Financial assistance for flood-affected Qld agribusinesses

Category B assistance under the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) was activated based on damage reports collated by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

The late April and May rainfall event significantly impacted the agriculture sector across the following local government areas:

• Barcaldine Regional Council
• Longreach Regional Council
• Winton Shire Council
• Bundaberg Regional Council
• Gympie Regional Council
• Lockyer Valley Regional Council
• Moreton Bay Regional Council
• North Burnett Regional Council
• Scenic Rim Regional Council
• Somerset Regional Council
• South Burnett Regional Council
• Southern Downs Regional Council
• Toowoomba Regional Council
• Western Downs Regional Council

Category B assistance will help affected producers with assistance including concessional loans of up to $250,000 and essential working capital loans of up to $100,000 at a concessional interest rate, and freight subsidies of up to $5,000.

Primary producers who have suffered major damage outside the above-declared areas may apply for an Individual Disaster Stricken Property (IDSP) declaration.

An IDSP provides access to Queensland government assistance similar to the Category B DRFA of freight subsidies and concessional loans.

Category B Natural Disaster Assistance loans are administered by the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA) on behalf of the Queensland and Commonwealth governments. For more information or to apply visit qrida.qld.gov.au or free call 1800 623 946.