Emergency Drought Relief Package – Drought Transport Subsidies

This program aims to provide a subsidy on the transport of fodder and/or water to a property, stock to/from agistment and stock to sale or slaughter. It forms part of the NSW Government's $500 million Emergency Drought Relief Package which seeks to help farmers manage the effects of the current drought.

A transport subsidy of up to 50% of the total freight cost is available to eligible primary producers on transport costs to a maximum dollar value of $7.50 per kilometre dependent on the vehicle type.

A total funding pool of $116 million is available.

There are three separate rounds for the transport subsidy program:
1. Round 1 (2018-19 financial year)
- For invoices dated 1 January 2018 to 30 June 2019.
- Up $40,000 are available per eligible farm business.
- Applications closed on 30 June 2019.
- Claims closed on 30 September 2019.

2. Round 2 (2019-20 financial year)
- For invoices dated 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020
- Up to $50,000 are available per eligible farm business.
- Applications closed on 30 June 2020.

3. Round 3 (2020-21 financial year)
- For invoices dated 1 July to 31 December 2020.
- Up to $25,000 are available per eligible farm business.
- Applications closed on 31 December 2020, subject to funds being available.
- Claims can only be paid until the closing date or earlier if available funds are exhausted.

Eligible applicants include primary producers who must demonstrate that:
- They are the owner and operator of a farm business in NSW.
- The business operates as a sole trader, partnership, trust or private company and trades agricultural products. The business is registered with the Australian Taxation Office as a primary producer, and have an Australian Business Number (ABN).
- The owners and operators of the business earn more than 50% of their gross income from the primary production enterprise under normal seasonal circumstances.
- The business is being negatively impacted by drought conditions.
- Are classified as a "new entrant", meaning they have been operating your farm business for between 12 months to three years and more than 50% of their gross income will be derived from the farm business within three years of the date of the application.
- The owners and operators of the business do not have gross off-farm assets exceeding $5 million (excluding funds in a registered superannuation fund).

Eligible costs include:
- Transporting of stock to agistment
- Returning stock from agistment
- Transport of stock to sale or slaughter
- Transport of fodder for stock to properties
- Transport of stock and domestic drinking water
- Transport of farm chemicals (from 1 July 2019)
- Transport of fertiliser (from 1 July 2019)
- Transport of seed (from 1 July 2019)
- Transport of purchased stock to the farm business (from 1 July 2020)