NSW Farmers has welcomed the Deputy Premier and Minister Marshall's 'Supporting our Neighbours' announcement and their commitment to the Government becoming a good neighbour to the farmers of NSW.
NSW Farmers President James Jackson said the 2019/20 bushfires had a devastating impact on critical on-farm infrastructure, especially fencing.
"The fires destroyed thousands of kilometres of fences making it very challenging to contain livestock, exclude pests and effectively manage biosecurity risks," Mr Jackson said.
"With so many boundary fences burnt, wild dogs and other pests are able to travel across public and private lands and that is having a destructive impact on farmers' productivity and livelihoods."
The 'Supporting our Neighbours' project will see $209 million dedicated to help bushfire affected farmers bordering public lands rebuild their boundary fences, as part of the State's COVID-19 stimulus package. Under the project the Government will cover $5,000 per kilometre to rebuild existing fences that adjoin public land damaged by the recent bushfires.
Mr Jackson said the announcement was of significant help for livestock producers, horticulturalists and the regional communities affected by the bushfires. He said the funding would provide much needed economic activity and employment opportunities in the recovering regional communities.
"The grants will go a long way towards covering standard fencing costs, however a standard post and wire fence will not stop dogs, kangaroos and feral cats."
"Exclusion fencing comes at a significantly higher cost than standard 5-string wire and post fencing and while the NSW Government commitment of $5,000 per kilometer is welcome, exclusion fencing costs double that per kilometre".
"To protect farmland from predation now and into the future we urge the NSW government to consider increasing the grant to $10,000."
NSW Farmers would like to see the Government follow the good neighbor principle for all repairs and replacements of fences between crown land, including national parks, and private property beyond the COVID-19 recovery.
"The current legislation provides for an optional Government contribution to the cost of fencing that adjoins public lands. Farmers who share boundaries with national parks face significant costs for exclusion fencing with no certainty of a contribution to aid with these significant costs."
