Australian Government, 2007–08 Budget

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Adelaide Showground redevelopment — contribution

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - - - -

The Government will provide $35.0 million in 2006-07 as a one-off grant to the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia to replace Centennial Hall at the Adelaide Showground. The hall has not been used for public events since 2005 due to safety concerns. The replacement of the hall is part of a broader $180 million redevelopment of the Adelaide Showground. The new hall will be used for events, trade shows and exhibitions.

Further information can be found in the press release of 2 May 2007 issued by the Minister for Finance and Administration.

Agriculture — Advancing Australia — Advancing Agricultural Industries

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 5.0 10.0 10.0 10.0

The Government will provide $35.0 million over four years to extend activities under the Advancing Agricultural Industries programme, formerly the Industry Partnerships programme, to allow more industries facing structural change to access government assistance. This initiative will involve industry and government working together in the rural sector to identify and manage emerging risks and to share information on future challenges, market opportunities, training and leadership needs.

Agriculture — Advancing Australia — FarmBis

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry -2.0 9.5 9.3 9.4

The Government will provide $26.3 million over four years (including savings of $2.0 million in 2007-08) to continue the Farm Business Management programme (FarmBis). The programme helps primary producers manage risks and make productive and profitable changes to their farm businesses. FarmBis provides subsidies for eligible primary producers to obtain training in areas such as business and leadership skills, marketing and natural resource management.

FarmBis will move from a state-based to a nationally-based delivery model to improve the consistency of training delivered, with an initial saving in 2007-08.

Agriculture — Advancing Australia — FarmHelp

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 20.9 24.8 24.2 22.5

The Government will provide $92.3 million over four years to continue the FarmHelp programme. The programme assists eligible primary producers experiencing financial hardship by providing income support for up to one year, financial assistance to obtain professional advice and training, and re-establishment grants. The measure includes additional funding for professional advice and training, and higher re-establishment grants to assist unviable farmers exit the industry.

This funding includes $10.9 million over four years for Centrelink to administer elements of the FarmHelp programme.

Agriculture — Advancing Australia — International Agricultural Cooperation

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 0.5 2.3 2.4 2.4

The Government will provide $7.7 million over four years to continue the International Agricultural Cooperation programme. This funding will promote rural exports by building upon existing activities, including the development of international investment linkages and the exchange of trade missions with key developing country trading partners. It will also support the implementation of new bilateral frameworks to facilitate contact with potential international customers, and enhance the provision of technical assistance to key trading partners.

Agriculture — Advancing Australia — Rural Financial Counselling Service

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 0.2 14.3 14.6 14.9

The Government will provide $44.1 million over four years to continue the Rural Financial Counselling Service Programme. Rural financial counsellors provide an information and referral service to farm families who are in financial difficulty and help them make better decisions about their future business directions.

Australian Wool Innovation

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - - - -

The Government will provide $15.0 million in 2006-07 to Australian Wool Innovation Limited to purchase key wool assets from Australian Wool Services Limited, including The Woolmark Company, wool product technologies and a range of wool marketing and development businesses. By ensuring that the Woolmark logo remains Australian owned, the funding will help Australia’s wool industry focus on improving its competitive position in the international arena. It will help provide a sustainable footing for the future of wool promotion and marketing.

Further information can be found in the press release of 18 April 2007 issued by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Drought assistance — Exceptional Circumstances assistance for primary producers

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 100.0 87.1 - -
Department of Education, Science and Training 2.9 2.2 - -
Department of Health and Ageing 0.7 0.6 - -
Total 103.6 90.0 .. -

The Government will provide $229.3 million over three years (including $35.7 million in 2006-07) to continue support for primary producers in regions that have been declared eligible for Exceptional Circumstances assistance. This assistance takes overall expected Exceptional Circumstances assistance for primary producers to $631.6 million in 2007-08 and 2008-09.

Exceptional Circumstances assistance comprises interest rate subsidies and income support to assist viable farm businesses and farm families who have been adversely affected by exceptional climatic events, such as drought. Eligible recipients are also provided with a health care concession card and access to Youth Allowance for their children.

Drought assistance — Exceptional Circumstances assistance for small businesses

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 16.2 13.5 - -
Department of Education, Science and Training 0.7 0.5 - -
Department of Health and Ageing 0.2 0.2 - -
Total 17.0 14.2 - -

The Government will provide $37.4 million over three years (including $6.1 million in 2006-07) to continue support for farm-dependent small businesses deriving at least 70 per cent of their income from farmers in regions that have been declared eligible for Exceptional Circumstances assistance. This assistance takes overall expected Exceptional Circumstances assistance for small businesses to $147.5 million in 2007-08 and 2008-09.

The small business assistance comprises interest rate subsidies and income support to assist viable farm‑dependent businesses and dependent families who are adversely affected by the prolonged drought. Eligible recipients will also be provided with a health care concession card and access to Youth Allowance for their children. This assistance has also been extended from businesses with up to 20 employees to those farm‑dependent businesses with up to 100 employees.

Further information can be found in the press releases of 26 February 2007 issued by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Drought assistance — interim income support for primary producers

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 11.1 - - -

The Government will provide $43.3 million over two years (including $32.2 million in 2006-07) to support primary producers in regions that have been declared eligible for interim income support.

Once a fully completed application for a region is received by the Australian Government and deemed to show a prima facie case for an Exceptional Circumstances declaration, interim income support is made available to eligible primary producers on conditions equivalent to the Exceptional Circumstances Relief Payment.

