News

NSW primary producers can now access funding to help them recover from by East Coast severe weather and flooding in May and damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

The NSW and Federal Governments yesterday announced that the support will be made available under the joint Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

This disaster relief will provide farmers in 28 affected local government areas with grants of up to $25,000 to support cleanup, repairs and immediate business recovery.

Weeks of saturation have limited orchard access, delayed harvest, and in recent events, washed away crop and damaged orchard floors and infrastructure.

The AMS urgently encourages NSW Mid North Coast growers impacted by the extreme and prolonged wet weather to complete the Primary Industries Natural Disaster Damage Assessment. 

If you’re in the Northern Rivers and previously lodged a declaration following Alfred, please update your assessment to reflect any additional damage or losses - this ensures an accurate picture of the event’s total cost. If you’re yet to lodge an assessment, there’s still time.

The AMS and NSW DPIRD teams can assist growers to complete their assessment.

Fill out the assessment here. 

Support includes:

• Grants of up to $25,000 for eligible small businesses (with fewer than 20 employees) and non-profit organisations to help clean up and restore their business.
• Grants of up to $25,000 for eligible primary producers directly impacted by flooding to help with clean-up and getting their operations back on track.
• Grants of up to $10,000 for eligible rural landholders to assist with clean-up, repairs and recovery work, including fixing damaged fences, infrastructure or equipment affected by East Coast severe weather and flooding.
• A $5 million program to clear drainage on private land following Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

More information, including how to access this disaster assistance, will be made available on this NSW Government webpage in the coming days. 

Recovery grants will be available for primary producers in the local government areas of Armidale, Ballina, Bellingen, Byron, Central Coast, Cessnock, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Glen Innes Severn, Kempsey, Kyogle, Lake Macquarie, Lismore, Lord Howe Island, Maitland, MidCoast, Muswellbrook, Nambucca, Newcastle, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Port Stephens, Richmond Valley, Singleton, Tenterfield, Tweed, Upper Hunter and Walcha.