THE AGRICULTURE sector never fails to amaze me.
You do not have to be a genius to work out that livestock producers in particular are having a hard time of it recently, and news from some of our export markets is making things more than a little difficult for our processors. Yet the donations to help a little girl with a rare disease have been exceptional in a fundraiser at the South Australian Livestock Exchange at Dublin this week.
The young lady is Lucy Hancock, 3, Moonta, who suffers from Parry Romberg Syndrome.
This complaint is a rare, incurable auto-immune disease that affects the face and nervous system.
Lucy's parents are trying to raise $200,000 to $250,000 to seek treatment in the United States, because no treatment is available in Australia.
BM Livestock agent, Spalding farmer and flock classer Keith Pluckrose is Lucy's uncle and decided to take up the cause on the family's behalf and organised a special sale at Dublin where people could donate a lamb or sheep or two.
CIAA conducted the sale gratis, 'Budgie' Schiller did the spruiking, and Livestock Markets Ltd waived all the normal fees associated with selling at Dublin.
As normal on the occasions when charitable causes need a leg-up, the buyers came to the fore to say that Dublin lamb market was a bit depressed on Tuesday – something of an understatement, but for a brief period of five minutes prices went through the roof.
Thanks must be heaped on Colin McKenna, Midfield Meat; Richard Winckel, T&R Pastoral; Greg Arnold, Holco Meats; Trevor Burns, Australian Lamb Co; James Wilson, Elders Roseworthy; and Simon Rowe, Princess Royal, for bidding above and beyond the call of duty.
The generous donors of the livestock were P&M Broad and JW Clapp, Booborowie; G&AS Curnow, Eudunda; J Heinsen, Robertstown; JW&JF Higgins, Booleroo Centre; G Stone & Co, Saddleworth; AJ&DW Whitehorn, Koolunga; Pluckrose Bros and KW Pluckrose, Spalding; Dawson Pastoral Co, Dawson; Marrapinna Props, Broken Hill; J&R Payne, Crystal Brook; and RL Boulton & Son, Yacka.
This list would be longer if not for several donors wishing to remain anonymous. And many cash donations were made by producers in lieu of stock because harvest commitments disallowed the opportunity, and these are being tallied as Stock Journal goes to print. However, $5018 was raised in a matter of minutes for this very good cause and all those involved deserve much praise.
*Full report in Stock Journal, November 22 issue, 2012.
