Recent widespread rainfall in Western Australia has caused damage to agricultural businesses across the regions.

The Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) is working with local government and other government departments to provide support to affected landholders.

DAFWA has an Incident Response team in place and are assessing and reporting on flood, fencing, infrastructure and erosion damage to farming properties across the affected area.

For information, assistance or to report impacts of the recent rainfall and flooding, producers can contact DAFWA’s Hotline on +61 (0)8 9690 2022 (8am – 5pm Monday to Friday) or email flood_recovery@agric.wa.gov.au

The Flooding in Western Australia (January and February 2017) has been proclaimed an eligible disaster under the WA Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (WANDRRA), jointly funded by the State and Federal Governments.

The proclamation currently covers a total of 75 local government areas, from the Kimberley to the South Coast, enabling people to apply for financial assistance under the joint State and Commonwealth disaster arrangements.

Under WANDRRA funds are available for:

• reimbursement of up to 50 per cent for freight costs associated with transporting livestock, fodder or building or fencing equipment or machinery.
• reimbursement for costs of materials only to repair or replace boundary fencing damaged or lost where it adjoins a major road or rail corridor and where the roaming livestock may present a danger to the travelling public.
• grants of up to $1500 to provide professional advice related to the disaster, such as financial, agronomic and animal husbandry issues.
• interest rate subsidy on a new loan of up to $150 000 to repair or replace assets lost or damaged or to replace livestock lost in the disaster.

For primary producer WANDRRA enquiries, contact DAFWA’s Rural Business Development Unit on 1800 198 231. WANDRRA applications for primary producers must be lodged before 13 August 2017.

Through DAFWA’s engagement with growers in affected areas, it has been found that rill, sheet and gully erosion has occurred on many properties throughout the impacted area.

DAFWA staff are providing support to affected landholders by capturing information through targeted telephone/email surveys. The surveys will contribute to an analysis of the situation to provide the necessary information to landholders. DAFWA staff experienced in land management issues are available by phone to provide general information on managing erosion.

Landholders with land erosion issues on their property can call DAFWA’s Hotline on +61 (0)8 9690 2022 or email flood_recovery@agric.wa.gov.au to report their issues and request a DAFWA staff member to contact them.

More information on flood recovery measures and support is available on the department website.