Condah farmer and hay contractor Graham Thomson with his fine.

A GOFUNDME campaign to help a south-west Victorian hay contractor fight a fine for moving two bales of hay across a road on his tractor has changed its focus to supporting the mental health of all farmers.

Feed Central’s LocalAg started the appeal after Condah farmer Graham ‘Thommo’ Thomson was fined $398 by a National Heavy Vehicle Regulator officer for moving two bales of hay on a tractor across the Henty Highway and along a dirt road to help a fellow farmer during the drought.

The appeal met within days its goal of $1000 to help Thommo and now all further donations going to the National Centre for Farmer Health https://farmerhealth.org.au/.

Up ;to 4pm today, the GoFundMe page had been promised $1800 from 37 donations.

Feed Central managing director Tim Ford said `Thommo’ had appeared as a guest on a recent Feed Central podcast and was well-known across Australia.

“Thommo’s story has gone viral, and although he didn’t expect the attention, he wants to use it to make a positive impact on the industry he’s worked in his entire life,” Mr Ford said.

“We’ve started this GoFundMe page on Thommo’s behalf to raise funds for his court case and to support a mental health initiative for farmers doing it tough,” he said.

“Thommo is choosing to contest the fine in court because he believes that, after more than 60 years in the industry, helping a neighbour feed their livestock shouldn’t be penalised.”

Mr Ford said Feed Central’s LocalAg established this fundraiser to help cover legal costs and to help in making the voices of farmers heard. At Thommo’s request, any funds remaining after court costs will be donated to farmer mental health.

“Australian farmers work year-round through everything from mouse plagues to floods and droughts – sometimes all in the same year,” Mr Ford said.

“They’re resilient, but the pressure is constant and we want to do what we can to help and support farmers trying to help each other in these difficult times.”

Mr Thomson said he had been heartened by the level of support in the community and for the GoFundMe appeal.

“I’m very happy with the response to the appeal and with the amount of support I’ve got. I’ve been told it’s even made the BBC news in England.”

His main priorities now are to inform all farmers about the transportation rules and to help farmer mental health during the ongoing drought.

“A lot of farmers don’t know that it’s a rule that you can’t transport hay across a road on the front forks on a tractor so the government needs to advertise it,” he said.

Thommo added that farmer mental health was close to his heart during the ongoing drought.

“The day I was pulled up there was a farmer mental health event happening about 500 yards away.

“Hopefully we can do a bit to help out.”

The GoFundMe page is as https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-thommo-fight-his-fine-for-moving-hay-in-a-drought