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Farm business assistance services available to NSW farmers from both the NSW Government and the Australian Government. 

Here is a structured, up‑to‑date (2026) overview of farm business assistance available to NSW farmers  

Covering planning of:  

farm business, renewing boundary fencing with neighbors including public roads, infrastructure, family succession planning, loans and grants. 

Click on link to take you to service provider

Practical categories so you can see what’s available and how they fit together: 

🌱 1. Farm Business Planning & Advisory Services 

These programs focus on business planning, decision-making, and succession support (not direct cash, but often essential to access funding). 

✅ Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) 

[rfcsnsw.org.au] 

• What it offers:  
• Free, independent financial counselling 
• Business planning and cashflow forecasting 
• Assistance with bank loans, debt mediation and restructuring 
• Help with succession planning and exit strategies 

• Who runs it: Joint NSW + Australian Government program (National Drought Agreement) 

👉 Practical use: 

• Ideal for farmers preparing for loan applications, restructuring, or succession transitions 
• Often a first step before applying for grants/loans 

✅ Farm Business Resilience Program (Future Drought Fund) 

• What it offers:  
• Subsidised training, workshops and one‑on‑one advisory 
• Help to develop or update farm business plans 
• Supports risk management, climate adaptation and succession planning [agriculture.gov.au] 
• Extended through to 2029 [agriculture.gov.au] 

👉 Practical use: 

• Structured support to build a bank-ready farm business plan 
• Strong alignment with funding requirements (e.g. resilience plans) 

✅ NSW Young Farmer Business Program (planning tools) 

• What it offers:  
• Toolkits for succession planning, leasing, financial management 
• Workshops and business skills training [youngfarme...nsw.gov.au] 

👉 Practical use: 

• Particularly useful for family succession planning and next-generation farmers 

✅ Farm Business Planning Guides (NSW DPI) 

• Templates and guides for:  
• Full farm business plans 
• Budgets, financial models and decision tools [tocal.nsw.edu.au] 

💰 2. Government Loan Programs (Major funding tools) 

These are core assistance instruments in Australia (often more accessible than grants). 

🇦🇺 Australian Government – Regional Investment Corporation (RIC) 

Provides low-interest concessional loans nationwide. 

Key loan types: 

• Farm Investment Loan – up to ~$2M for productivity, expansion, refinancing [ric.gov.au] 
• Drought Loan / Drought Hardship Loan – working capital, feed, recovery [ric.gov.au] 
• AgriStarter Loan (important for succession):  
• Up to ~$2M 
• Used to:  
• Buy farms 
• Buy out family members 
• Cover succession costs [business.gov.au] 

✅ Key benefits: 

• Lower interest rates 
• Flexible repayment (e.g. interest-only periods) 
• Designed to improve cashflow and long-term resilience [ric.gov.au] 

✅ 2026 update: 

• Federal Government committed an additional $1 billion funding, extending support beyond June 2026 [pm.gov.au] 

👉 Practical use: 

• Best option for:  
• Succession restructuring 
• Farm purchase or expansion 
• Refinancing expensive commercial debt 

🇳🇸 NSW Government Loans (RAA – Rural Assistance Authority) 

✅ Drought Ready & Resilient Fund Loan 

• Now up to $500,000 (increased 2026) [dpi.nsw.gov.au] 
• Supports:  
• Drought preparedness projects 
• Infrastructure and operational resilience 

✅ NEW (2026): Drought Relief Loan 

• Up to $100,000 
• Faster approval, reduced paperwork 
• No property security required [dpi.nsw.gov.au] 

✅ Farm Innovation Fund 

• Up to $1 million 
• Long-term infrastructure funding:  
• Fencing 
• Water systems 
• Roads, sheds, solar, irrigation [ruralfutures.org.au] 

👉 Practical use: 

• Ideal for:  
• Infrastructure improvements (including fencing boundaries) 
• Climate/drought resilience upgrades 
• On-farm development projects 

🧱 3. Grants, Rebates & Subsidies (Non-repayable funding) 

