Further support has been made available to wine and apple growers, impacted by smoke taint as a result of the recent devastating fire season.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The $36 million in grants funding will help impacted producers to cover costs including salaries, rent, wages, utilities, equipment, fuel, developing the business, building resiliency and/or financial advice.
Minister for Decentralisation and Regional Education, Andrew Gee, said, "country Australians will be dealing with the aftermath of the bushfires, drought and COVID-19 for a long time to come and we're here to help them rebuild".
"It's been a tough year for our country communities, with the impacts of drought, bushfires and COVID-19 hitting primary producers hard - wine grape and apple growers were no exception," Minister Gee said.
"The impacts of the bushfires have been devastating, with approximately 60,000 tonnes of the wine grape harvest lost due to smoke taint, and approximately 170.5 hectares of apple orchards needing to be replaced.
READ ALSO:
- Local history: Old Mudgee hotels part-one, these are now 'pubs with no beer'
- CWA Mudgee Evening thrilled with $1,500 grant for defibrillator
- Man charged with intimidation via phone, messaging has 'no insight into behaviour'
- Operational Plan passed by Council albeit with debate on timing, rating categories
"Wine grape and apple producers are vital to regional prosperity, investment and economic growth.
"In the Central-West, our acclaimed wine producers attract wine enthusiasts from across the globe - putting tourism dollars back into our local community and creating jobs. Not every grape producer or orchardist will require this funding but it's good to know it is there if it is needed.
"That's why the Australian Government is committed to helping our primary producers by providing targeted relief to the sectors."
The additional bushfire relief initiatives include; a $5 million fund for grants up to $10,000 for wine grape producers who experienced crop loss because of smoke taint from the Black Summer bushfires in wine regions that aren't currently activated for the $75,000 primary producer grants. And a $31 million fund for grants of $120,000 per hectare for bushfire impacted apple growers.
To access support and to find further details, visit the National Bushfire Recovery Agency website at bushfirerecovery.gov.au
This funding is separate to similar support announced by the state government recently.