Additional state government drought funding has been welcomed by drought affected locals.
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The $500 million package of emergency drought relief will include $190 million in freight subsidies, $110 million in waived Local Land Services fees and $150 million to bolster the state government’s Farm Innovation Fund.
Wallawong Premium Beef owner, Kate James, told Fairfax Media she was grateful for the government's support.
“In terms of drought support, every little bit helps,” Mrs James said.
“In my opinion it probably should have been done earlier, but we are grateful for the help.”
The Gunnedah cattle stud owner said the funds included backdated freight subsidies, which would help her family most of all.
“For us, the subsidies will be helpful because they are backdated to January, and we have been buying fodder in since then,” she said.
“It's about cashflow and being backdated allows us to go a little bit further, and for a little bit longer.
“We will continue to pay for fodder because we have chosen to keep stock.
“We have of course made some tough calls on limiting the amount of stock we are running, but we have decided to feed through and that's what we are doing.”
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Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said the government had been working hard to find the best way to help farmers.
“The government said all along that it would revisit the support and the assistance measures that were on offer,” Mr Anderson said.
“I’m really pleased to see that another huge support package has been brought forward, and sitting at the top of that is freight subsidies.”
Mr Anderson said the flexibility to backdate the subsidies was very important.
“The fact that our farmers have been doing it tough for so long and to have the subsidies backdated to January 1 this year is quite significant,” he said.
“In addition to that, we have also called for the freezing of Local Lands Service rates, fees and charges, as well as registrations on category A agricultural vehicles, and that has all happened.
“Those measures, along with the counselling and mental health support that are included in the package, are some of the significant things we are doing to help farmers through this tough time.”
The Tamworth MP encouraged any farmers in need to reach out for their share of the assistance funding.
“We need to know what each and every individual farmer and farming family requires,” he said.
“Each one is different, so we want them to reach out, we want them to put their hand up and let us know the area they need help in.”
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
