FARMERS must be given meaningful drought relief under State Government assistance packages.
Nationals’ deputy leader Emma Kealy said last week that freight assistance for fodder, water and livestock agistment should be part of assistance.
Ms Kealy made the call as members of the Government’s drought response taskforce were having their first meeting in Camperdown last Friday.
Victorian Farmers’ Federation president Brett Hosking and Murray Plains MP Peter Walsh are members of the taskforce formed after all of Victoria was included in the state’s drought zone
Ms Kealy also said farmers across the state should have access to affordable stock water from all possible water points, including the desalination facility as well as treated waste water from Western and Eastern Water Treatment Plants.
She said access to existing mental health supports across the state should be extended, including allowing the family members of students to access the mental health practitioners in schools program to support farming families, and to work with Mental Health Victoria to unlock and expand both professional and evidence-based grassroots mental health support and resilience programs. 
“These measures will provide much needed support to primary producers as they battle ongoing drought conditions,” Ms Kealy said. 
“These drought conditions are impacting now and anticipated to last for the foreseeable future. 
“The Government must stand ready to immediately fund all recommendations put forward by the drought response taskforce and assist producers with meaningful and ongoing support in a timely and effective manner.”
Initial measures offer farmers a matching $5000 infrastructure grant.
However, Loddon farmers have said their most pressing need is feed.
National rural aid charity Hayrunners last week told the Loddon Herald it wanted the Government to provide funds for transport of hay, matching the support from the South Australian Government for convoys currently taking hay into that state’s drought-ravaged areas.