AGRICULTURAL companies BASF and Nutrien Ag Solutions have joined forces to support local football clubs in Western Australia.
Through a jointly-funded community football initiative, the companies will fund 500 premium Burley footballs for 89 Western Australian Country Football Clubs in a massive show of support for country football.
As a major retailer of BASF's agricultural products, Nutrien said the companies wanted to give back to the communities they operated in.
"We understand that funding at country footy clubs can be tough at the best of times and 2020 has made things monumentally harder," said Nutrien Ag Solutions western region manager Andrew Duperouzel.
"Together with BASF we wanted to give these clubs a well-deserved leg-up in a difficult year."
WAFC executive manager of country football and facilities Tom Bottrell said the footballs would go a long way in providing the clubs with a much-needed boost.
"Footballs are a significant cost for our clubs," Mr Bottrell said.
"To be able to support clubs to this extent will help ease the financial pressures that our clubs are facing and we can't thank BASF and Nutrien Ag enough."
Carnamah-Perenjori Roos Football Club president Bruce Chisholm welcomed the support.
"The Carnamah-Perenjori Roos have always had great support from our local Nutrien branch," Mr Chisholm said.
"The donation of the new footies from the BASF - Nutrien partnership is a timely boost for our club as we dust off the cobwebs from COVID and get back on the track."
The 500 footballs will be jointly branded with BASF, Nutrien Ag, WACFL and Burley and will be distributed across 89 WA Country Football clubs over the coming months.
BASF senior Western Australia area sales manager Murray McCartney said he and fellow BASF sales managers would personally assist with the distribution.
"For me this initiative is about more than just financial assistance," Mr McCartney said.
"As a country footballer myself, I understand how important the sport is to the local community.
"I'm proud we're able to support local footy clubs in what has been such a tough year for so many and I'm really looking forward to getting out there and visiting the clubs and communities we're supporting.