THE state government, in conjunction with Primary Industries and Regions SA, will donate 400 bales of hay to farmers affected by the Pinery fires.
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Agriculture minister Leon Bignell said the bales, worth about $24,000, were from the Flaxley Research Centre.
"PIRSA will also cover the freight costs to Roseworthy Campus where Livestock SA will coordinate the distribution," he said.
"PIRSA's recovery team has been working tirelessly with the affected communities, other government agencies and industry stakeholders since the November fires.
"When we heard staff were cutting and baling the last of the pasture crop at Flaxley, before it transfers to new owners in July, we knew it would be best used by the farmers who needed it most.
"There's currently a very real need for fodder given the loss of paddock feed and hay stocks in the fire, and we welcome any other donations as well."
Livestock SA Fodder coordinator John Sharp said the hay donation was extremely well timed, with a lot of agisted livestock returning to the Pinery fire zone.
"A large proportion of the livestock was agisted to cropping properties to help eat down the crop stubble. Those contracts are now ending as it's time for many of the property owners to plant the next crops," Mr Sharp said.
"Unfortunately there's still little to no feed growing on these properties, so Livestock SA are managing a register of all those people requiring emergency fodder and will be contacting its members and those on the register to let them know the hay is available for pick-up from Roseworthy."
Livestock owners requiring assistance with further agistment and fodder supply can contact Livestock SA on 8297 2299 or 0419 610 904 to organise pick up from the Roseworthy campus.
