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Drought Reform Pilot 2011-12
The Western Australian Government, in partnership with the Australian Government, is conducting a pilot of drought reform measures in parts of Western Australia.
This pilot will conclude on 30 June 2012. Building Farm Business Grants will continue until 30 June 2014 for existing recipients.
Please note: - The closing date for receipt of Building Farm Business Grant application forms (Form C), together with the strategic plan has been extended to 15 June 2012. Completed and signed grant agreements must be received by 30 June 2012. No late application forms or grant agreements can be accepted.
The DAFWA Plan, Prepare and Prosper Workshops will continue into 2012/13 as a standalone program. There will be no business grants available on completion of the workshops. To register your interest please call: 1800 198 231 (WA Freecall)
Drought pilot region
Click here for a list of local government areas in the pilot region.
- Overarching Factsheet
- Overarching Frequently Asked Questions
- Map of Drought Pilot Applicants
- PowerPoint Presentation To AAAC
- Information relating to uptake and expenditure to 31 March 2012
Contacts
Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry:
Visit: Website
Email: Drought Pilot
Drought Assistance Hotline: 13 23 16
For Farm Planning enquiries: 1800 198 231 (WA Freecall)
For grant enquiries: 1800 198 231 (WA Freecall) or email wapilot@agric.wa.gov.au
Changes to Drought Assistance by the Australian Government
27 April 2012 - The Australian Government announced some important changes to drought assistance. From 1 July 2012, there will be no interest rate subsidies available in an Exceptional Circumstances declaration. Read the media release on Australia to be drought free.
27 April 2012 - Read the response of the Western Australian Government to this announcement.
If there are any further questions on these changes see http://www.daff.gov.au/agriculture-food/drought/assistance/business-support or call the Drought Assistance Hotline: 13 23 16
Testimonies
- Bowman Family Case Study
- McWhirter-Brooks Family Case Study
- Tonkin Family Case Study
- Walker Family Case Study
ABC Rural website: Dairy industry taking advantage of Farm Planning
Workshops
Now closed.
Contacts
Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry:
Visit: Website
Email: Drought Pilot
Drought Assistance Hotline: 13 23 16
For Farm Planning enquiries: 1800 198 231 (WA Freecall)
For grant enquiries: 1800 198 231 (WA Freecall) or email wapilot@agric.wa.gov.au
Now closed.
Contacts
Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry:
Visit: Website
Email: Drought Pilot
Drought Assistance Hotline: 13 23 16
For Farm Planning enquiries: 1800 198 231 (WA Freecall)
For grant enquiries: 1800 198 231 (WA Freecall) or email wapilot@agric.wa.gov.au
Farm Social Support
Support for a better coordinated social support network through Centrelink to meet the mental health, counselling and other social needs of farming families and rural communities.
Farm Family Support
Income support from Centrelink for farmers facing financial hardship, allowing them to meet basic household expenses.
Contacts
Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry:
Visit: Website
Email: Drought Pilot
Drought Assistance Hotline: 13 23 16
For Farm Planning enquiries: 1800 198 231 (WA Freecall)
For grant enquiries: 1800 198 231 (WA Freecall) or email wapilot@agric.wa.gov.au
Under the Western Australian Drought Pilot of drought reform measures the Australian Government provided $1.44 million for the 2011 - 12 Farm Exit Support program to provide grants to farmers who had exchanged contracts and settled the sale of their properties and left farming.
The Farm Exit Support program is one of the measures tested as part of the Western Australian Pilot of drought reform measures which concludes on 30 June 2012.
Funding for the Pilot’s Farm Exit Support program is fully subscribed and now closed to new applications.
Contacts
Australian Government Department of Human Services on telephone 13 2316, or on the Internet at http://www.daff.gov.au/agriculture-food/drought/drought-pilot/farm-exit-support
Beyond Farming puts current farmers in touch with former farmers to talk about opportunities outside of farming. It enables them to talk to someone who has been in the same position about the options for themselves and their families if selling the farm business or retiring.
Contacts
Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry:
Visit: Website
Email: Drought Pilot
Drought Assistance Hotline: 13 23 16
For Farm Planning enquiries: 1800 198 231 (WA Freecall)
For grant enquiries: 1800 198 231 (WA Freecall) or email wapilot@agric.wa.gov.au
Stronger Rural Communities Program
The Stronger Rural Communities program forms part of the Pilot of Drought Reform Measures in WA and covers three broad initiatives:
- The WA Farm Training Scheme
- Professional Support for Non Farm Regional Small Businesses Grants Scheme (this scheme is now fully subscribed for 2011/12) and
- The Recognition of Prior Learning or Skills Passport Project
The pilot of drought reform measures currently being delivered in Western Australia include a ‘Farm Planning’ series of workshops in which farmers develop a strategic plan for their farm business and a ‘Building Farm Businesses’ grant component that assists farmers to co-fund and implement the activities identified in their strategic plans.
The ‘WA Farm Training Scheme’ complements and supports these components of strategic planning. In essence the ‘WA Farm Training Scheme’ will ‘drill down’ and provide further in-depth training on certain targeted aspects of farm management including:
- Human Resource Development
- Occupational Health and Safety
- Succession Planning
- Financial Management
- Commodity Selling and Marketing and
- Other Training for which there is a clearly demonstrated need.
The ‘Professional Support for Non Farm Regional Small Businesses Grants Scheme’ objective is to help cover the cost of professional services to:
- Increase resilience of non-farm regional small businesses;
- Enhance their capacity to withstand the impact of future dry seasons; and
- To build stronger rural communities
The ‘Recognition of Prior Learning or Skills Passport Project’ is a trial program which will provide farmers and rural communities with the opportunity to gain formal, marketable qualifications to assist with the transition to an alternative career or to gain supplementary employment.
Further information on these ‘Stronger Rural Communities’ initiatives may be found in the following documents:
- Stronger Rural Communities Fact Sheet
- Stronger Rural Communities Frequently Asked Questions
- WA Farm Training Scheme – Training Concept and Guidelines
- Professional Help for Non Farm Regional Small Businesses – 2011 Small Business Grants Scheme Information (SBDC)
- Farm Training Course Register
- Recognition of Prior Learning Fact Sheet for Candidates
- Recognition of Prior Learning Fact Sheet for Stakeholders
Contacts
Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry:
Visit: Website
Email: Drought Pilot
Drought Assistance Hotline: 13 23 16
For Farm Planning enquiries: 1800 198 231 (WA Freecall)
For grant enquiries: 1800 198 231 (WA Freecall) or email wapilot@agric.wa.gov.au
Forms
Stronger Rural Communities Initiatives
- WA Farm Training Scheme – Training Concept and Guidelines
-
WA Farm Training Scheme – Training Proposal and Course Registration Form
- Professional Help for Non Farm Regional Small Businesses – 2011 Small Business Grants Scheme Information (SBDC)
- Professional Help for Non Farm Regional Small Businesses – 2011 Small Business Grants Scheme Needs Assessment Form (SBDC)
- Recognition of Prior Learning Registration Form
Contacts
Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry:
Visit: Website
Email: Drought Pilot
Drought Assistance Hotline: 13 23 16
For Farm Planning enquiries: 1800 198 231 (WA Freecall)
For grant enquiries: 1800 198 231 (WA Freecall) or email wapilot@agric.wa.gov.au