While recent rain and strong crop yields have been a 'blessing' for the farmers supported by Aussie Helpers, depot manager Katie O'Brien says the recent rodent infestation has been one of the less welcome revivals.
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"The rain's been a blessing for so many, we're on the road right now and watching everyone working the paddocks in anticipation of their winter crop is amazing, let's just hope we can get rid of the mice," O'Brien said during a trip across the region to various farms on Tuesday.
"It's been an issue, particularly in the grain belt, the mice are pretty revolting; but that's part and parcel of having a beautiful feed source, with any good season, you get plenty of critters too."
The setback, which O'Brien calls 'part of the nature of farming', is just one more thing for the region's farmers to deal with in a recovery process that's become a constant 'juggling act'.
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"It's not the first time and it won't be the last," O'Brien said.
"It's a hard game, you take one step forward and it has to outweigh the two steps back, but we're managing as well as we can."
At the moment, the Dubbo base depot is committed to ensuring that farmers are well supported throughout the season ahead, but the cyclical nature of their work, and the recent upswing has provided some unexpected cause for relief.
"The season's been fantastic and a lot of opportunity has been had with grain and harvest, but farmers are still three or four years behind in terms of debt," O'Brien said.
"The financial burdens are all still there, that's going to stick around for a while, but the green feed in the paddock, that opportunity will help."
One of the farmers Ms O'Brien and the team visited on Tuesday has already began giving back to the charitable organisation, with the team enjoying the chance to collect hay from someone who'd been in desperate need just a year before.
"We helped him during the drought and now he's giving back, it's all come full circle, it's nice to see that not only has he come through, but he's continuing the good work and giving a bit back," Ms O'Brien said.