• Home
• Changes To The Native Vegetation Act 2003
• Native Vegetation Act 2003
• Native Vegetation Regulation 2005
• Environmental Outcomes Assessment Methodology
• Public Register
• Vulnerable Land
• State Protected Land
• Native Vegetation compliance fact sheet
• Compliance Policy
• Native Vegetation Assistance Package
• Native Vegetation Reports
• Protocols

Information sheets

The NSW Government's native vegetation assistance package

Sustainable farming grants

The Native Vegetation Act 2003 brought an end to broadscale land clearing across the state as part of the NSW Government’s wide-ranging reform to the management and protection of native vegetation. While the vast majority of landholders are not affected, the new native vegetation laws may impact some landholders, particularly those with large areas of undeveloped land, or who want to change the way they do business.

The Government’s $37 million Native Vegetation Assistance Package (NVAP) has been established to assist landholders who are directly disadvantaged by being unable to clear native vegetation on their property. The package is funded by the Environmental Trust and will be available to eligible landholders until 30 June 2009.

The package consists of three components:

• Sustainable Farming Grants ($15 million)
• Farmer Exit Assistance ($12 million) (see Info Sheet 16a for more information)
• Offset Pool ($10 million) (see Info Sheet 16c for more information).

Each component provides assistance to meet particular needs and has specific eligibility criteria. Check the relevant information sheet or contact your local Catchment Management Authority (CMA) for more information.

Sustainable Farming Grants are also available for landholders affected by the Private Native Forestry Code of Practice. For more information go to www.environment.nsw.gov.au/pnf.

What is a Sustainable Farming Grant?

Sustainable Farming Grants are available to eligible landholders who suffer a real financial loss as a result of the native vegetation reforms. The grants are designed to help landholders adjust to the native vegetation reforms and support the development of sustainable farming. Grants of up to $80,000 per property are available for projects that generate greater on-farm income and benefit the environment.

These projects could include:

• diversifying enterprises
• adding value to existing enterprises
• developing alternative income
• adopting best-practice conservation farming
• restructuring the farm business
• developing property and/or purchasing land.

Applicants will be required to match the Government’s contribution toward the cost of their project and to complete an accredited sustainable farm management course before entering into, or during the life of, the funding agreement. All grant proposals will be assessed and approved by the CMA.

Am I eligible for a Sustainable Farming Grant?

To qualify for a Sustainable Farming Grant, a landholder must:

• be unable to gain approval to clear native vegetation, assessed through the property vegetation plan (PVP) process undertaken with their CMA (or DECC in the case of harvesting for Private Native Forestry)
• demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the NSW Rural Assistance Authority, real financial loss as a result of being unable to clear native vegetation.

If you meet these criteria, you will need to submit a project proposal to your local CMA. Project proposals will be assessed by a CMA Assessment Panel, taking into consideration the:

• project objectives
• project budget and timeframe
• landholder’s capacity to carry out the project
• likely impact on farm viability
• project’s consistency with sustainable farm management principles.

Demonstrating real financial loss

The NSW Rural Assistance Authority will undertake an assessment of real financial loss. The assessment is based on the expected financial contribution the proposed clearing would make toward the following factors:

• operating costs of the farm business
• living costs of the farm family
• servicing farm business debts
• future capital requirements for plant and improvements
• investment in sustainable farming systems.

Eligible landholders also must have contributed the majority of their labour to the farm business and generate the majority of their income from that business.

How do I apply?

If you have been unable to gain approval to clear native vegetation through the PVP assessment process and would like to apply for a Sustainable Farming Grant, you will need to complete the following forms, available from your PVP officer:

• Application for Native Vegetation Assistance Package
  (to be submitted to the NSW Rural Assistance Authority)
• Project Proposal for Sustainable Farming Grant
  (to be submitted to the CMA)

You will also need to provide supporting documents to make the case for real financial loss, including tax returns and financial statements.

Successful applicants will enter into a funding agreement with their local CMA. Grants will be available until funds are exhausted or all eligible applications received before 30 June 2009 have been offered assistance, whichever occurs first.

For more information

Your PVP officer will be able to provide more information on the Native Vegetation Assistance Package, or you can contact the CMA Native Vegetation Assistance Package Team on 02 6881 3429.

Note: This information does not constitute formal legal advice. Please seek specific advice from your local CMA before undertaking any clearing or taking action based on the expectation of receiving farmer exit assistance.