The organisation’s Dairy Crisis Appeal comes after Lifeline received urgent requests from the industry itself, with a number of organisations getting calls from desperate farmers.

Lifeline chief executive officer Pete Shmigel said the dairy crisis was having a “significant and even heartbreaking impact” on farmers and wider dairy communities.

“Thousands of farmers risk being thrown into financial ruin. Some don’t know how they’re going to feed their families. I can’t imagine what these families are going through, but I do know that many of them they’re hurting right now,” he said.

“Lifeline needs the public’s support to be able to answer every call to our 13 11 14 helpline.”

Mr Shmigel said the focus on the dairy crisis would also include training in affected communities.

“We are also working with various private partners on building community capacity to deal with this situation,” he said.

“This will involve a reach out program to grow public awareness and train community members to better recognise and respond to the signs of suicide among their fellow workers, friends and loved ones.”

Mr Shmigel said men in rural areas were between 1.3 and 2.6 times more likely to die by suicide than those in urban areas, making it vital that support was available at all times.

“My message to them is: if you feel lost, or that suicide is the only option, a call to 13 11 14 can be truly lifesaving,” he said.

To give to Lifeline’s Dairy Crisis Appeal visit www.lifeline.org.au/emergencyappeal