Some Small Relief At A Price

TODAY the state government announced a drought relief package for farmers in the form of a low interest loan of up to $20,000.

Niall Blair, state minister for Primary Industries said eligible farmers could use the loan to pay for freight costs for fodder, water, or to move stock to agistment.

“Farmers have told us they need this help and the NSW Government has heard them loud and clear,” Mr Blair said.

“This additional step in our drought strategy will allow farmers to better manage core breeding stock, which will in turn enable a more rapid recovery when conditions improve” he said.

However, John Preston Upper Hunter candidate for Shooters, Fishers and Farmers said the last thing farmers in drought need is more debt.

“If we want they next generation of Farmers to enter the industry, the only way they will accept the risk is knowing they have drought assistance in the form of subsidies, not loans for when natural disaster strikes,” said Mr Preston.

“If Michael Johnsen, Niall Blair and John Barilaro all want every corner of this State to be farmed by foreign interests and corporations, they are going the right way about it, they are the only organisations that can raise that kind of capital and accept the risk,” he said.

“That’s the death of the family farm and community,” he said.

“You do not hand the victim of natural disaster a credit card,” John Preston said.