Alpine Shire Council has welcomed the Victorian Government's recent announcement of statewide drought support for farmers.
Council was one of 12 regional and rural councils to write to Minister for Agriculture, Ros Spence MP, requesting for the Local Government Areas (LGA) in the Hume region to be included in state drought support programs.
Alpine Shire Mayor, Cr Sarah Nicolas, said it's great to see drought relief extended right across the state, with grants of up to $5,000 now available to all farmers – including those in the Alpine Shire.
"The new taskforce is also a positive step towards understanding what more our farmers need during these really challenging times," she said.
"This announcement also moves us closer to the moratorium we’ve been calling for on the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund.
"It’s a chance for the State Government to sit down with councils across Victoria and work towards a fairer system - one that doesn’t place such a heavy cost on primary producers and rural communities."
A copy of the letter sent to the Minister is linked below.