NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro has given farmers across NSW the news many had been waiting to hear – a $140 million Bushfire Industry Recovery Package to support primary and agricultural industries. The announcement represents an economic lifeline to dairy farmers whose livelihoods have been obliterated by the ongoing drought and more recent bushfire crisis.

The funding package was welcomed by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and by the thousands of farmers based in NSW who have to struggled to rebuild their businesses, farms and lives over the past decade; many watching generations of hard work whittle away through drought or destroyed by bushfires. Deputy Premier Barilaro said the funding would support the purchase of essential equipment, help farmers rebuild and replant their crops and keep Australians employed in regional and rural NSW.

Our team have been working closely with distributors and their customers over the years, and we’ve watched hardworking farmers struggle to keep their doors open and their workers employed. Bushfires, dry land, shrinking crops, rising feed prices and the impact of COVID-19 have put indefinable pressure on farmers to keep their businesses going.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, NSW and QLD are projected to have significantly lower farming business profits than other states given the environmental challenges they’ve had to face compared to the rest of the country. Ongoing drought conditions and smaller holdings of grain inventory and livestock have also made it tougher for farming families to maintain strong operating capital, making the delivery of stimulus package by the NSW Government even more critical.

We welcome the announcement of this package and want to reaffirm to our partners, distributors and their customers that our team will continue to support you; with a dedicated local team and a quality Australian made product in GEOHEX™.

GEOHEX™ Managing Director Matt Holloway is hopeful the additional investment will give the NSW farming community the boost it needs. “This funding injection could be a decent leg up for regional farmers to rebuild what they’ve lost through the bushfires and get their businesses back to a better place. The past 12 months have been  extremely difficult and reestablishing these local farming communities will take time; this funding could make all the difference to some farmers.”

We’ve been supporting our rural customers for the past 5 years with a low cost, 100% recycled, soil erosion solution for cattle yards, feeding troughs, horse stables, driveways and roads which has been widely adopted by the broader agribusiness and farming sectors based on its quality, cost effectiveness and simple installation.

With a load bearing of 1,200 tonnes per square metre, 24-hour production in our Sydney based plant and a strong distributor network, NSW farmers can access pallets of GEOHEX™ immediately.

Further details of the package including funding criteria and how to access the $140 million Bushfire Industry Recovery Package will be announced in the coming weeks.

GEOHEX™ Soil Erosion Control System is a unique and innovative soil stabilisation technology that helps mitigate erosion and manage water runoff. Made from 100% recycled impact resistant co-polymer polypropylene, GEOHEX™ is a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to concrete, bitumen or asphalt. For more information on GEOHEX™ call us on (02) 9603 5322 or email info@geohex.com.au.