✅ NSW Rural Assistance Authority Grants 

The RAA manages multiple targeted programs: 

Disaster & recovery grants (2026 examples) 

• Up to $75,000 Special Disaster Relief Grants 
• $25,000 disaster grants + $10,000 rural landholder grants [raa.nsw.gov.au] 

Subsidies: 

• Transport (fodder, livestock, water) 
• Donated fodder freight support [raa.nsw.gov.au] 

✅ Infrastructure-related support (incl. fencing) 

• Some programs (historically and occasionally reopened) include:  
• Fence rebuilding grants (post-disaster) [nsw.gov.au] 
• Ongoing support via:  
• Loans (Farm Innovation Fund) 
• Tax concessions (see below) 

✅ Farms of the Future Grant (NSW) 

• Supports:  
• Digital connectivity 
• AgTech investment [raa.nsw.gov.au] 

✅ Horticultural Netting Rebate 

• ~50% rebate for crop protection netting [raa.nsw.gov.au] 

✅ Environmental / Community Grants (examples) 

• Smaller grants ($2k–$15k) for land and biodiversity projects [glenrac.org.au] 

📊 4. Tax Concessions (Important but often overlooked) 

Available through the Australian Tax Office: 

• Immediate deduction for:  
• Fencing 
• Fodder storage 
• Water infrastructure [glenrac.org.au] 
• Income smoothing:  
• Farm management deposits 
• Income averaging [agriculture.gov.au] 

👉 Practical use: 

• Helps reduce tax burden on boundary fencing or capital works 

🧠 5. Additional Support Services 

✅ Drought & advisory programs (2026 expansions) 

NSW 2026 drought package includes: 

• Free financial counselling (RFCS funding increase) 
• Drought advisors / farm consultations 
• Feed & water testing kits [dpi.nsw.gov.au] 

✅ Farm Household Allowance (Australia-wide) 

• Income support for farming families in hardship [agriculture.gov.au] 

✅ Summary: What supports your key needs? 

🧾 Business planning 

• RFCS (free counselling) 
• Farm Business Resilience Program 
• NSW DPI planning tools 

👨‍🌾 Succession planning 

• AgriStarter Loans (RIC) 
• RFCS support + planning programs 

💸 Government-backed loans 

• RIC (national loans up to ~$2M) 
• NSW RAA loans (up to $500k + new $100k fast loan) 

🚜 Farm development & infrastructure (incl. fencing) 

• Farm Innovation Fund (NSW) 
• Tax deductions for fencing 
• Disaster fencing grants (when activated) 

🎁 Grants 

• Disaster recovery grants (major funding source when events declared) 
• Targeted industry grants (AgTech, netting, pests, etc.) 

⭐ Key 2026 “New or Notable” Offers 

• ✅ NSW Drought Relief Loan (new, simplified) – up to $100k 
• ✅ Drought loan increases to $500k (NSW program expansion) 
• ✅ $1 billion Federal boost to RIC loans (ongoing access to concessional finance) 
• ✅ Extension of Farm Business Resilience Program to 2029 

👍 Practical Tip (Very Important) 

Most funding programs now require a: 

• Farm Business Plan 
• Financial statements 
• Risk/resilience planning 

👉 Start with RFCS or Business Resilience Program to strengthen your applications. 

CORE SERVICES for farmers available Across: FIRE, FLOOD, DROUGHT 2026 

Below is a combined, structured overview of government services available to NSW farmers across all three major disaster types: 

✅ Fire
✅ Flood
✅ Drought 

• What support is common across all disasters 
• What is specific to each event 
• How they fit into planning → recovery → finance → legal 

🌱 1. CORE SERVICES for farmers available Across: FIRE, FLOOD, DROUGHT 

These are your foundation services—used regardless of whether the issue is fire, flood, or drought. 

