Published Sunday, 24 December, 2006 at 09:00 AM
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries
The Honourable Tim Mulherin
DROUGHT RELIEF ASSISTANCE SCHEME DEMAND INCREASING
More than 2600 claims to the value of in excess of $4.7 million have been paid under the Queensland Government’s Drought Relief Assistance Scheme since July 1, 2006, Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said today.
“The rate at which claims are being received has increased markedly due to the extended drought conditions and DPI&F has added staff to meet the processing demands,’’ Mr Mulherin said.
“Since January, 2002, up to December 22, 2006, more than 19,000 claims have been paid to the value of $34 million.
“DRAS provides freight subsidies to eligible primary producers. Subsidies are available for transport of fodder and water for livestock during drought and the transport of livestock returning from agistment and animals purchased for restocking in the recovery period.’’
All applications received with the correct documentation are being processed by the DRAS team within 21 days after receipt. It is currently taking on average 16 days for an application to be paid once received by the DRAS team in Brisbane.
A number changes were announced to the scheme by the Premier earlier this month.
They were:
• The upper limit on subsidy payments has been raised from $30,000 to $40,000 in the third and subsequent years of a drought declaration on approval of the Local Drought Committee (LDC) and the Director-General of DPI&F. The standard ceiling will remain at $20,000, which can be raised with approval to $30,000 in the first two years of a drought declaration or to $40,000 thereafter;
• Producers will now be able to access both DRAS and QRAA Drought Carry On loans from the 2006/2007 financial year;
• Subsidy will be available for the transport of stock for restocking purposes if breeders are bought and placed on agistment while your shire or property is drought declared (allowing your property to remain destocked);
• Restocking credits will be recognised for stock sold out of feedlots;
• During the duration of the current, prolonged drought subsidies for the returning of stock forced from agistment to a droughted property can now occur more than once;
• Producers will now be able to replace older core breeding stock (including bulls at a ratio of 4 percent to breeders) with weaners and will no longer face a suspension period on all freight subsidies (however, no restocking subsidies will be paid on transport costs associated with the introduction of weaners onto drought declared properties for this purpose); and
• Fodder freight subsidies have been extended to include a drought feeding proportion for stud bulls (20 percent) in line with the subsidies available to commercial horse breeders. Previously production fed stud bulls were excluded from DRAS assistance.
“The Queensland Government realises these are extremely difficult times for primary producers and access to DRAS is just one way in which we are attempting to provide practical help,’’ Mr Mulherin said.
Media: 32396530
“The rate at which claims are being received has increased markedly due to the extended drought conditions and DPI&F has added staff to meet the processing demands,’’ Mr Mulherin said.
“Since January, 2002, up to December 22, 2006, more than 19,000 claims have been paid to the value of $34 million.
“DRAS provides freight subsidies to eligible primary producers. Subsidies are available for transport of fodder and water for livestock during drought and the transport of livestock returning from agistment and animals purchased for restocking in the recovery period.’’
All applications received with the correct documentation are being processed by the DRAS team within 21 days after receipt. It is currently taking on average 16 days for an application to be paid once received by the DRAS team in Brisbane.
A number changes were announced to the scheme by the Premier earlier this month.
They were:
• The upper limit on subsidy payments has been raised from $30,000 to $40,000 in the third and subsequent years of a drought declaration on approval of the Local Drought Committee (LDC) and the Director-General of DPI&F. The standard ceiling will remain at $20,000, which can be raised with approval to $30,000 in the first two years of a drought declaration or to $40,000 thereafter;
• Producers will now be able to access both DRAS and QRAA Drought Carry On loans from the 2006/2007 financial year;
• Subsidy will be available for the transport of stock for restocking purposes if breeders are bought and placed on agistment while your shire or property is drought declared (allowing your property to remain destocked);
• Restocking credits will be recognised for stock sold out of feedlots;
• During the duration of the current, prolonged drought subsidies for the returning of stock forced from agistment to a droughted property can now occur more than once;
• Producers will now be able to replace older core breeding stock (including bulls at a ratio of 4 percent to breeders) with weaners and will no longer face a suspension period on all freight subsidies (however, no restocking subsidies will be paid on transport costs associated with the introduction of weaners onto drought declared properties for this purpose); and
• Fodder freight subsidies have been extended to include a drought feeding proportion for stud bulls (20 percent) in line with the subsidies available to commercial horse breeders. Previously production fed stud bulls were excluded from DRAS assistance.
“The Queensland Government realises these are extremely difficult times for primary producers and access to DRAS is just one way in which we are attempting to provide practical help,’’ Mr Mulherin said.
Media: 32396530