Landholders across the New England are being urged to take advantage of rebates now open for new, on-farm water infrastructure.
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Member for New England Barnaby Joyce said farmers can claim up to 25% of their costs from buying and installing new on-farm water infrastructure such as pipes, storages, pumps, de-silting dams, and associated power supplies such as generators.
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“When it does rain, and it will, we need the infrastructure on local properties and farms to support that new water,” Mr Joyce said.
“Assistance for immediate drought relief is already being provided through a range of measures such as the Farm Household Allowance, drought money for local councils, and extra funding for the free Rural Financial Counselling Service.
“But these water infrastructure rebates, which we’re backdating to July 2018, are about planning for the dry times ahead, and making sure we have the means to support ourselves in the coming years during times of little to no rain.”
The funding assistance forms part of the $50 million On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate scheme.
Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources David Littleproud said this rebate will help NSW farmers improve drought resilience.
“It’s important we support drought-affected farmers so they can manage their water and prepare for future droughts,” Minister Littleproud said.
In November, the Federal Liberal and Nationals’ Government committed a further $500 million to the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund to identify and co-fund construction of new water infrastructure projects across regional Australia.
The Fund’s expansion to more than $1 billion, as well as the existing $2 billion National Water Infrastructure Loan Facility program, means more than $3 billion is now available from the Federal Government to build new water infrastructure such as dams and provide greater social and economic opportunity for Australians.
Farmers will be eligible to apply through the NSW government for the water infrastructure rebates which will also cover eligible work undertaken since July 1 2018.
Applications are open now via the NSW Rural Assistance Authority website: https://www.raa.nsw.gov.au/
