ACT NOW TO ACCESS EXTRA FARM HOUSEHOLD ALLOWANCE: McCORMACK

FARMERS yet to apply for the Farm Household Allowance (FHA) are being urged to act quickly so they don’t miss out on thousands of dollars in additional payments under the scheme.

Riverina MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals’ Leader Michael McCormack said the Federal Government as part of its drought assistance package had introduced two supplementary payments this year totalling up to $12,000.

To be eligible for the first payment of up to $6,000 for couples or $3,600 for singles, farmers must lodge an FHA application form by this Saturday, 1 December.

“These payments will help our farmers who are doing it tough to put food on the table, pay school fees, put fuel in the car and pay those essential bills they may be struggling to find money for,” Mr McCormack said.

“The payments will help farming families make ends meet at a time of year which we all know puts extra pressure on the hip pocket even in the best of times.

“I hope the payments flow through to local businesses in our regional communities because they are also feeling the pain of farmers being forced to spend less in town as their incomes have dried up.”

Human Services and Digital Transformation Minister Michael Keenan said the payments were additional to the regular fortnightly benefits farmers received under the FHA scheme and available as a lump sum.

“We don’t want anyone to miss out, which is why we are urging farmers who haven’t yet applied for FHA to do so before the 1 December deadline,” Minister Keenan said.

The Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources David Littleproud said Rural Financial Counsellors could help farmers fill out their FHA application form for free.

Further information about FHA and how to apply can be found at humanservices.gov.au/farmhouseholdallowance.