Funding to fight feral pests, deliver disaster relief and boost road safety has been welcomed by NSW Farmers, but more is still needed to secure a brighter future for the farming sector.
Last Tuesday the NSW Treasurer announced $2.8 billion in road safety funding had been committed for the state, alongside $9.3 million in funds to fight feral pigs and deer, and $4.2 billion for disaster relief and recovery programs. $45 million in funding was also awarded to support farmer adoption of digital technology and connectivity.
NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said while farmers acknowledged the funding and the state’s 140-million-dollar boost to biosecurity and agricultural innovation, more was still needed to secure a brighter future for farmers.
“Funding to fight pests and bolster our biosecurity is all welcome news – but we’re still waiting on the detail as to where this money is really going, and one-off payments won’t do the job,” Mr Martin said.
“Support for our communities to recover from successive disasters is positive as well, but without Category D disaster assistance, we’re not confident farmers can get back on their feet.
“Further funds also need to flow to fix our ruined local roads, boost our mobile connectivity and get our regional rail lines back on track, so we can stay safe and build back stronger into the future.”
Initiatives to boost the sustainability of NSW’s agricultural workforce additionally remained long overdue, Mr Martin said, with the state’s peak farm body calling on the Minns Government to step up on upskilling future farm communities.
“New funding for TAFE and the Growing Regions program is great, but we must reinstate the Office of Regional Youth, deliver funding for the AgSkilled program and waive stamp duty for first farm buyers under the age of 36 to ensure a stronger farming future,” Mr Martin said.