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Assistance Available For Irrigation UpgradesFinancial assistance continues to be available to farmers in and adjacent to the Macalister Irrigation District (MID) to assist them to make their farms more water-efficient. By Department of Primary Industries - 16th August 2006 - Back to News A rebate of seventy-five percent is available to assist with the completion of a whole farm plan.
For farmers who already have a whole farm plan and are in a position to spend money on their irrigation layout, the next few months may be an appropriate time to install a re-use system or to change an area from flood to spray irrigation.
Irrigation re-use systems attract a rebate of fifty percent of the cost of construction up to a maximum of $17,400 plus GST each. The costs that can be included when building a re-use include digging the sump, drainage works, pump, motor, suction and delivery lines, a shed, power connection and fences.
Re-use systems in the MID re-cycle between one and two megalitres of water annually for each hectare of flood irrigated land that they collect water off. This dramatically improves farm water security.
If land is converted from flood to spray irrigation a rebate of fifteen percent of the cost of construction, up to a maximum of $430 per hectare plus GST, is paid. Any costs that are incurred in making the change will be considered in calculating the rebate.
Landholder experience indicates that converting land to spray irrigation will save around one megalitre of water per hectare due to reduced run off, and depending on soil type, up to five megalitres per hectare due to reduced deep drainage. Again, these savings can dramatically improve farm water security.
Farmers who wish to participate in the Irrigation Incentives Program are asked to contact Ken Slee or Chris Kooloos at DPI Maffra on 5147 0800 for further information.
This program is funded under the Victorian State Government’s Gippsland Lakes Future Directions and Action Plan and Water Smart Farms Initiative.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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