Livestock producers in Victoria can receive up to $2000 in State funding to help with the costs of constructing stock containment areas on their property.

Stock containment areas enable farmers to fence off part of their farm to hold, feed and water livestock in tough conditions such as drought and after a bushfire.

“Stock containment areas deliver a range of benefits during drought,” VFF Livestock Group president Ian Feldtmann said. “They help minimise soil erosion, enabling faster pasture recovery, limiting the spread of weeds and allowing for good stock management.”

The VFF has just been successful in negotiating an additional $100,000 towards the State Government’s existing $500,000 stock containment area grants scheme.

“It’s great news for farmers, who can gain up to $2000 from the state government towards building a stock containment area on their properties,” Mr Feldtmann said.

“Earlier this month we’d asked Minister Pulford to offer a second round of funding, on top of the $500,000 the government had already delivered. So we appreciate that the government has listened to that call and lifted the fund to $600,000.”

At this stage grant funding is limited to farmers living in the Wimmera, Mallee,  North Central and Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Areas.

Mr Feldtmann said the VFF believed the grants needed to be extended beyond these four CMAs. “Applications shouldn’t be restricted to a line on a map and as such, we have asked the Minister to be more flexible when assessing applications,” he said.

“Lifting the current grants fund to $600,000 is welcome in helping to meet demand in these four CMAs. “But the VFF is very aware of the growing demand for stock containment areas outside these CMAs and will work with the government to address this growing need as the drought continues.”

Source: VFF. Information on the containment area grants and other drought support can be found at www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or through the Drought Information Line on 136 186.