Drought affected Gippsland farmers urge the release of more infrastructure funding

The State government has confirmed it's signed up to the Federal Government’s On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate scheme.

Read more: There's State Government funding for drought hit farmers

The scheme means drought-hit farmers can claim up to 25 per cent of infrastructure costs, up to $25,000.

“A contract between the Victorian and Commonwealth governments is currently being finalised,” a government spokesman said. “The Victorian allocation has not yet been announced.”

The rebate will apply to the purchase and installation of emergency water infrastructure, including pipes, tanks and troughs, pumps, de-silting of existing dams, drilling new stock water bores and associated power supplies.

The State government spokesman said the program would open as soon as possible, pending final agreement.

It had not been possible to negotiate with the Federal Government during the November 2018 caretaker period.

Bairnsdale beef producer Angus Zilm said the announcement was a fantastic win for farmers in drought-stricken Gippsland, looking to innovate and install infrastructure.

“I have no doubt the uptake of this will be high and the flow on benefits to the community will be endless,” Mr Zilm said.

He said it was a long overdue recognition of the severity of the Gippsland drought.

But he called on the government to act quickly.

“It’s a fantastic thing, but the Victorian government haven’t announced they are going to roll it out, on any particular date. When is this money going to be made available, and how is it going to be made available?

“What we want is acknowledgement of what we are facing, but we also want assistance with big products, to provide more resilience into the future and to set up for future droughts.”

Pearsondale beef producer Geoff Gooch said the current dry spell would not end with a single shower of rain.

“There is no moisture in the soil profile, and while we may get a green tinge, this will only carry us through until the next hot day,” Mr Gooch said.

“The growing season is closing fast and the season for lambing and calving, peak feed requirement periods, is approaching.

“If we get rain soon we may be able to bluff through a season with careful strategies but always being aware that this break might only be the start of the next dry spell.”

He said it would take time to recover and then more time to set up resilience for the next drought.

“The Agriculture Minister needs to be aware that agriculture is a continuum, not a collection of finite events that can be stopped and started at will

"Weaner cattle sales in June 2020 start with joining in October 2018.”

Mr Gooch said part of his land was between the Thompson and Latrobe Rivers, which dried out in early December.

“The other half of the property is bare as a board, and I’m looking to calving cows in early July.

“But, at this stage, it’s a very bleak picture – I’m in a situation where there is not much more I can do.”

He said he had taken advantage of the State Government's On-Farm Drought Infrastructure Support Grants, using the money for fencing and troughs.

Read more: Drought affected farmers embrace on farm infrastructure grants

“Many farms around the place got away with dams and minimal infrastructure, for a long time,” Mr Gooch said.

“But when you get a year like this, the minimal infrastructure doesn’t carry you through, any more.

“Whether you believe in climate change, or not, things are not the same as they were 35 years ago and we just have to alter our operations, to manage the climate we are living in.”

Sheep and beef producer Allister Morris, Winnindoo, said improving irrigation would help.

“It means if I can have a percentage of the place with irrigation, then I can at least get the stock to a store condition to sell, or keep our breeding stock.

“It makes it a bit easier to conserve fodder.”

He said it appeared the infrastructure rebate scheme would be “really useful.

“It costs a lot to do anything these days, all of a sudden it makes it stack up economically.”

Gippsland Federal Nationals MP Darren Chester said he'd been meeting with farmers and agricultural industry representatives across Gippsland.

“They’ve been telling me that one of the major issues they are facing is access to on-farm water,” Mr Chester said. “As this drought worsens, the implementation of this scheme is becoming increasingly urgent.”

Mr Chester told Federal Parliament the drought had worsened in Gippsland.

“The drought is having a huge economic, social and environmental impact on our communities, some of which are enduring some of the driest conditions for a century,” Mr Chester said.

“The Federal Government is now helping 380 farming families across Gippsland with fortnightly payments of up to $615 under the Farm Household Allowance.

“There are two special lump sum payments for recipients: one paid last September and the second this April of $12,000 for couples and $7200 for singles."