The NSW Government has committed an additional $2 million under the cattle underpass scheme to help dairy farmers and their cattle cross busy roads safely.
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said the State Government decided to prolong the scheme after receiving encouraging feedback from dairy farmers following the first round.
“Our Government understands the importance of our $647 million dairy industry to the state’s economy. That’s why we’re further investing in this scheme to help dairy farmers protect their cattle and protect their livelihood,” Minister Farraway stated.
Minister Farraway added that the additional funding adds to the prior $3 million the State Government pledged during the 2015 election, which supported over seven projects, including underpasses and warning lights, and which was all successfully completed.
According to Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW Dugald Saunders, the latest round requires dairy producers to contribute to the construction costs of an underpass.
“We know that dairy farmers in NSW have it tough over the last few years, with drought and flood posing significant challenges,” Minister Saunders said.
Minister Saunders explained that as a result, the State Government revised the guidelines so dairy producers in any disaster declared LGA since 2019 will be eligible for up to 70 per cent of relevant expenses.
“Underpasses increase productivity and make life much easier for our cattle farmers, so I’m thrilled to see this latest round of funding announced,” Minister Saunders added.
Grants are now available to cover 50 per cent of the cost of an underpass, up to a maximum of $100,000 plus GST (formerly $70,000), and 50 per cent of the cost of signage and flashing lights, up to a maximum of $20,000 plus GST (previously $10,000.)
eastAUSmilk Co-CEO Shaughn Morgan said the industry would welcome the news.
“There is no doubt that dairy farmers have been some of the worst affected by the floods we’ve seen over the past year, and we still have a long road to recovery ahead of us,” Morgan stated.
Morgan added, “It’s positive to see ongoing support from the NSW Government; announcements like these remind us that we are not alone in this recovery process.”
NSW Dairy Industry Action Plan Chair Rob Cooper expressed his delight at the Government’s increased support for the program to assist dairy farmers impacted by road crossings near their farms.
“Many dairy farmers across the state need to move stock across roads every day to get to milking facilities – not only do cattle underpasses save them time, they also reduce the risk of any accidents and provide more safety to our farmers,” Cooper said.
