The social media campaign was started by the organization Farmers for Climate Action to show support during this challenging time for the country.
To participate, individuals post something splashed with the colour yellow.
💛Time to express solidarity with the farmers, communities, animals, ecosystems & landscapes under threat by climate change. Join the campaign. Find or create something yellow & lets stand together & turbo charge the action. #showourcolours #canariesinthecoalmine @farmingforever pic.twitter.com/AvsMk8BW59
— Jody Brown (@jodyjoy84) January 31, 2020
Jody Brown, a Grazier from central western Queensland, posted a video over the weekend of herself speaking about her experience as a farmer and why she was joining the campaign.
“We’ve had about 3 quarters of the last two decade have been in drought and that dough has been exacerbated by climate change and record temperatures. Just being flogged with heat wave after heat wave and after every time you think you’ve got some seedlings, they just end up frying because the earth is literally baking.”
Brown also took to Facebook to call on the new Agriculture Minister to make Climate Change a priority.
“We really need a Minister that is going to get serious about putting in place the nuts and bolts strategy for dealing with climate change,” she said in her video.
“Climate change is having a devastating effect on farming families on rural and regional communities on the environment and ecosystem right across Australia. It is beyond time that we really got to work on a National Strategy for climate change in agriculture, not only farmers on the front line of dealing with consequences of climate change but we can also be part of the solution.”
Cindy Stevens, a barley, canola and wheat farmer from Corrigin, WA, showed her support by posting a photo of goldmine nectarines, accompanied by a call to action:
“Our landscapes, farming systems and future need action on climate change.”
💛Grateful for these goldmine nectarines for breakfast, home grown and bountiful due to our grey water system. Our optimistic yellow for #showourcolours campaign @farmingforever. Our landscapes, farming systems, & future needs action on climate change.🌼🌾🌞 pic.twitter.com/lmekEZ03or
— 🌾Cindy Stevens (@cstevens73) February 2, 2020
Australia’s Young Farmer of the Year in 2017 Anika Molesworth also took to Twitter to post a video of herself explain how farmers are “one of the first to feel the true impact of a changing climate.”
“Agriculture is one of the most vulnerable and exposed industries to extreme weather events. We need to be seriously addressing the causes of climate change today.”
"Farmers really are the canaries in the coal mine when it comes to climate change," says Broken Hill farmer Anika Molesworth.
It's time to #showourcolours for climate & stand with Anika, Rob and rural Australians, who are #canariesinthecoalmine when it comes to climate change. pic.twitter.com/foqkhb45sU
— Farmers for Climate Action (@farmingforever) January 30, 2020
Last November, Molesworth revealed to The Guardian, her fears for her industry’s future.
“This love for the land underpins everything I do to protect its future. In 2050, by the time I’m the average age of an Australian farmer, the increase in extreme heat and reduced rainfall could end our livestock business. So I focus on addressing the causes of the drought and working on the solutions to climate change.
The Grow Love Project, the northern beaches based story platform agency took to instagram to express their support.
“Lets show our so called leaders they can not pull the wool over our eyes, we are not selfish or small minded- we want real #climateaction 💯”
Susannah Kable, the Director of the media company, has worked in agriculture, forestry policy and communications to drive change.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8AMQPPgD4X/