Additional drought support announced
The NSW Government has released a new drought package for NSW farmers. This package includes:
- An additional $250 million in the Farm Innovation Fund, which:
- Provides farmers with low-interest loans of up to $250,000 to improve farm infrastructure and help farmers prepare for and deal with drought; and
- Introduces new loans of up to $50,000 that will be interest-free for seven years, to allow producers to bring in fodder and grain, to move livestock, or install key water infrastructure including troughs, underground pipes or water-saving technology
- New criteria in the Farm Innovation Fund which allows farmers to use the loans to “bio-bank” the genetics of their herd that would otherwise be lost during destocking
- Additional staff within the Department of Primary Industries to process and streamline Farm Innovation Fund applications
- More than $4 million in mental health support for communities facing natural disaster and drought
- New funding of $25 million to build and operate three new Doppler radar weather stations in the Central West and Far West to improve weather forecasting and help farmers make better decisions
- A new kangaroo management plan to reduce kangaroo numbers in drought-hit areas
- Up to $5 million towards helping local councils repair dirt roads damaged by the temporary access for heavy vehicles carrying feed, water and livestock.
For more information on the package, read the information releases below, or go to www.droughthub.nsw.gov.au.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
 LLS - Drought support - FAQs.pdf | 270.38 KB |
| NSW Govt - Drought budget - Q&A.pdf | 340.74 KB |
