GIPPSLAND’S drought-affected farmers will gain access to a state government drought support package within three weeks, according to Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford.
“We’re looking at off-farm income support, stock containment (grants) and support to build resilience and capacity for the future,” she said.
But Ms Pulford steered clear of considering municipal rate, freight or water cartage subsidies.
“We’re in September now and rates aren’t due until February,” she said.
Ms Pulford said she was not interested in matching NSW and Queensland governments’ transport subsidies to cover fodder, grain, water and livestock cartage, given it just led to market distortions.
During a tour of Gippsland last week Ms Pulford said people raised the issue of freight subsidies, but she did not want to see the money being used to increase revenue for West Australian fodder producers or transport operators.
Other farmers were concerned at long delays in gaining authority to control wildlife, from ducks eating maize and lucerne crops to kangaroos eating sparse pastures.
Ms Pulford said she was talking to Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio about the issue.
Much of what the Government is considering is similar to what was on offer to western Victorian farmers during the 2015-16 drought, which included: $3.15 MILLION to a drought program employing farmers $620,500 FOR grants of up to $2000 for farmers to build stock containment areas to protect pastures and soils FARM risk management grants of up to $10,000 that farmers must match “to manage risks and manage farm performance in changing climatic conditions”.
Ms Pulford said she was surprised how popular the $10,000 grants were during the 2015-16 drought.