McGauran speeds up drought assistance for WA farmers

A decision by Federal Agricultural Minister Peter McGauran to expedite exceptional circumstances funding for drought affected farmers in the wheatbelt has been welcomed by State Agriculture Minister Kim Chance and WAFarmers President Trevor De Landgrafft.

Mr McGauran, who received the application for EC funding from the Western Australian Government in late September, came to the decision after visting drought-stricken Morowa yesterday.

Mr Chance said in an announcement that applications for assistance would open on Monday, October 15 and would be administered through the Department of Agriculture and Food.

The full text of Mr Chance's announcement is pasted below

Agriculture Minister Kim Chance has welcomed the Federal Government's decision to approve Exceptional Circumstances (EC) assistance for farmers in Western Australia's northern and eastern Wheatbelt.

Mr Chance said the new EC declaration included all or parts of the shires of Northampton, Chapman Valley, Mullewa, Greenough, Irwin, Carnamah, Mingenew, Morawa, Three Springs, Perenjori, Coorow, Dalwallinu, Wyalkatchem, Moora, Wongan-Ballidu, Koorda, Mt Marshall, Mukinbudin, Dowerin, Trayning, Nungarin, Westonia, Kellerberrin, Merredin and Yilgarn.

"I am very pleased that the Federal Government has expedited the assessment process and made immediate assistance available for up to 3,000 producers," he said.

"Many of the producers in the declared shires had failed crops in both 2006 and 2007, which had a severe effect on their farm income.

"The EC declaration will now enable them to access interest rate subsidies and a range of other support services."

The Minister said applications for assistance would open on Monday, October 15 and would be administered through the Department of Agriculture and Food.

Information on eligible areas and the process for applying for EC assistance will be available on the department's website by the end of next week.

The full text of Mr De Landgrafft's announcement is pasted below

WAFarmers President, Trevor De Landgrafft, has commended the Federal Government for its speediness in considering and accepting the application to extend the Exceptional Circumstances (EC) declared area in Western Australia.

"Some of our farmers and rural communities are doing it extremely tough throughout this prolonged drought period and this has now been more widely recognised," Mr De Landgrafft said.

The announcement came as Federal Agricultural Minister, Peter McGauran, toured Morawa and Perenjori Shires this week at the request of WAFarmers.

"WAFarmers was pleased Mr McGauran accepted our invitation to meet farmers and community representatives to seek long term solutions and realise the seriousness of the situation," Mr De Landgrafft said.

"Last weeks announcement to relax application criteria for EC funding was a positive move, although at the time, meant little to a large proportion of WA farmers suffering from drought as they were not in a EC declared area. This has now changed."

Shires, in whole or part, now included in the EC declared are Northampton, Chapman Valley, Mullewa, Greenough, Irwin, Carnamah, Mingenew, Morawa, Three Springs, Perenjori, Coorow, Dalwallinu, Wyalkatchem, Moora, Wongan-Ballidu, Koorda, Mt Marshall, Mukinbudin, Dowerin, Trayning, Nungarin, Westonia, Kellerberrin, Merredin and Yilgarn.

In addition to extending the declared EC area, Minister McGauran also spoke with farmers and industry representatives on possible long term solutions to maintain sustainable agriculture in marginal agricultural areas.

WAFarmers would also like to commend WA Minister of Agriculture and Food, Kim Chance and his Department, for their efforts in submitting the EC application.