Drought
Our staff are on the ground to support farmers with advice, resources and contacts leading up to, during and after drought.
How can Local Land Services support me with drought?
We are available with ongoing advice for farmers and landholders planning for and dealing with drought.
Our staff live in regional NSW to offer hands-on support and current, localised information and advice on managing and recovering from drought:
- our Livestock Officers provide technical advice on feeding and nutrition
- our District Veterinarians manage and advise on livestock health and welfare
- our TSR rangers manage permits for grazing on travelling stock reserves and roads.
How can I prepare for drought?
Support and resources are available to help you plan for when the next drought comes.
- The Farm Tracker App is a simple tool to help you monitor seasonal conditions on your property.
- The Combined Drought Indicator Map will help you understand the emergence of drought in your area, and give you time to put plans in place.
- The State Seasonal Update is produced by NSW DPI to give an overview of seasonal conditions
- Support is available through programs such as the Farm Innovation Fund and Farm Business Resilience Program and Drought Loan to help you plan and prepare
- The managing drought guide covers the range of issues you need to consider, including planning, strategies and a drought action plan.
What is the NSW DroughtHub?
The NSW Government’s DroughtHub provides full details of the wide range of practical and financial support available to people and businesses across the state. This includes information on:
- available drought assistance
- latest drought maps
- state seasonal updates
- managing during drought
- water resources during drought
- animal welfare during drought
- wellbeing
- assistance near you
- drought news and media.
What Australian Government Drought support is available?
The Australian Government has released a drought response, resilience and preparedness plan, with three themes:
- immediate action for those in drought
- support for the wider communities affected by drought
- long-term resilience and preparedness.
Visit the Australian Government's Drought, disaster and rural support page to find out more.
Where can I get access to drought information and resources?
Regardless of the season, we will continue to help landholders manage their farming businesses.
Before, during and after drought, our specialist staff are present in the paddock to support landholders. There are a range of publications, factsheets and apps on the NSW DroughtHub and elsewhere, including:
- Managing and preparing for drought 2018 (DPI)
- The Drought Handbook (Central Tablelands Local Land Services) PDF, 1191.96 KB
- Dealing with dry times video series
- Drought and supplementary feed calculator (DPI)
- Feeding and nutrition (DPI)
- Weeds and drought (DPI)
- Chemical residues in stock and stock food (DPI)
- Funny feeds - webinar (SheepConnect)
- Webinar - Confinement Feeding of Sheep (SheepConnect)
- Webinar - Containment feeding sheep – Q&A (SheepConnect)
- Drought Feeding and Management (AWI)
- A guide to confinement feeding sheep and cattle in NSW.
Key drought initiatives
We are working closely with the Southern and Northern Drought and Innovation Hubs and the Federal Government to deliver the following projects across NSW.
- Adoption officers: Local Land Services will receive $1.25 million in funding over the 2022-23 and 2023-24 financial years to employ an additional four extension officers who will assist in delivering drought planning and preparedness across the state.
- Saving our soils (stock management areas): Local Land Services will lead the saving our soils project over two years. This $1 million project is a partnership with six farming system groups and the Soil Knowledge Network. The project will deliver demonstration sites, case studies, workshops and follow-up design support for producers to establish stock management areas.
- Soil extension funding: LLS also received $750,000 in investment from the Australian government for three projects that will provide soil testing and soil health extension services across five Local Land Service regions.
Find out more about these initiatives.
CONTACT YOUR REGION FOR DROUGHT SUPPORT
Contact your local office and extension staff for advice on preparing, managing and recovering from drought:
If you’re unsure which region you’re in, you can look it up using our regional map.