Access to interim income support is available for up to six months while the Exceptional Circumstances application is assessed by the National Rural Advisory Council. Should the Government declare Exceptional Circumstances in that region, interim income support ceases and standard Exceptional Circumstances assistance arrangements commence.

Drought assistance — interim income support for small businesses

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 1.7 - - -

The Government will provide $4.5 million over two years (including $2.9 million in 2006-07) to support farm‑dependent small businesses deriving at least 70 per cent of their income from farmers in regions that have been declared eligible for interim income support.

Once a fully completed application for a region is received by the Australian Government and deemed to show a prima facie case for an Exceptional Circumstances declaration, interim income support is made available to eligible small businesses on conditions equivalent to the Exceptional Circumstances Relief Payment.

Access to interim income support is available for up to six months while the Exceptional Circumstances application is assessed by the National Rural Advisory Council. Should the Government declare Exceptional Circumstances in that region, interim income support ceases and standard Exceptional Circumstances assistance arrangements commence.

Global Integration — Food Innovation Grants — extension

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 13.1 13.4 13.7 14.0

The Government will provide $54.2 million over four years to continue the Food Innovation Grants programme. The programme provides matching grants to eligible Australian food businesses to undertake and commercialise research and development that improves their competitiveness and performance. The Food Innovation Grants programme was established in July 2002 as part of the National Food Industry Strategy.

See also the related expense measures titled Global Integration in the Industry, Tourism and Resources, and Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolios, and the related revenue measure Global Integration – extension of the premium 175 per cent research and development tax concession to subsidiaries of multinational enterprises in the Treasury portfolio.

Further information can be found in the statement of 1 May 2007 issued by the Prime Minister and the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources.

Import risk analysis — improving quarantine processes

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Biosecurity Australia 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.8
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 0.6 0.5 0.3 0.3
Total 3.2 3.2 3.1 3.2

The Government will provide $12.7 million over four years to implement an improved import risk analysis process to support Australia’s quarantine interests. The new process will facilitate greater public and scientific scrutiny, improve transparency and introduce regulated timeframes for the assessment of import requests.

Under the improved arrangements, the role of the Eminent Scientists Group will be strengthened to ensure new and possibly conflicting scientific evidence is given adequate consideration when reviewing the conclusions of draft import risk analysis reports.

Further information can be found in the press release of 18 October 2006 issued by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Murray-Darling Basin — Additional Rural Financial Counsellors

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 1.0 - - -

The Government will provide $1.0 million in 2007-08 to enhance the Rural Financial Counselling Service programme, which assists rural communities to employ financial counsellors. This funding is to employ five additional counsellors, who will provide farmers with increased access to financial counselling services in those areas reliant on irrigation in the Murray-Darling Basin.

See also the related expense measures titled Murray-Darling Basin in the Human Services portfolio.

National Food Industry Strategy — Australian Food Industry Council

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 1.1 0.9 1.0 1.0

The Government will provide $4.0 million over four years to continue to fund the Australian Food Industry Council.

The Australian Food Industry Council (previously the National Food Industry Council) is an industry-government forum that advises the food industry and the Government on impediments and opportunities for growth. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry will provide the secretariat for the Australian Food Industry Council.

The National Food Industry Council was established in July 2002 to oversee the development of the food industry and the implementation of the National Food Industry Strategy.

National Food Industry Strategy — International Food Standards Initiative

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6

The Government will provide $2.5 million over four years to continue the International Food Standards Initiative programme to promote food exports and improve the Australian processed food sector’s international competitiveness.

The International Food Standards Initiative programme supports the provision of scientific and technical advice and industry input into processes for setting international food standards. It also provides support for Australia’s international negotiations on food and agriculture trade. The International Food Standards Initiative programme was established in July 2002 as a part of the National Food Industry Strategy.

National Food Industry Strategy — Technical Market Access

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9

The Government will provide $15.0 million over four years to continue the Technical Market Access Programme under the National Food Industry Strategy. The programme helps Australia engage with key trading partners on technical market access. This new funding will ensure that overseas food and agriculture counsellor positions in Australia’s embassies in Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo are maintained. It will also support specialist positions to assist in the development and pursuit of technical market access cases on behalf of Australian exporters.

The programme, which began in 1996 as part of the Supermarket to Asia initiative, has been funded under the National Food Industry Strategy since July 2002.

National Landcare Programme — continuation

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - 36.6 37.4 38.1

The Government will provide $112.1 million over three years from 2008-09 to continue the National Landcare Programme. The programme builds the awareness, skills and capacity of landholders and local communities to adopt improved natural resource management practices.

Funding of $35.8 million in 2007-08 has already been included in the forward estimates.

Red Imported Fire Ant — continuation of funding for eradication

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 7.0 3.3 - -

The Government will provide $10.3 million over two years towards the cost of eradicating red imported fire ants in Queensland. This funding is in addition to the $86.0 million already provided over the six years from 2001-02 to 2006-07.

The Government’s contribution represents 50 per cent of agreed government funding, in line with the current cost-sharing arrangements between the Australian and State and Territory governments for animal pest and disease eradication.

Wheat Export Authority — additional funding

Expense ($m)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Wheat Export Authority - - - -

The Government will provide a grant of $1.0 million in 2006-07 to the Wheat Export Authority to partly offset a reduction in levy collections from wheat exports. Exports of wheat have been significantly reduced due to the drought.