Farming charity receives $1m lifeline

A farming charity expecting a $220,000 donation from Dick Smith Foods has been gifted the company's entire annual profit instead.

The company gave $1 million - the biggest donation in their 13-year history - to Aussie Helpers founder Brian Egan in Sydney on Monday morning.

"Honestly, I'm a bit gobsmacked at what to say because it's such a massive gesture of generosity," Mr Egan said.

Volunteers from the Queensland-based charity visited 1100 sheep and cattle stations in the past 12 months, offering support to 1300 families across Australia.

"You think of farmers as tough, brawny people but ... they're just stressed out to the limit, I have never seen people so battered and worn out," he said.

"To get a bit of good news like this is really going to put energy back into the bush again.

"It means that somebody gives a bugger about them."

Company founder Dick Smith said he chose the charity, which only has one full-time employee, because "just about every dollar that is donated is given to farmers".

"I flew out recently to Longreach and I just couldn't believe the drought there and I met a farming family who were in absolute dire straits," Mr Smith said.

He added the money would help Mr Egan hire another employee and encouraged Australians to donate.