Retailers rally around drought-struck farmers
A Murray Bridge supermarket’s “Farmer Friday” initiative is one of several ways in which local businesses are setting out to support the agricultural community.
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Boxed water has been flying out the door at Randall Meyers’ Murray Bridge supermarket lately.
Residents of rural properties who don’t have an SA Water connection are struggling to keep their rainwater tanks from running dry in the face of the current drought.
“People are hoping they’ve got enough for showers and toilets and they’re buying their drinking water,” he said.
Even in communities as big as Murray Bridge, he said, the flow-on effects of the drought affected everyone.
“The fact that those guys are struggling affects the sporting clubs, the little cafe down the road … businesses haven’t put people on, then (those people) don’t go out to dinner and it gets around the community,” he said.
The response from the Drakes supermarket he manages has been to introduce “Farmer Fridays”: a five per cent discount for rural residents on one day each week.
Any farm family can join the scheme by providing proof of their address.
More than 50 families have so far done so.
In fact, the scheme has proven successful enough over the course of a four-month trial that Drakes Supermarkets director JP Drake said it may soon be rolled out in all of the company’s stores across regional South Australia.
“For us it’s about making sure we can help (farmers) get through,” he said.
The supermarket isn’t the only local business trying to give rural families a break, either.
- Bridge Batteries and Solar is offering discounts on batteries
- Eastside Bearing and Brake Supplies created a website so rural residents could plan their shopping trips without having to come into town
- Woodlane Orchard and SP Hiker are offering 10% off
- Agricultural suppliers have been as compassionate as possible
Do you know of any other local business offering discounts to rural families? Email peri@murraybridge.news and we’ll add them to this list.
Drought relief roll-out begins
Meanwhile, the state government has started distributing $1500 grants to families and small businesses who may need them, and rebates of up to $20,000 for farm businesses, as part of a $55 million drought relief package announced last week.
The Rural Support Grants are available to anyone working with Rural Business Support’s rural financial counselling service.
Rural Business Support CEO Brett Smith hoped the extra cash would help.
“Before farmers can recover from disaster and build resilience, we aim to create hope by providing practical relief,” he said.
“When we can assist to create stability in the home, farming families have the breathing space to navigate what comes next.”
On-farm infrastructure rebates are available to farm businesses investing in infrastructure which will help them get through the current drought, or future droughts.
The rebates can be used to cover 75 per cent of the cost of a project up to $20,000, or 50% for projects of up to $40,000 in total value.
- Access a Rural Support Grant: Visit www.ruralbusinesssupport.org.au or call 1800 836 211.
- Access an On-Farm Infrastructure Rebate: Visit pir.sa.gov.au by January 31, 2026.
