Drought-hit farmers to get loan and pest-control boost
Support for farmers facing drought conditions will include access to financial advice and expanded loans.
Up to $500,000 – twice the previous limit – will be available for landowners in NSW to undertake sustainability-focused drought projects, the state’s agriculture minister said.
A loan plan is also being established offering up to $100,000 for immediate assistance with fewer documentation requirements.
“A new range of low-cost financial products enables farmers to receive funds faster, easier and cheaper,” said Tara Moriarty.
“This allows us to direct funding in times of drought to practical, cost-effective support that makes a real difference.”
Approximately $2 million will be allocated for free financial counseling to eligible farmers at risk of hardship due to drought.
Funding will be increased to control wild pigs and deer, as well as kangaroos, to prevent them from competing with livestock for scarce resources.
While free feed and water testing kits will be distributed to help farmers plan for drought, no subsidies will be provided for these products.
“There have been some calls for transport and feed subsidies, but expert advice … has shown that these provide very poor value for money,” Ms Moriarty said.
Significant areas of southern and western NSW are classified as drought-affected, while nearly half of the Snowy Valley region is declared drought-stricken.
Below-average rainfall continues to be a concern for farmers in Australia.
“Rainfall was below average for Tasmania, Victoria and much of South Australia, much of inland NSW and much of southern Western Australia,” the Bureau of Meteorology’s annual climate statement for 2025 said. he said.
NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and much of South Australia experienced their lowest January rainfall levels since 1900.
Decreasing surface water storage in the nation’s largest river system is a growing problem for growers.
Levels will fall by around five per cent across Australia and 14 per cent in the Murray-Darling Basin by 2025, according to the bureau.
