Think tank helps ease stress
KING Island Farmers attended a drought-dry focused workshop last week at the King Island Golf Club, which was followed by a casual networking dinner.
Representatives from the Department of State Growth and Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, along with the Tasmanian Farm Innovation Hub, rural business finance and health and wellbeing support organisations spoke at the March 14 meeting of the challenges of balancing livestock needs, pasture management, decision-making and the stress of dry times.
Biosecurity Tasmania spoke about animal welfare and explained the requirements and processes surrounding the importation of grain and fodder from interstate.
The attendees were engaged and there was an opportunity to compare notes on what individual farmers have done, and how, over the past few weeks to mitigate the impacts of the dry conditions on their farms. The participants listened carefully to the advice given around immediate decision-making, and support for now and for when it rains.
Farmers enthusiastically shared their knowledge and experience and proposed actions in an interactive session facilitated by TAS Farm Innovation Hub’s Sophie Folder.
The exercise demonstrated commonality in issues that the island’s farmers have faced, such as the decisions that are required when destocking livestock and the logistical problems they face when destocking requires shipping cattle off the island. Similarly, sourcing feed off the island has had common logistical and supply barriers.
One outcome from the group’s analysis and knowledge share was the proposition that the island needs a sourcing coordinator and central data/ information depository in times like these to avoid duplication of farmers’ feed sourcing efforts, assistance with logistical matters and that the information needs to be accessible and readily available.
TasFarmers CEO Nathan Calman visited the island to attend the sessions and the closed round table supply chain discussions held on Friday. “The visit was incredibly helpful in understanding the current state of circumstances on the island,” Mr Calman said.
The Managing Dry Times workshop on Thursday shared some useful information from the Tas Farm Innovation Hub, Rural Alive and Well, Rural Business Tasmania and others.
The freight round table on Friday was attended by a cross-section of stakeholders to understand current challenges and possible solutions.
“If there are two items that would help the island respond to the situation they would be: A full-time coordinator for at least the next few months based on the island to provide support for the community to access resources including feed options and a substantial uplift in the availability of freight movements on and off island. TasFarmers will be actively advocating to support these outcomes,” Mr Calman said.
Grants to help drought relief
THE Tasmanian Government has announced a seasonal condition grant to provide support to farmers struggling with the extended dry conditions on King and Flinders Islands.
To provide relief, the Government will be offering oneoff payments of up to $20,000 to eligible primary producers. Grant applications opened on Tuesday and close on Tuesday, April 30 at 2 pm or until program funding is exhausted, whichever occurs first.
To be eligible, farm businesses will need to demonstrate that they have a primary production livestock business on King Island or Flinders Island, and have, or are expected to experience, financial impact, causing some hardship, due to extended dry conditions.
Other livestock or primary production businesses will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Grant funding is four-tiered commencing $5000 to a maximum $20,000 and is based on the maximum number of beef, sheep or dairy livestock owned by the applicant, from January 1, 2024 to March 5, 2024.
Grant funding is unavailable for livestock operations below the Tier 1 thresholds, ie Cattle 10-100 head, Dairy N/A, Sheep 100-1000 head. Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:
1. Hold an active Australian Business Number (ABN) at the time of application.
2. Hold a Property Identification Code (PIC). A PIC is a unique eight-character alphanumeric code allocated by the Natural Resources and Environment. All properties that run livestock must be registered with NRE and have a PIC allocated to buy, sell, and move livestock.
3. Be a beef, sheep, or dairy Primary Producer as defined by the Australian Taxation Office. Taxation Ruling TR97/11. Other livestock or primary production businesses may be considered on a caseby- case basis.
4. Operate in the Local Government Areas of Flinders or King Island (Eligible LGAs).
5. Be able to demonstrate that the farm business has experienced, or expects to experience, financial impact, causing some hardship, due to the extended dry conditions in the Eligible LGA, for example from: · increased freight costs · increased feed costs · increased pasture recovery costs.
A third party can make an application on your behalf with permission and this document is uploaded when applying for the grant.
Contact Business Tasmania at ask@business.tas.gov.au or on 1800 440 026 if you have any questions.
The full grant guidelines can be obtained at stategrowth.tas.gov.au select Grants and Funding, Agribusiness and use the link provided to access the Department’s online SmartyGrants portal.