QLD farmers to continue receiving advice

Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries Bill Byrne said the government will provide more than $250,000 in funding for two full-time counsellors to work with primary producers and their families in south west Queensland.

“In providing a total of $266,000 to fund the counsellors for another year we are responding to meet the demand for financial counselling from graziers in the region,” Mr Byrne said.

“In my discussions with farmers and their advocates in areas where the drought has destroyed normal day to day business, the case has been made that expert financial help can make a crucial difference.

“That is why the Palaszczuk government is extending funding for two counsellor positions in Roma and Charleville through to the end of June 2016,” he said.

Mr Byrne added that helping producers better manage financial risks through the drought is “one of the targeted contributions” the government is making.

“Tough decisions have to be made and graziers shouldn’t be making them without specialist advice,” he said.