The Andrews Labor Government is further supporting drought affected farmers with additional stock containment area grants.
Premier Daniel Andrews, Minister for Agriculture Jaala Pulford and Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Lisa Neville visited a farm at Wonwondah to inspect a stock containment area successfully installed under the Government’s $27 million drought support fund.
Stock containment areas enable farmers to fence off a designated area of the farm to hold, feed and water livestock in tough conditions such as drought and bushfire.
Thanks to an additional $620,500, drought affected farmers in the Wimmera, Mallee, North Central, Goulburn Broken and parts of the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority (CMA) regions can access further grants to establish stock containment areas to help them manage their livestock.
This additional funding has been allocated from the Drought Support Fund to enable a second round of this very popular grant program, bringing the total investment in stock containment areas to $1.22 million.
Grants of up to $2000 per stock containment area are available to assist farmers implement this valuable drought management tool, delivering a range of benefits including good livestock management, minimising soil erosion, enabling faster pasture recovery, as well as limiting the spread of weeds.
Farmers can apply for a maximum of three stock containment areas per farm business to the total value of $6,000, subject to meeting the eligibility criteria. Successful applicants from the first round of funding can apply for a second or third stock containment area.
Applications for round two opened on 21 March and will close on 14 May, 2016.
Advice, assessment and prioritisation of suitable sites for stock containment areas will be provided by Agriculture Victoria through the Drought Extension Program.
Program guidelines, including eligibility criteria, are available at .
Quotes attributable to the Premier Daniel Andrews
“We will give rural communities the support they need to help them get through these tough times.”
“Farmers told us how much they valued programs that help them to better manage and care for their livestock - and these additional stock containment area grants will go a long way in doing that.”
Quotes attributable to Jaala Pulford Minister for Agriculture
“Through our consultations on the Drought Support Fund, farmers told us loud and clear that they valued the package of support for stock containment areas. We’ve listened and are extending this crucial program.”
Quotes attributable to Lisa Neville Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water
“In addition to on-farm benefits, stock containment areas support the local environment by reducing soil erosion and the spread of weeds, ensuring that our farms can better recover from drought for future years.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020