Dairy Industry Bushfire Recovery Directory
The information on this page has been developed to provide a comprehensive directory of all support and recovery services, funding, and technical advice relevant to dairy farms affected by bushfires.
This directory of services does not seek to reproduce information available from responsible state and federal government agencies or other organisations, instead links to all relevant sources of information, acting as a single point of reference for dairy industry participants and those supporting them following fires.
A printable PDF version of the content is available for each state.
Please refer to the General information tab for resources and services that apply across all three states and select your state to view state-specific information.
General information
Commonwealth Government financial assistance
| Commonwealth Government Disaster Recovery Payment |
$1,000 per adult and $400 per child for people severely affected by bushfires. |
Human Services 180 22 66 www.humanservices.gov.au |
| Commonwealth Government Disaster Recovery Allowance |
Disaster Recovery Allowance is a short term payment to help you if a declared disaster directly affects your income. |
Human Services 180 22 66 www.humanservices.gov.au |
| Farm Household Support | A payment for farming families facing hardship. | 132 316 www.humanservices.gov.au Search Farm Household Allowance |
Stock water management
The stock water budgeting tool helps you assess your risk of running short of stock water at key times of the year. The data is used to estimate, from the first day of each month, how many days' water supply you have available.
Preparing for bushfires and extreme weather
- Listen to tips on how to prepare for extreme weather, fire and flood and some simple steps you can take to protect your family, workers, animals and farm.
- Dairy Australia’s Preparing for bushfires page provides the 'Preparing your dairy farm for fire threat' toolkit, produced in consultation with the CFA to help you plan to best protect your family, staff, livestock, dairy and machinery from all types of fire threat.
- Extreme weather has information on managing hot and dry conditions, and heat stress on farm.
- Managing in wet conditions provides information on how to manage risks following flooding
- Preparing your dairy farm for a bushfire, The Vet Group
- Bushfire Safety for workers - CFA has developed a new online bushfire safety awareness workshop for people who work in high risk bushfire areas.Initially developed for people who work in the community care sector who visit their clients or patients in homes located in high risk areas, it has been broadened to include a range of work sectors. It is structured to suit any person working in high bushfire risk areas including and not limited to those in the education, justice, health and trades sectors.
Watch the below video on 'Preparing for hot long summer'.
Cow parking
Dairy farms impacted by bushfires may need to temporarily relocate milking cows to an alternative farm where they can continue to be milked. This can be a short-term emergency arrangement or a longer-term business agreement.
Bega Cheese and Saputo Dairy Australia have agreed to facilitate cow parking arrangements between farms in fire-affected areas. Farmers with milking cows requiring relocation or farms able to offer cow parking for milking cows should contact these processing companies directly.
Cow parking carries a high risk of introducing mastitis bacteria and/or other animal diseases and should be avoided wherever possible. However during a crisis situation it may be the only viable option to get cows milked.
Read the Cow Parking fact sheet with information on milk quality and animal health considerations associated with cow parking (including vaccinations and traceability requirements).
If you require assistance with cow parking or can offer this service, please contact:
| NSW & Victoria |
Bega Cheese T: 02 6491 7787 | Saputo Dairy Australia T: 03 9040 5000 Requests and offers for agistment of non-milking animals in Victoria should be directed to Victorian Farmers Federation T: 1300 882 833 |
Offers of assistance
For offer of labour assistance, please contact and register with BlazeAid - https://blazeaid.com.au/
Ph: 0418 745 994
If you’re looking for other ways to help fire-affected farmers and their families, please visit http://farmhub.org.au/australian-bushfires-how-you-can-help/ for details on how to donate and assist.
Dairy Australia Bushfire Recovery Support
Dairy Australia is providing farmers impacted by bushfires, with one to one support with an experienced dairy consultant who can advise you on getting your business up and running again.'
What support is being offered?
Confidential advice is provided with a focus on
- Feed budgeting
- Water budgeting
- Cashflow budgeting
- Animal health and welfare
The adviser will conduct a face-to-face visit at a mutually agreed location and work with you to produce an action plan. Local Dairy Australia extension staff will follow-up to offer further support on your action plan.
Who is eligible?
All dairy farms impacted by Dec 2019 / Jan 2020 fires are eligible for this free-of-charge service.
How do I access it?
| NSW | How to access it |
| Contact Greg Duncan at Dairy NSW - 0477 044 047, Greg.Duncan@dairynsw.com.au. For more information on how Dairy NSW are supporting farmers affected by fires, follow Dairy NSW on Facebook or call 1800 270 778. |
Contact Greg Duncan at Dairy NSW - 0477 044 047, Greg.Duncan@dairynsw.com.au. For more information on how Dairy NSW are supporting farmers affected by fires, follow Dairy NSW on Facebook or call 1800 270 778. |
| Victoria |
Step 1: Contact your local Dairy Australia team
Step 2: They will take your details and provide you with a list of approved advisers For more information about how Murray Dairy is supporting farmers following bushfires, follow Murray Dairy on Facebook or call 03 5833 5312. |
| SA | Contact Beck Burgess at Dairy SA on 0438 262 966 or via beckburgess@dairysa.com.au. For more information about how DairySA are supporting farmers following bushfires, follow on DairySA on Facebook or call 0419 036 500. |
NFF FarmHub
Thousands of farmers in southern Australia have been impacted by the current bushfire crisis. The Farm Hub Organisation contains details where to access information and assistance.
This page will be updated as new services become available.
https://farmhub.org.au/live-bushfire-assistance-key-contacts/
Assessing fire affected livestock
Managing power outages
The power can go out at any time due to localised issues such as a fallen tree or following a flood or bushfire.
