Resilience grants helping ACT rural landholders


Released 30/04/2020

ACT rural landholders are being supported to build resilience to dry conditions and a changing climate.

Minister for the Environment Mick Gentleman said the ACT's agriculture sector had recently faced a range of challenges including a long dry period, the Orroral Valley Fire and now COVID 19.

"We are supporting local farmers to make it through these hard times and adapt their properties to be more resilient to climate change over the longer term," Minister Gentleman said.

"Seventeen projects includingconstruction of stock fodder storage facilities and improvements to stock water supply were successful under the 2019-20 ACT Rural Resilience Grants round to a total of $150,000.

"2019 was the warmest and driest year on record, with mean temperature amongst the highest on record for the

ACT. Several our landholders have also been impacted by the fires and localised flooding. While recent rain is welcome, farmers will continue to deal with the impacts of the changing climate.

"The ACT Government's ACT Rural Resilience Grants is in its second year and supports landholders to install infrastructure to enable them to hold onto their stock longer and protect their resource base during extended dry periods."

Under the ACT Rural Resilience Grants (Round 2) ACT landholders have been supported to:

  • install water tanks on six farms to capture water for stock
  • construct or repair four stock water dams
  • install water pipes, pumps and troughs to extend the reach of stock water supplies across five farms, enabling farmers to utilise more of their pastures during dry periods
  • install bores to pump water for stock on two farms
  • construct farm fencing to exclude stock from sensitive areas on two farms
  • construct a feed lot facility on one farm to remove pressure on pastures during extended dry periods
  • undertake weed control on a farm with pastures based on natural temperate grasslands.

Further information is available at: www.environment.act.gov.au/act-nrm/grants-and-support-packages/act-farmers-support-package

- Statement ends -

Mick Gentleman, MLA | Media Releases


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