Our Brief History
The network of volunteers (that became Peters Care) was founded in 2006 by Simon McCann. Farmers had become more debt-laden, problems were emerging with farmers’ cash flows, and farmers were not sufficiently able to deal with banks and the farm debt. By 2008 the global financial crisis had struck. As the global financial crisis struck, so did the level of calls from farmers indicating severe financial circumstances. The level of calls from farmers seeking help elevated from around 1-5 per month, to around 2-5 per week by 2013. Around 2013 we expanded our volunteer network to lawyers in rural areas with banking experience.

It was around 2012 that the name Peters Care was formed to bring the volunteer group together under a name.

In early 2014 the ABC featured a program on Simon McCann and Peters Care, which raised the profile of the small volunteer network. However, the ABC feature was Australia-wide, which opened the floodgates across Australia with farmers seeking help.

Peters Care has always been funded by its founder, running on mobile phones and impromptu office space, often struggling. In 2014 a Sydney based foundation came to the aid of Peters Care, with a remit to assist with financial support in operational costs such as premises, telephony, staff and also to provide funding to make application to become a registered charity. This financial assistance was a gift from heaven; but it was withdrawn after 3-4 months. Peters Care was then left with new unbudgeted costs and no funding, and reverted back to a small unfunded volunteer group.

Despite the relevance of Peters Care, it does not receive any government or financial assistance.

Banks and institutions have offered to provide financial support, however, this would represent a conflict of interest and impact our ability to mediate with banks.

Our aim in 2017 is to obtained registered charity status.

Change is Needed

Assisting farmers and banks deal with farm debt matters in crisis is critical, however, developing longer term strategies includes assisting farmers, lenders and governments to understand that farming within Australia has to be sustainable, which requires education of farmers in financial management, and change is required at these three (3) levels. This section will deal with the following topics that Peters Care is or will be involved in.

1. Creation of a not for profit Australian Agri Bank with the focus on providing financing to farms and rural communities.
2. Legislative change to deal with how lending institutions provides finance to farmers including greater level of care, extended default mechanisms, extended grace periods, provision for default emergency situations, etc.
3. Change within lending institutions themselves to deal with how banks and lending institutions provide finance to farmers including greater level of care, extended default mechanisms, extended grace periods, provision for default emergency situations, longer lending terms, etc.
4. Sustainable Strategies to deal with Government grants, subsidies and related offerings, that would assist farming to become more sustainable within Australia.
5. Development of financing products offered by Australian Agri Bank (AAB), or Australian banks, which include longer term 20-70 year financing, loans with emergency and ‘on hold’ servicing, and other financial products. We have the experience and background to develop and manage financial products.
6. Development and monitoring of sustainable food production including those previously advised on such as movement of some food production assets to Northern Australia.
7. Development of a nationwide Co-Operative that would assist farmers and those in the food production area deal with capital and resource assets more efficiently. Examples include cluster farming, sharing or pooling of capital assets such as equipment.
8. Creation of an electronic trading bourse/exchange ( AAX ) dealing with assets within rural communities.

Identification and recognition of farming and food production as national assets affecting national security, ensuring the protection and constant assessment of the ownership and management of farming.

We can discuss, inform, develop and manage these, and have the capability and background to introduce these changes now.

Governance

This section is being developed.