- Preparing for power outages will help you develop a contingency plan that will save time and keep the dairy operational during a power outage
- If the power does go out, our tips for Milking through power outages will help minimise recovery efforts by keeping the farm working during a prolonged power disruption
- DairyNZ also have good advice on preparing for power outages and managing missed milkings
- Emergency Milk Disposal advice from AgVic and DairyNZ.
Pasture recovery and managing feed – fire recovery specific
The following resources offer specific advice on pasture recovery for fire affected dairy farms.
- Pasture recovery after fire and quick reference guide, AgVic
- Keeping cows on the curve when changing diets, Dairy Australia
- Keeping cows on the curve through summer fact sheet, Dairy Australia
- Farm recovery after bushfire, AgVic
Feedbase and feeding systems - general
The following Dairy Australia resources on feedbase management and feeding systems may be relevant to farmers recovering from the impact of fires and managing risks associated with changing feed.
Mental health and safety
- Bushfires and mental health Beyond Blue
- Building emotional resilience
- Getting through floods, drought and extreme climate events Lifeline
- National Centre for farmer health support services directory - Staying healthy and well is important in good times and trying times. Drought, flood, bushfires and change in prices can be a trying time for many farmers. We have compiled this list of resources as an easy reference for you to seek the required support.
Farm business management for fire affected farms
- Our page on Extreme weather includes a Recovery priority checklist to help you organise tasks immediately after a natural disaster has hit
New South Wales
Last updated: 29 January 2020
Below is a comprehensive directory of all support and recovery services, funding, and technical advice relevant to dairy farms affected by recent bushfires in New South Wales.
This information will be updated as more information becomes available.
The last updated field will indicate when content was last amended.
Download a PDF of the NSW directory.
Emergency response information
Updates on fire conditions and road closures
For fire warning information - NSW Fires Near Me
Latest road traffic information - Live Traffic NSW
Fodder
For all fodder requests contact Local Land Services and NSW DPI via the Agriculture and Animal Services hotline T:1800 814 647
For fodder donations contact NSW Farmers T: 1300 794000
https://www.lls.nsw.gov.au/help-and-advice/emergency-and-biosecurity/bushfires
Stock Issues or Stock Loss
For all inquiries related to stock loss, contact
Local Land Services and NSW DPI via the Agriculture and Animal Services hotline
T: 1800 814 647
https://www.lls.nsw.gov.au/emergency/bushfires
Emergency stock water is also a service provided by LLS/NSW DPI (see above).
Click here for NSW Gov assistance with animal welfare issues.
DPI information for assessing fire affected livestock - (PDF)
State Government fire recovery services
NSW DPI ‘Natural disaster recovery assistance for primary producers’ web page has a wide range of information on bushfire recovery assistance. This page includes information on available financial support, fencing, animal health and welfare, health and wellbeing and more.
NSW farmers
NSW Farmers also has a directory of bushfire recovery services on their website.
http://www.nswfarmers.org.au/NSWFA/Content/ContactUs/emergency_fire_information.aspx
Victoria
Last updated: 29 January
2020 Below is a comprehensive directory of all support and recovery services, funding, and technical advice relevant to dairy farms affected by recent bushfires in Victoria, across northern Victoria and East Gippsland.
This information will be updated as more information becomes available. The last updated field will indicate when content was last amended.
Download a PDF of the Victorian directory.
Emergency response information
Updates on fire conditions and road closures
For fire warning information - Vic Emergency website/app
Latest road traffic information - Vic Traffic
Fodder
For all fodder requests contact the Victorian Farmers Federation T: 1300 882 833
Stock Issues or Stock Loss
For all inquiries related to stock loss, contact Agriculture Victoria T: 1800 226 226
State Government fire recovery services
Emergency Victoria has a ‘relief and recovery’ page dedicated to services available following 2019-20 bushfires, including information a recovery centres, available financial support, fencing, animal health and welfare, health and wellbeing and more.
Emergency Victoria ‘Relief and Recovery’
Agriculture Victoria’s ‘current incidents’ emergency recovery page also has practical advice on bushfire recovery and a long list of available support services.
VFF Disaster Relief
The Victorian Farmers Federation is coordinating fodder relief for farmers affected by bushfires in Gippsland and the Upper Murray. The VFF has secured an agreement with the Victorian Government to facilitate the transport of fodder to affected regions. This includes reimbursement of freight costs for transport of donated fodder.
All farmers who have been impacted by these fires are strongly urged to seek help by contacting the VFF as soon as possible.
This website also lists offers of adjustment and offers to host cow parking for those interested.
South Australia
Below is a comprehensive directory of all support and recovery services, funding, and technical advice relevant to dairy farms affected by recent bushfires in South Australia.
This information will be updated as more information becomes available.
The last updated field will indicate when content was last amended.
Download a PDF of the South Australia directory.
Emergency response information
Updates on fire conditions and road closures
For fire warning information - CFSA
Latest road traffic information - SAPOL
Fodder
For all fodder requests or fodder donations contact Livestock SA
T: 08 8297 229
Stock Issues or Stock Loss
For all inquiries related to stock loss, contact PIRSA 24 hour hotline T: 1800 255 556
State government fire recovery services
The SA Government ‘Disaster Recovery’ web page has a wide range of information on bushfire recovery assistance. This page includes information on available financial support, fencing, animal health and welfare, health and wellbeing and more.
Click here for SA Gov disaster recovery
For information on local recovery activities associated with areas affected by fires, visit SA DHS website.
SADA bushfire relief resources
South Australian Dairy Farmers have a list of bushfire relief resources available on their website.