Drought Relief Assistance Scheme (DRAS)

This program aims to help primary producers in the livestock industry who are in drought-declared areas or who have individually droughted property (IDP) declarations.

The scheme provides five assistance measures:
1. Drought-declared properties may be eligible for:
- Freight subsidies for transporting fodder
- Freight subsidies for transporting water
- The EWIR (Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate), which provides a rebate on the purchase and installation of water infrastructure purchased for animal welfare needs. (EWIR addresses immediate animal welfare needs, helps improve properties to be more drought resilient, and generally lifts productivity by providing water supply to areas where pasture was less than fully utilised.)

2. Properties that have had their drought declaration revoked may be eligible for:
- Freight subsidies for transporting livestock returning from agistment
- Freight subsidies for transporting livestock purchased for restocking

Eligible applicants may receive up to 100% of the freight costs for breeding stock returning from agistment and up to 75% of freight costs for animals purchased for restocking, for up to two years after the date of revocation.

The maximum level of financial assistance available under DRAS is initially $20,000 per property per financial year. They can apply to extend the limit up to $50,000 depending on the length of time their property has been in drought. To do this, they will need to prepare a drought management plan (DMP) for their property and have it endorsed by a DAF officer. Once their DMP is endorsed, the applicable ceiling applies to the entire current financial year and later financial years.

Applications must be made within six months of the date of the relevant activity (movement of fodder and/or water, returning of stock from agistment, restocking, and/or purchase of emergency water infrastructure).

A total funding pool of $52.1 million (estimated) is available over the next four years.

Eligible applicants include farm families, farm businesses and farm communities whose property is drought declared.

A property can become drought declared by either obtaining an IDP declaration or by being located in a shire or area which has been drought declared by the State.

Please refer to the individual Guidelines for the specific eligibility requirements of each type of assistance.

Please refer to the individual Guidelines for the specific eligible/ineligible activities of each type of assistance.