✅ 1.1 Service NSW + Recovery Centres 

• Central entry point to:  
• Grants, loans, subsidies 
• Legal, financial, mental health support 
• Provides face-to-face and coordinated assistance after disasters [nsw.gov.au] 

✅ 1.2 Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) 

• Free, government-funded service 
• Helps with:  
• Business planning & recovery 
• Insurance and loan applications 
• Debt mediation and succession planning

The RFCS Network is the consortium of Rural Financial Counselling Service providers across Australia employing 100+ Rural Financial Counsellors to assist farmers, fishing enterprises, forestry growers, and small rural-related businesses.

The Network was formed to provide a central point of contact for clients, stakeholders, referral agencies and community groups to connect with RFCS providers across Australia.

 [rfcsnetwork.com.au] 

and

Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) 

[rfcsnsw.org.au] 

👉 Used across: 

• Fire recovery 
• Flood recovery 
• Drought hardship 

✅ 1.3 Regional Investment Corporation (RIC) Loans 

• Low-interest loans (up to ~$2M depending on type) 
• Used for:  
• Recovery 
• Cashflow 
• Farm development 

👉 Applies to all disasters and long-term resilience [agriculture.gov.au] 

✅ 1.4 Legal & Insurance Support (critical for fire & flood) 

• Disaster Response Legal Service NSW:  
• Insurance disputes 
• Liability issues 
• Justice Connect / Community Legal Centres:  
• Neighbour disputes 
• Contracts and compensation 

👉 Available across disasters, but most relevant for: 

• Fire (liability) 
• Flood (insurance disputes) 

✅ 1.5 Farm Business Resilience Program 

• Training + business planning support 
• Helps farmers:  
• Plan for drought, fire, flood risks 
• Build resilience and transitions [droughthub...nsw.gov.au] 
• 
  

🔥 2. FIRE-SPECIFIC SUPPORT (Bushfire & caused fires) 

✅ Financial & recovery support 

• Disaster grants (typically up to ~$25k–$75k when declared) 
• Low-interest loans through RAA / RIC 

✅ Insurance & liability support (unique to fire) 

• Legal support services assist with:  
• Insurance disputes 
• Liability claims involving neighbours 
• ✅ Disaster Response Legal Service NSW 
• Provided by Legal Aid NSW 
• Designed specifically for people affected by bushfires, floods, and storms 
• 👉 Disaster Response Legal Service NSW 
• What they can help with: 
• Insurance disputes (e.g. claim refusals, underpayment) 
• Farm or property damage claims 
• Financial hardship after fire 
• Disputes with neighbours, contractors, or authorities (case‑by‑case) 
• They provide free legal advice and referrals to lawyers (including pro bono/private lawyers if needed). [rlc.org.au] 
• 📞 Typical contact pathway: 
• Disaster legal helpline: 1800 801 529 [lawsociety.com.au] 
• ✅ LawAccess NSW 
• Free government legal helpline 
• Can assess your issue and refer you to:  
• Legal Aid 
• specialist disaster lawyers 
• community legal centres 
• 📞 1300 888 529 [probonocentre.org.au] 
• ✅ Community Legal Centres (NSW) 
• Free legal advice across rural/regional NSW 
• Useful if your dispute involves:  
• neighbours (e.g. fire spread, fencing, liability) 
• land use or property disputes 
• financial hardship 
• 👉 Community Legal Centres list 
• These centres worked directly in bushfire‑affected areas and handle insurance, debt, tenancy, and disaster issues. [clcnsw.org.au] 
• ✅ Insurance Law Service (Financial Rights Legal Centre) 
• National specialist service for insurance disputes 
• Free advice if your insurer:  
• rejects or delays your claim 
• offers too little 
• disputes fire damage 
• 👉 Insurance Law Service 
• Covers farm insurance and small business policies 
• 👉 AFCA insurance complaints 
• They can review: 
• denied claims 
• disputed damage assessments 
• delays or unfair decisions [afca.org.au] 

From NSW legal guidance, common issues include: 

• Insurance claim problems or underinsurance 
• Liability disputes (who caused the fire) 
• Neighbour/property damage claims 
• Financial hardship and debt after losses [clcnsw.org.au] 

✅ On-ground services 

• NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) 
• Reconstruction Authority 
• Damage reports and recovery coordination 

✅ Key recovery elements (fire-specific) 

• Fence rebuilding (often major cost) 
• Livestock loss recovery 
• Debris removal 

🌊 3. FLOOD-SPECIFIC SUPPORT 

Floods have the most structured grant programs in NSW under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. 

