Category C assistance welcomed

Peak Queensland horticulture body Growcom today welcomed the announcement by the Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Federal Member for Capricornia, Michelle Landry and Federal Member for Flynn, Ken O’Dowd that fruit and vegetable growers in a number of shires will be able to apply for disaster recovery funding (Category C), following the damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Marcia last month.

Chief Executive Officer Alex Livingstone said eligible growers in the local government areas (LGAs) of Livingstone and Rockhampton and defined areas within the LGAs of Banana and North Burnett could now access grants of up to $25 000 to assist with clean-up and recovery costs.

“In addition, Category B assistance under the Standard Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) is also available for eligible growers in these shires.”

Category B assistance provides freight subsidies of up to $5000 per property for the movement of materials to assist in recovery such as building materials, fuel and water and emergency fodder. These freight subsides are available through the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF).

Eligible primary producers can also access concessional loans from the Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority (QRAA) of up to $250 000 at an interest rate of 1.92 per cent. These can be used to cover costs such as:

• repairing or replacing damaged plant and equipment
• repairing or replacing buildings
• purchasing livestock to replace those lost in the disaster event
• meeting carry-on requirements including:
- re-planting, restoring or re-establishing areas affected by the disaster event
- sustenance
- essential property operations
- paying rent and rates.

Mr Livingstone said Growcom was pleased that assistance is being provided through the jointly-funded Commonwealth-State Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery arrangements after recent visits by Queensland Agriculture Minister Bill Byrne.

However, he said that Growcom was aware of producers outside the defined areas who had suffered similar farm damage from the cyclone to other growers and yet did not qualify for available assistance.

“In this day and age, we should be able to use technology to assess individual hot spots produced by the weather event and provide assistance.”

Mr Livingstone said that wage subsidies were now also urgently needed to pay farm labour in the face of weeks ahead of storm clean-up without farm income.

Mr Livingstone is a member of the Agriculture Co-Ordination Group which has already met with government numerous times to discuss crop assessments after the cyclone.

Growers are advised to contact QRAA to test their eligibility for grants by ringing 1800 623 946 or online at www.qraa.qld.gov.au

An up-to-date list of assistance available to horticulture growers is on the Growcom website www.growcom.com.au/disaster-recovery