Community
11 July, 2025
Support package for farmers
FARMING families across the western district may be eligible for a 40 per cent reduction on their property rates.
As part of the recently-announced Primary Producer Support Payment scheme, these payments will provide much-needed cash flow relief for farmers in 12 local government areas in south west Victoria, including Warrnambool, Moyne and Corangamite.
According to a statement issued last week by the state government, an additional $75 million has been allocated “to help farmers through the drought” and to make sure their voices shape the support they need to get through tough times.
The Drought Response Taskforce acknowledged that farming families were currently facing difficult times, which was impacting livelihoods, households and local communities.
“We’re also supporting the Country Women’s Association (CWA) with $2 million in support, to deliver household payments of up to $1,000 to struggling families in these local government areas,” the statement read.
“We’re also reducing the costs of doing businesses for our primary producers, with a $6.3 million fee and duty relief package.
“This will free up cash for farmers to spend on other parts of their business or put into the household budget.”
It was also noted that Agriculture Victoria would work with the livestock biosecurity compensation fund advisory committees, Dairy Food Safety Victoria and PrimeSafe to explore opportunities to waive biosecurity duties and regulatory fees and charges.
On top of this, Agriculture Victoria will waive indexation on its 2025-26 biosecurity fees and charges and provide targeted fee relief to assist farmers experiencing cash flow challenges.
“Having a reliable source of water is critical for our farmers; it underpins their ability to grow food, support livestock, and sustain rural communities now and into the future,” the statement continued.
“That’s why the government will invest $15 million towards extending the East Grampians Rural Pipeline, also known as the Mininera Rural Pipeline.
“This pipeline expansion will increase access to reliable and high-quality water from Lake Fyans to 750 additional rural properties, 10 local towns, 34 fire hydrants, and 66 tanks for firefighting in the Ararat Rural City, Northern Grampians, and Pyrenees Shire.”
A further $2.5 million has also been allocated to leverage existing groundwater bores to access water for domestic and stock usage in drought affected areas.
To view the full range of financial, technical and wellbeing support available to drought impacted farmers visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or phone 136 186.
