THE State government says it will deliver more drought assistance for farmers, with $300 million in funding focused on preparedness measures, including $250m for low interest loans.
Premier Mike Baird, Deputy Premier Troy Grant, Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson and Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson announced the NSW Drought Package in Tamworth on Tuesday.
The measures will include extension of the Farm Innovation Fund and short-term emergency support for primary producers in the midst of drought.
Mr Grant said the package would include $250 million in low interest loans across five years, and further funding for water infrastructure investment.
"We have been listening to our regional communities and are delivering the vital support they need to survive drought, including a further $366 million under our Water Security for Regions program," Mr Grant said.
Mr Grant said the new package would bolster farmers' resilience.
"We are conscious of the present challenges, but determined to protect our farmers for the future."
Mr Grant said previous rounds of concessional drought loans had been "extraordinarily popular".
Ms Hodgkinson said the initiative would provide key assistance for primary producers and delivered on several goals of the NSW Agriculture Industry Action Plan launched last year.
"It will include $45 million over five years in scholarships for farmers to undertake vocational training and farm business planning to prepare for droughts," she said.
"That can be used for the consultancy to develop business plans, it can be used for professional farm training courses.
"It's going to be very flexible."
Ms Hodgkinson said $2.5m would go to the Bureau of Meteorology "to enhance meteorological input into our seasonal conditions reports".
"There's no radar west of Nyngan, so we want to make sure we've got great facilities on the ground to truly measure seasonal conditions in NSW," she said.
Mr Baird said he had seen the devastating impact drought could have on primary producers.
"This builds on more than $60 million in direct financial assistance to farmers provided by the NSW government in the past 18 months," he said.
Mr Baird said he also wanted the government to consider how it could work with industry to improve access to multi-peril insurance.
Opposition primary industries spokesman Steve Whan said the package "fails miserably to make up for four years of cruel cuts to farm and drought support schemes".
"More than 70 per cent or $250 million of Mike Baird's $300 million five-year drought package is actually just short-term loans for farmers," he said.
"Plunging farmers into more debt is hardly a helpful solution to surviving drought conditions."
Mr Whan said $5 million for transport assistance for animal welfare and donated fodder did not go far enough.
"The Liberals and Nationals abolished drought support measures which have traditionally assisted farmers to survive in rural NSW and they have made massive cuts to the Department of Primary Industries and to the very programs which helped develop our State's strong agricultural sector.
"They arrogantly expect they will receive the support of farmers by default."
