|
|
|
Land will continue to be farmed
27 Sep 2007
More than 1,000 farmers are expected to take up the federal government grants of $150,000 to leave their land. The Agriculture Minister, Peter McGauran, has rejected calls from environmental groups to stop using abandoned land for agricultural purposes in recognition that water shortages made it unsuitable for farming. Mr McGauran said "The productive capacity of that land will still be available to somebody who is in different financial circumstances – either they don't have as much debt or it's a neighbour looking to expand". Take-up of the grants is expected to be greatest by small-scale irrigators around Mildura and the Riverland region of South Australia, but the offer may also appeal to grain producers in west and central west NSW as well as southern Queensland who are entering their seventh year of drought.
Financial Review, 27/09/2007
|
|
