Grants up to $10,000 are on offer to graziers who use drought lots or sacrifice paddocks to feed stock with the aim of putting local farms and the environment in pole position once the drought breaks.

Research has shown that feeding stock in a small area saves groundcover on the remainder of the farm, helps reduce erosion and ensures pastures recover after rain without the additional cost of replanting.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has joined forces with the Lachlan Catchment Management Authority (CMA) to provide farmers with decision-making tools and a subsidy of two dollars per dry sheep equivalent to establish drought lots.

Yass NSW DPI livestock officer, Phil Graham, has been running the free, one-day ProFarm StockPlan® course which is a pre-requisite to the grant.

“StockPlan® is a decision-making package which uses computer modelling to work out the economics of feeding sheep and cattle through a drought,” Mr Graham said.

“The courses have been very popular as they allow farmers to decide whether to feed, agist or sell and once they’re confident with their decision they can move on.

“Farmers who decide the best option is to feed animals in a drought lot or sacrifice paddock can apply for a Lachlan CMA grant to set one up or continue to feed in drought lots,” he said.

Lachlan CMA officer, Geoff Minchin, said the grants aimed to help landholders protect the environment and get production up as quickly as possible after the drought breaks.

“The drought is most likely to break with storms which cause erosion on unprotected soil,” Mr Minchin said.

“Farmers who can keep stock off the bulk of their farms will protect soil by maintaining groundcover which helps reduce the effects of water and wind erosion across the catchment. 

“They’re protecting the environment and their asset base for the future.”       

To date 155 farmers have attended the one-day StockPlan® course with additional workshops planned for Grenfell, Canowindra and Crookwell over the next four weeks.  Courses held in Boorowa, Young and Grenfell last week had 66 participants and two courses to be held in Hillston, January 16 and 17, are fully booked with 44 registrations. 

Farmers can contact NSW DPI Murrumbidgee Rural Studies Centre, freecall 1800 628 422, to book for the StockPlan® course and the Lachlan CMA, 1800 885 747, for grant guidelines.

Photographs available from bernadette.york@dpi.nsw.gov.au