The past few years have been a turbulent time for many Australian farmers contending with the challenges presented by drought, fires, floods and COVID-19.
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Machinery manufacturer Case IH's Australian and New Zealand arm is keen to play its part in helping farmers, and their rural and regional communities, get back on their feet.
The company has donated $45,000 to bush charities, Aussie Helpers and Angel Flight.
Angel Flight coordinates non-emergency transport to assist country people access specialist medical treatment that would otherwise be unavailable to them because of vast distance and high travel costs.
Aussie Helpers is dedicated to helping farmers, farm families and farming communities through tough times by providing financial assistance, counselling, educational assistance, livestock feed and essentials like fuel, groceries and medicines.
Case IH Australia/New Zealand general manager Pete McCann said Angel Flight and Aussie Helpers were there for rural and regional people at some of the hardest times of their lives, doing what they can to ease some of the burden.
"We appreciate their commitment to country Australia, and this donation is a way of showing our appreciation," Mr McCann said.
"Our staff, our dealers and our customers call these regions home and we want to do what we can to assist, where it's needed most."
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Aussie Helpers CEO Tash Kocks said the donation was welcome in the aftermath of a number of significant natural disasters, including the most recent flooding in December.
"Most Aussies know that when natural disasters happen, it is our farmers who are hit the hardest," Ms Kocks said.
"What they don't realise is that the financial hit is still present even after drought and flooding has passed.
"So, it is our aim at Aussie Helpers to stick with our rural and regional families and communities, even after the dust has settled."
Angel Flight CEO Marjorie Pagani said the organisation's volunteer pilots had flown more than 17 million kilometres across more than 3100 different routes.
Meanwhile, their volunteer drivers had covered almost 2 million kilometres getting country people to and from their medical appointments and accommodation, so the donation would be put to very good use.
"We achieve our goals by coordinating private flights and ground transport provided by volunteer pilots and drivers using their own aircraft and vehicles," Ms Pagani said.
"Volunteers are reimbursed for fuel costs, but their greatest reward is the satisfaction of helping fellow Australians in times of need.
"We know this generosity will be well-appreciated by our thousands of rural friends in need, and by our wonderful volunteers and the dedicated team at Angel Flight HQ."
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