Keith Campbell
December 1, 2016
South Burnett Mayor Keith Campbell has encouraged local farmers who are suffering from low rainfall to apply for Individual Droughted Property (IDP) declarations.
The Mayor said the State Government’s decision to revoke the South Burnett’s drought status earlier this year appears to have been premature.
“I know of a number of farmers in the western parts of the Shire who are really suffering from water shortages and low rainfall,” the Mayor said.
“The drought has never really ended for them, and recent conditions have only made things worse.”
The Mayor said he’d been advised that once a region’s drought status has been revoked, the minimum time it would take to be reinstated was 12 months.
“What this means is that the best way forward for farmers who need relief right now is to apply for an IDP,” the Mayor said.
“This will allow them to access the Drought Relief Assistance Scheme (DRAS).”
DRAS entitles IDP-declared farmers to:
- A fodder transport freight subsidy on fodder used in maintenance feeding of cattle, sheep, goats, deer, working and breeding horses that are not normally fed
- A water cartage freight subsidy on water carted for stock
- A stock returning from agistment freight subsidy on the return of stock previously sent to agistment
- A restocking freight subsidy for restocking purchases made within 24 months after a drought declaration is lifted, and …
- An emergency water infrastructure rebate on establishing water infrastructure to supply water for emergency animal welfare needs
South Burnett farmers who’d like more information about IDPs should contact Damien O’Sullivan at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in Kingaroy on (07) 4160-0717 or 0459-812-261.
More information about IDPs is available on DAF’s website
