The Farm Management Grants Scheme supports primary producers in developing a Farm Business Resilience Plan, recognising risks associated with production, including climate and weather (such as drought), as well as biosecurity and natural resource management and business risks including financial and market factors.

Eligible Queensland primary producers can now apply for a rebate of 50 per cent, to a maximum of $2,500, for the costs of advice in developing a Farm Business Resilience Plan. These plans are intended to assist producers in identifying risks, such as drought, for their property and outlining the steps necessary to respond to those risks.

Farm Business Resilience Plans help producers to:

• recognise risks associated with production, including climate and weather (such as drought)
• identify business risks, including financial and market factors, and how to respond to those risks and
• understand personal risks such as workplace health and safety.

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) offer a free Farm Business Resilience Plan template. Visit their website to download and complete your plan.

Jamie is a beef producer in Rockhampton. Knowing the region frequently experiences long periods of drought, they want to ensure the enterprise can last through the next long stretch.

Wanting to know what the business would need to become more drought prepared, they decide the best way would be to engage professional advice from a consultant to help them compile a Farm Business Resilience Plan.

Hearing of the Farm Management Grants being administered by QRIDA, Jamie knows they can apply for up to $2,500 (up to 50% of the cost of the advice) to help pay for eligible advice. After paying for the consultant’s advice upfront, Jamie decides to apply for the grant.

Even though the property isn’t in a drought declared area, Jamie is approved for the grant after meeting the eligibility criteria. Jamie now has a plan that they can use to apply for further drought assistance if they need it.

While these rebates are available to offset the cost of seeking eligible professional advice, they are not available to cover the costs of activities to implement the advice. A Drought Preparedness Grant or a QRIDA Sustainability Loan may be available for implementation activities. 

Eligibility

To be eligible for assistance, you must:

• be a primary producer as defined below
• have paid for the eligible professional advice
• have received the eligible professional advice from 11 November 2021
• have received the eligible professional advice from a suitably qualified adviser(s) who:
  • is not the applicant
  • does not have an actual or perceived conflict of interest with the applicant and
  • is not employed by an entity owned or partially owned by the applicant.                         

While these rebates are available to offset the cost of seeking eligible professional advice, they are not available to cover the costs of activities to implement the advice. A QRIDA Drought Preparedness Grant or Sustainability Loan may be available for implementation activities.

Primary production business means a business that:

• is carried on by a sole trader, trust, partnership or proprietary company
• that involves primary production, including the agricultural, apicultural, aqua cultural, commercial wild-catch fishing, forestry, grazing and horticultural industries
• holds an Australian Business Number (ABN).

• Phone: 1800 623 946
• Email: contact_us@qrida.qld.gov.au