Relief. Recovery. Rural Strength.
Our Story
What began as one hay run has grown into a mission of action, solidarity, and farmer-first support. In disaster recovery, early response is vital and Rural Connect Ag (RCA) was born from the simple but powerful belief that timely, practical support can make all the difference in a farmer’s recovery.
In the early days of the unprecedented 2022 Northern Rivers floods, the now RCA Founder Sally Power received a call asking to help a farmer. That introduction led to one first phone call with a disaster-impacted farmer, a farmer who, in heartbreaking scenes, had watched a large number of his cattle swept away in the floodwaters. It was a moment that captured the sheer devastation farmers were facing, and it sparked a chain of events that changed everything.
At the same time, another grassroots initiative, Feed for Friends, led by the incredible Nerissa Cooksey from Richmond Valley and her committed team of volunteers, was already on the ground providing immediate relief. The long and short of it: we combined our efforts, creating strength together and extending our impact to reach more farmers in urgent need.
Meanwhile, conditions on the ground were worsening. Roads were cut off, trucks couldn’t get through, and livestock were stranded. This was the moment when early response mattered most, volunteers with boats worked day and night to check on farmers and deliver small bales of hay by boat to stranded cattle and livestock. Transportation businesses, hay suppliers, and members of the public all stepped forward, reaching out to ask how they could help. It was the power of community spirit in action. We even navigated the Army to assist with some fodder pick-ups and deliveries, ensuring farmers received the support they desperately needed.
Word spread quickly. Within 10 months, we had supported more than 1,200 farmers. Each conversation, each delivery, and each on-farm visit reinforced a simple truth: timely, coordinated action can change outcomes for farmers and their livestock.
The Northern Rivers region was now officially declared a disaster, which meant many charity hay runners were arriving to support farmers. As we were already on the ground with knowledge and insight into local needs, we assisted with coordinating hundreds of trucks of fodder, doing the groundwork that made the difference. We made the one-on-one phone calls with farmers, listening to understand their individual circumstances, mapping out each town and each farm, and ensuring the right support reached the right place at the right time.
This was no longer just an emergency response, it had become a long-term commitment. Using the knowledge gained through on-ground engagement, we began developing operational strategies that work for farmers: strengthening response and recovery.
Every day brings new learnings.
“Like our farmers, we keep putting one foot in front of the other, because resilience is built step by step.”