✅ 3.1 Grants & payments 

Typical (2025–2026 examples): 

• Up to $75,000 Special Disaster Relief Grants [rfcsnr.org.au] 
• Up to $25,000 recovery grants for primary producers [minister.h...irs.gov.au] 
• Up to $10,000 landholder grants [rfcsnr.org.au] 

👉 Used for: 

• Clean-up 
• Fence repair 
• Replacing livestock 
• Restoring operations 

✅ 3.2 Subsidies 

• Natural Disaster Transport Subsidy  
• Up to ~$15,000 
• Covers:  
• Fodder 
• Water 
• Livestock transport [business.gov.au] 

✅ 3.3 Loans 

• Natural Disaster Relief Loans:  
• ~up to $130,000 
• For recovery costs [yourhawkes...say.com.au] 

✅ 3.4 Recovery coordination 

• Primary Industries damage surveys 
• DPI Recovery Officers assist with:  
• Applications 
• Access to funding and services [nswfarmers.org.au] 

✅ 3.5 Legal & insurance support 

• Strong focus on:  
• Insurance disputes 
• Claims delays or shortfalls [nsw.gov.au] 

🌾 4. DROUGHT-SPECIFIC SUPPORT 

Drought support is ongoing (not event-based) and focused on long-term sustainability. 

✅ 4.1 Income and hardship support 

• Farm Household Allowance (FHA):  
• Income support payments for up to 4 years 
• Includes training and case management [business.gov.au] 

✅ 4.2 Loans (major 2026 update) 

• Drought Ready & Resilient Loan:  
• Up to $500,000 [raa.nsw.gov.au] 
• NEW: Drought Relief Loan:  
• Up to $100,000 
• Faster access, reduced paperwork [raa.nsw.gov.au] 

✅ 4.3 Advisory & planning support 

• Farm Business Resilience Program 
• NSW Drought Hub (tools, advisory, climate info) [raa.nsw.gov.au] 

✅ 4.4 Tax & financial tools 

• Farm Management Deposits (income smoothing) 
• Tax concessions for livestock/fodder losses [agriculture.gov.au] 

✅ 4.5 On-ground support 

• Local Land Services:  
• Animal health 
• Pasture and land management 
• Climate adaptation advice [droughthub...nsw.gov.au] 

✅ PRACTICAL “ALL-HAZARDS” APPROACH FOR FARMERS 

Most NSW programs now encourage managing fire + flood + drought together, not separately. 

The NSW Government itself provides integrated guidance on: 

• Planning for all three risks together 
• Managing livestock, water, and farm systems across events [nsw.gov.au] 

✅ FINAL TAKEAWAY 

Across NSW and Australian Government support: 

✔ You effectively have three layers of support: 

1. Immediate disaster recovery 

• Grants, subsidies, emergency loans 

2. Financial & legal stabilisation 

• RFCS, Legal Aid, insurance support 

3. Long-term resilience 

• RIC loans, drought programs, planning support 

Understanding farm management economics.

 Dec 18, 2019 In this presentation, Fred Chudleigh (Principal Agricultural Economist, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries) provides an introduction and overview of the basic economic principles applied to decision making on beef and sheep grazing properties.  The presentation explains the methods and terminology used in the farm management economic analyses conducted as part of the project Improving profitability and resilience of beef and sheep businesses in Queensland – Preparing for, responding to, and recovering from drought.

Thanks Future Beef for sharing this video

Page published: November 25, 2019 | Page reviewed: July 22, 2022

We discuss the capital budgeting calculations needed to evaluate projects or investments. Learn how to calculate the Payback Period, Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for capital budgeting decisions.For more content visit the website: http://www.creativosolutions.com/

Thanks Creativo Solutions  for sharing video