Growers provide record donation to charities from forfeited grain
Bushfire support, mental health programs and skin cancer screening services in the regions were among the key charitable causes which shared in the record $400,000 of Harvest Mass Management funding this year.
Developed by the CBH Group and Main Roads WA, the Harvest Mass Management Scheme (HMMS) seeks to reduce the frequency of overloaded grain trucks during harvest.
Under the HMMS, growers can forfeit grain from overloaded trucks, which is then sold, and the funds provided to Western Australian charities who are nominated by growers and CBH employees.
The 2021/22 harvest smashed records with growers delivering 30 per cent more than the previous harvest record in 2017, resulting in the biggest Western Australian harvest on record with 21.3 million tonnes delivered into the CBH supply chain system.
The record-breaking crop and high grain prices contributed to the largest donation to date under the scheme since it commenced in 2012, with 1,053 tonnes of grain voluntarily forfeited into the HMMS program.
The $400,000, which was raised from the sale of the forfeited grain, has been donated to a total of 16 charities which provide support and services to our grain growers and their communities.
CBH Chair Simon Stead said the scheme provided grass roots charities and community organisations with valuable funding, with over $2.1 million distributed since the scheme began in 2012.
“The HMMS continues to be an effective deterrent to the overloading of grain trucks during harvest while giving back to regional communities at the same time,” Mr Stead said.
“Through HMMS, growers are extending their support for charities that play a supporting role in their communities.”
The successful charities will be presented with cheques at the CBH Regional Member Forums during July and August.
The Northam event held on 21 July 2022 saw six charities presented with their cheques. The charities included Foodbank WA, Blaze Aid, Volunteer Bushfire Brigades WA, Regional Men’s Health Initiative, Lions Cancer Institute and Community Vision Australia.
Cunderdin grower Norm Jenzen nominated the Skin Cancer Institute and was pleased to present the charity with a $10,000 cheque as part of the program.
Grower Norm Jenzen said: “I nominated the Lions Skin Cancer Institute to support their mobile screening van because we have been fortunate to have the van come to Cunderdin on several occasions and conduct free skin cancer checks for community members.
“In 2000, I attended an appointment when the mobile screening van was in Cunderdin and an abnormality was detected. I was referred for further treatment, which then resulted in surgery to remove an early-stage skin cancer on my face.
“With the van visiting many rural WA locations to promote skin cancer awareness, early detection of any suspect skin damage or lesions is a valuable service to have in our rural communities. Also being that this is run by volunteers it is a pleasure to have nominated them to receive a donation from the Harvest Mass Management Scheme on behalf of CBH and the growers of WA” said Mr Jenzen.
The remainder of recipients will attend presentations at the CBH Grower Forum events in Albany, Geraldton and Esperance over the coming weeks.
Details of the 16 charities receiving funding are below:
Cancer Council of WA
$20,000
The funds will go towards supporting the accommodation services at Crawford and Milroy Lodges, which are accessed by regional people going through cancer treatments in Perth.
St John WA
$20,000
An additional 14 Automated External Defibrillators and cabinets will be installed in grain growing regions. In total the HMMS program has enabled St John WA to install 144 across WA grain growing regions.
Country Women’s Association of WA
$20,000
The CWA aim to improve the well-being of all people, especially those in country areas, while being a strong, reputable, relevant voice positively impacting lives and communities.
Funds will be used to support the CWA education scholarships and disaster relief programs for regional people.
Ronald McDonald House of Charities WA
$25,000
The Work of Heart program – a curriculum aligned session that supports sick children and their siblings living in the Ronald McDonald House with their homework and education.
Funds will enable the program to continue to purchase the resources required.
Foodbank WA
$20,000
Foodbank WA is the State’s largest provider of food and groceries to families doing it tough.
The donation will go towards providing food for regional schools located within our grain growing regions who participate in the School Breakfast Program and supporting families that need food in our regions with emergency hampers.
Solaris Cancer Care
$15,000
Solaris Cancer Care has been providing cancer support services to the WA community for over 20 years. Their range of services include counselling, complementary therapies, education, wellness activities, support groups, courses and workshops for cancer patients and their carers.
The donation will assist Solaris Great Southern to continue to support local people and their families facing cancer.
Farmers Across Borders- Hay from WA
$30,000
Farmers Across Borders is a collective group of farmers and truckies from Western Australia assisting neighbouring farmers and graziers who are dealing with drought and other natural disasters.
Funds will be used to assist in the costs associated by delivering donated hay and feed.
Royal Flying Doctor Service WA
$50,000
RFDS WA ensure people across the regions have access to health care and emergency, life-saving treatment.
The RFDS Western Operations fleet consists of 21 aircraft including 17 Pilatus PC-12 turboprop aircraft, three Rio Tinto LifeFlight PC-24 Jet aircraft and two Fortescue Heli-Med EC-145 Helicopters.
Funds will be used to purchase vital equipment under the Aeromedical Fund.
Bushfire Volunteers Brigade
$50,000
Bushfire Volunteer Brigade supports 566 brigades across the state and 19,500 volunteers.
The funds will go towards equipment, resources and funding for brigades across the state.
Regional Mens Health Initiative
$50,000
Funds will support the ‘Working with Warriors’ and “Talk to a Mate’ Programs in grain growing communities along with assisting to produce and purchase both online and printed education materials to support additional services.
Lions Cancer Institute
$10,000
The Lions Cancer institute will use the funds toward their custom vehicle, which visits regional communities to conduct skin checks.
Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation
$20,000
The Foundation is the official and largest funder of Perth Children’s Hospital and the wider Child and Adolescent Health Service after government.
With the help of their partners, the Foundation aims to ensure WA’s sick children and young people can access to world-class care
The new children’s hospice will benefit from the funds, directly assisting in the build.
BlazeAid
$25,000
BlazeAid works with families and individuals in rural Australia after natural disasters such as fires and floods.
Recently BlazeAid have been assisting the communities of Corrigin, Bruce Rock and Narrogin to rebuild fences following their devastating fires.
The $25,000 donation will go towards purchasing materials to continue assisting communities when they need BlazeAid.
Anglicare
$10,000
Anglicare provide support, counselling and advocacy for people struggling with poverty, domestic violence, homelessness, grief, mental wellness and other forms of crisis or trauma.
The donation will go towards supporting the services provided by Anglicare in the Katanning and Albany regions.
Community Vision Australia
$15,000
Community Vision is a community-based provider supporting people to be independent to live in their own homes and regions, through providing services for veterans, aged care and disability programs.
Funds will assist the wheatbelt program.
The Esperance Ag Fund
$20,000
The Fund has been established to make an indelible difference within the Esperance community. Through donations from the local agriculture sector, we can provide funding to projects that make a positive impact in the Esperance community, investing in opportunities that make Esperance a place anyone would want to live and thrive.