The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has welcomed the announcement of new drought support measures but says the package does not go nearly far enough to address the mounting pressure facing Victorian farmers and rural communities.

Parched paddocks in the Mortlake district of Victoria, pictured late April

VFF President Brett Hosking said that while any support is appreciated, the limited scale of the package falls well short of what is required, especially when compared with more substantial efforts in other states such as South Australia.

“Farmers are not asking for handouts. They are asking for meaningful recognition of the strain this drought is putting on their livelihoods, their families and their mental health,” Mr. Hosking said.

“The response so far is too narrow in scope. What is urgently needed is for the government to get out into the regions, speak directly with the farmers doing it tough, and take real action based on what they are hearing.”

The VFF has put forward a number of constructive suggestions to Agriculture Victoria, but Mr. Hosking cautioned against announcing piecemeal initiatives without fully grasping the broader needs of the farming sector.

“Of course, financial support is vital, but it is also about showing that people in the city understand and care about what is happening in the bush,” he said.

“Mental health is a huge concern. When farmers feel isolated, unsupported and forgotten, the consequences can be devastating for individuals and entire communities.”

Mr. Hosking also highlighted that some of the most impactful changes would not cost the government anything.

“There are simple regulatory shifts that could make an immediate difference, such as allowing better control of pest animals like kangaroos, or relaxing regulations to allow more high-productivity vehicles on our road networks to cart additional fodder to feed the starving animals we are seeing on farms as a result of the drought. These changes would help farmers protect their stock and manage limited resources more effectively.”

“This drought is not just about dry paddocks. It is about people, families and communities under stress. We need a more serious, coordinated response that shows farmers they are not facing this alone.”

The VFF is calling on the Victorian Government to engage directly with regional communities and deliver drought support that reflects the real needs of farmers across the state.

Vic Government Drought funding announcement:

Earlier on Friday Victorian Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence announced a further $15.9 million to help more farmers and communities over winter, expanding support to farmers in 13 more Local Government Areas on top of those backed as part of the $13.5 million drought support package announced in September.

She said the On-Farm Drought Infrastructure Grant program will continue for the existing 11 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across south west Victoria and expand it to all West Wimmera, Horsham Rural City, Northern Grampians, Hepburn, Moorabool, Ballarat, Towong, Mornington Peninsula, Bass Coast, Cardinia, Baw Baw, Casey, South Gippsland, and French Island

The drought package would also support small businesses in impacted LGAs through the appointment of a Small Business Financial Counsellor.

Acknowledging the impacts of the dry conditions across Victoria on farmer mental health, a new program would also be made available state wide to help communities come together and support farmers under stress. This involved an extention of a partnership with the National Centre for Farmer Health by investing $900,000 through the Victorian Budget 2025/26 to deliver ongoing services and resources to the farming community.

Agriculture Victoria’s farm business technical and decision-making support would also be made available state wide, supporting farmers to manage the impacts of increasingly difficult seasonal conditions.

“This package brings the Government’s direct drought support to $29.4 million, on top of the $10.2 million investment through the Future Drought Fund program, and $4.1 million for the Rural Financial Counselling Service,” the statement said.

“Agriculture Victoria will continue to monitor conditions in the critical period leading up to spring, ensuring support is getting to farmers who need it most.

“This follows from the Labor Government’s announcement of partial rebates on the ESVF for farmers eligible for the infrastructure grants program in the Government’s drought support package.

The full range of financial, technical and wellbeing support available to drought impacted farmers can be viewed at this link or phone 136 186 for details.

Source: VFF, Victorian Government