Supporting Tasmania’s farmers

The Tasmanian Government is committed to doing everything it can to make sure our primary industries flourish, including supporting our farming families.

In some cases it has been a productive start to the season, but others are doing it tough with dry conditions, and we are taking action.

We are working with the TFGA and other industry representatives to ensure farmers are best placed to respond to short and long term challenges.

Today I am pleased to announce additional initiatives to support farmers, our regional communities and jobs, including:

• $2.2 million to extend the subsidy for new irrigation electricity connections

This is great news for irrigators. Under changes to the national rules the charges for irrigation electricity connections were set to increase substantially from 2017. However, the Tasmanian Government’s continuation of the existing 75% subsidy in up-front connection costs will mitigate this, with an additional $1.1 million to be made available each year for two years from 2017-18. This means Tasmanian farmers can plan ahead and invest in on-farm irrigation confident that the up-front connection costs will continue to be low and thereby help them to make the most of the growing opportunities in Tasmania.

• $44,000 for Feed and Fodder Register

The Tasmanian Government is providing $44,000 to the TFGA to tackle feed and fodder shortages during dry conditions. TFGA will immediately reinvigorate its state-wide fodder register and move to a wholly online service with farmers able to enter and edit details themselves. Over the longer term the TFGA will look at improving future access to fodder across industry and partnerships to potentially provide emergency fodder sources.

• $30,000 to extend Rural Alive and Well outreach services on King Island

Rural Alive and Well is Tasmania’s only organisation providing one on one outreach support to Tasmanians at risk of suicide. There is ongoing demand for RAW’s fly-in, fly-out presence on King Island which has been in place since the island’s major abattoir closed and through other recent community-wide challenges. This critical service can continue by providing an additional $30,000 to allow an outreach worker to spend three days per month working on the island for the next year. This is in addition to $1 million we committed to RAW state-wide in our first budget.

Also, in response to concerns raised by farmers Hydro Tasmania commenced cloud seeding to increase any rainfall over the Midlands in October. While conditions were not suitable during that time, the Government will continue to look at the potential of cloud seeding to support the agricultural sector.

These initiatives are on top of our $10 million AgriGrowth Concessional Loans Scheme available to assist farm and agri-food businesses with irrigation infrastructure, productivity improvements and other long-term developments.

Aligned to the loans scheme, an additional $80,000 is being provided to Rural Business Tasmania for agri-business planning providing farmers with case studies, coaching and practical tools in areas such as managing seasonal conditions.

A range of seasonal information, tools and support is also available through AgriGrowth Tasmania and online via the Department’s website: www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au .

Tasmanian farmers are no stranger to seasonal conditions, and they are known for their resilience for good reason; they are at the mercy of many elements beyond their control.

However, we will continue to work with farmers and the industry to grow the sector. We firmly believe that our agriculture sector is one of Tasmania’s greatest competitive strengths which we can grow ten-fold to a value of $10 billion a year by 2050.
Jeremy Rockliff, Minister for Primary Industries and Water