AgForce has praised the State Government for its decision to continue offering support measures for a further year as drought continues across much of Queensland.
The group singled out the continuation of the fodder, water and livestock freight assistance, which was originally to be discontinued at the end of the financial year.
It said this would give producers confidence that the industry would be able to engage with the State Government about improved drought assistance during the next 12 months, without potentially losing access to existing support.
AgForce wrote to Agriculture Minister Mark Furner last month requesting the assistance measures be continued for another 12 months.
AgForce Drought Working Group chair Mark Collins said the State Government’s decision was great news for the many producers still struggling with the ongoing dry conditions.
Producers in current declared areas, and any areas declared within the next 12 months, now have the confidence of being able to continue to access the existing assistance measures.
“AgForce has been warning politicians and the community for months of the danger of thinking the drought was over just because we had a bit of rain at the beginning of the year,” Mark said.
“We look forward to engaging strongly with the Government to ensure that crucial improvements to existing drought assistance measures are made.
“We don’t want to transition to a new system of drought support when no better alternative to the existing freight subsidies is being proposed – let’s have a real discussion about better ways of financially assisting farmers battling this and future severe droughts. ”
- Related article: Drought Status Remains Unchanged
