ADF President Ben Bennett lauded the NSW Government’s leadership in securing this “long-overdue support,” emphasizing its vital importance for the region’s dairy farmers and broader agricultural sector. While acknowledging that the $75,000 might fall “well short of the actual impact” of the floods, eastAUSmilk Vice-President Tim Bale echoed appreciation for the contribution. He underscored the severe and protracted consequences of such climate events on crucial aspects of dairy farming, including herd health, milk production, and pasture integrity.

The newly approved grants are designed to provide comprehensive assistance for a range of recovery operations. Farmers can utilize these funds for essential clean-up efforts, purchasing emergency feed for livestock, undertaking vital infrastructure repairs, safely disposing of dead animals, and rebuilding damaged assets. Applications for this critical financial aid are now being processed through the NSW Rural Assistance Authority, aiming to streamline the recovery process for hard-hit dairy producers.

NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin also highlighted that this additional funding was overdue for farmers who have endured not just one, but multiple flood and storm events. The repeated nature of these climate disasters has taken a severe toll on the resilience of Australian dairy farms, making sustained and robust government support indispensable for their survival and recovery. This emphasizes the growing need for proactive disaster management policies within the agribusiness sector.