-government, and charitable, providing farmers with clear pathways and contact details so they know where to turn. This continues until formal recovery services are fully activated, at which point producers are directed to a central single point of referral to support them throughout their recovery journey.
Building Stronger Rural Networks
RCA works to strengthen connections across the rural sector by linking farmers, landholders, industry leaders, and support organisations. We believe that collaboration leads to better outcomes, and by building these networks, we create a stronger, more sustainable foundation for rural recovery.
As a trusted connector, RCA steps in during the early response stage to provide farmers with connections and resources until formal recovery processes are fully in place. We do not replace or replicate the role of government or industry experts, instead, we connect farmers with them as early as possible, helping to ensure timely access to the right assistance.
Through strategic partnerships, transparent practices, and community-led approaches, we help build strength, sustainability, and well-connected rural communities at every stage of the recovery process.
Our Vision For Rural Recovery
Recovery isn’t just about response, it’s about building stronger foundations for the future.
With the knowledge and insights gained through years of on-ground engagement, RCA recognises the importance of responding early while also preparing for the future. Through coordinated systems and a centralised approach, we are better placed to act quickly and effectively when disaster strikes. We know that when livestock are doing well, farmers are doing well too and that’s where real recovery begins.
Our centralised operational model underpins this vision, providing a farmer-first approach that ensures assistance is effective, efficient, and connected. Born from experience and strengthened by collaboration, this vision drives us to deliver early response support and to walk alongside farmers throughout their entire recovery journey.