Govt's helping hand for dairy farmers

Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce has announced a raft of financial help for dairy farmers under presser from milk price falls.

DAIRY FARMERS GET FEDERAL HELP

Package worth almost $580 million includes:

*$555 million in dairy recovery concessional loans.

*$20 million to fast track the upgrade of the Macalister Irrigation District.

*$2 million to establish a commodity milk price index, for greater transparency.

*$900,000 for an extra nine rural financial counsellors in VIC, TAS, SA & NSW.

*$900,000 for Dairy Australia's `Tactics for Tight Times' program.

*Appointment of Department of Human Services Dairy Industry Liaison Officer.

*Fast tracking of Farm Household Allowance applications.

*Re-direction of two mobile service centres to dairy regions, so farmers can access government assistance.

(Source: Federal Government)