WORRIES of distorting the agricultural market were swept aside on Monday as the state government pledged $500 million to help farmers weathering an unprecedented drought.
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Standing at the front gate of the Kelly family’s place, “Ferndale”, Newbridge, the cold morning winds of winter buffeted Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Deputy Premier John Barilaro, Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair and Lands and Forestry Minister Paul Toole.
They braced themselves against the cold and delivered the news the state’s farmers have been waiting to hear. Top of the agenda was freight subsidies, offsetting as much as 50 per cent of costs, capped at $20,000. Bills incurred since January 1 can be claimed.
Also included will be waivers of Local Land Services fees, fixed charges on water licences, registration costs for class one agricultural vehicles and interest on existing farm innovation fund loans. Premier Gladys Berejiklian said conditions were now so dire farmers needed help until the drought breaks.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the rapidly deteriorating conditions across the state meant the government had to move.
“We said we will constantly reassess the conditions and relief measures . . . this is a reflection of how much we value farming and regional communities,” he said. The package will also include elements of mental health, including counselling for drought affected farmers.
Patriarch of operations to which “Ferndale” is homebase, Cliff Kelly, said while he wouldn’t normally agree with subsidies, the dire situation facing farmers across NSW meant the moves were welcomed.
“The situation is so severe something had to be done,” he said. He said Australian Wool Innovation and Meat and Livestock Australia should be the next organisations to move definitively to help farmers. “Really, they’re sitting in their ivory towers just watching the millions come in,” he said.
“AWI is raking in mega millions,” he said, “we’re paying a two per cent levy and the wool price has gone up 300 cents a kilogram.”
The family runs 9000 Merinos. Stuart, brother Andrew, and Cliff have been feeding a mix of almond hull, DDG pellets and barley or wheat for months now.
Peter Carter, “Umgarlee”, Wellington, said while he welcomed the subsidy it was not very realistic and certainly wouldn’t make a big difference to him.
Mr Carter is currently spending $15,000 a week on feed and his days distributing it, and reckoned $50,000 would be closer to the mark, given that 35 years ago the cap was $17,000.
Meanwhile, Dallas Codrington (on our cover) who manages a 92,000 hectare aggregation based on “Wongalea”, just north of Brewarrina towards Goodooga, is feeling the full brunt of the drought.
The properties are operated by Yammatree Family Trust, Wagga Wagga. Mr Codrington is hand-feeding 3000 Angus breeders of mainly Kennys Creek blood, and another 985 weaners. “We’ve been hand-feeding here for more than two years,” he said.
Generally the property runs 4000 breeders and turns off steers weighing 350 to 400 kilograms at 12 months.
Most of these go to a company’s finishing property at Hillston where they would grow out for feedlots or for marketing.
Mr Codrington selects 800 heifers each year as replacements with the remainder either going to Hillston or to “Yammatree”, Wagga.
As well there are 950 Merino wether woolcutters left, as the 2800 ewe component was sold 12 months ago.
Brewarrina was luckier than most, receiving between 50 and 75 millimetres of precipitation from a band of rain three to four weeks ago. Mr Codrington sowed 325ha of feed barley and 770ha of wheat on that.
“If we get rain we’ll take it through and cut hay, if not, we’ll feed it off,” he said.
“We’re in a green drought. There’s a green tinge, looks great and the kangaroos can get hold of it, but that’s about it. Sheep can also get hold of it, but it’s not quite ready for cattle yet,” he said.
Whitecliffs grazier Barry Turner, who with wife Annette owns Polpah Station said the announcement had given people hope.
“They’ve (the government) begun, now we’ve just got to keep them going.”
The NSW Rural Assistance Authority will begin processing applications from Monday.
