Natural Disaster Donated Fodder Transport Subsidy

This program provides funding assistance to organisations that donate and transport donated fodder to a central location within NSW for the benefit of three or more primary producers with livestock, in the event of a natural disaster. This contributes to an outcome of quicker recovery from natural disaster.

The scheme will pay for the costs of donating and transporting donated fodder to affected properties or storage facilities in a central location up to a maximum of distance of 1,500 kilometres.

Eligibility:

• The subsidy on transport of donated fodder is available to organisations* that donate and transport donated fodder for the benefit of three or more primary producers, whose property has been affected by a natural disaster.
• Pre-approval for the transport of the donated fodder must be obtained from the NSW Rural Assistance Authority (RAA) by the organisation including agreement on estimates for the amount of fodder to be transported, the number of trips to be completed and the total distance to be travelled.
• The donated fodder must be delivered to a central location within the declared natural disaster area.
• The central location receiving donated fodder must be in an area of NSW that has been declared a Natural Disaster.
• Payment of any assistance can only occur upon production of tax invoices for expenses incurred.
• Payment of any assistance is contingent on recipients acknowledging this financial support in annual reports, media releases, digital and printed materials, web pages and online documents, advertising, plaques and signs.
• Claims must be made within three months of the RAA's approval to the transport of the donated fodder.
• As part of the application process, the applicant must agree to relevant details from the proposed application being provided to the regional Rural Financial Counsellor, Rural Resilience Officers or other co-ordinating entity so as to promote coordination of effort

Exclusions:

• Small volumes of fodder (i.e. under one tonne per load).
• Poor quality fodder, including fodder found to include weeds or other invasive species. The RAA must refuse to approve movements from regions with known or suspected biosecurity concerns. Under the Biosecurity Act 2015, the RAA cannot approve movements that present a known biosecurity risk
• In circumstances where the RAA receives notification of poor quality fodder, or fodder with weeds or other invasive species, the RAA is required to report this to NSW Biosecurity. Application and claims from organisations involved will be put on hold until a review of the operator’s movements can be completed.
• Transport of donated fodder from individual donors to individual farmers.
• Transport of donated fodder to commercial feedlots and/or feed processors.