Farmers across Gippsland will benefit from improvements to the delivery of the Farm Household Allowance (FHA) payment, which will make it easier for those who are experiencing hardship. Member for Gippsland Darren Chester said the changes resulted from feedback provided by local dairy farmers who were affected by retrospective cuts to milk prices in 2016. Dairy roundtables were held in Maffra and Morwell.“We are listening to the concerns of farmers and we have moved to help speed up the payment of FHA and more accurately treat farm assets for eligibility,” Mr Chester said. “Farmers told us at community forums that the application process for farm household support needed to be improved. The Coalition Government has listened, and we will make changes in the Parliament. “The Farm Household Allowance payment is vital to farmers who need to put food on the table and keep paying the bills, when they are experiencing financial hardship. “Our agriculture sector is critical to Gippsland’s economic prosperity. It’s important our farmers get the support they need.” The amendments to the Farm Household Support Act 2014 have been introduced to clarify the definition of farm assets used in the running of their business, such as water assets and shares in a farming cooperative, when assessing eligibility. The amendments address the issue of such assets, necessary for the operation of the farm enterprise, falling within the definition of non-farm asset, which has stricter assets limits and can prevent some rightfully eligible farm businesses from receiving payment. This means more farm businesses in Gippsland will be eligible to receive assistance, with farm assets, such as water, being treated in the same light as other assets needed to run a farm business, such as land and machinery. The legislation also removes the requirement to serve an Ordinary Waiting Period or Liquid Assets Waiting Period before applicants can receive payment. This will mean farmers in need More than 7000 claims have been granted nationally since the FHA was introduced, giving farmers access to one-on-one case support, activity supplements and income support. For more information on the FHA visit http://www.agriculture.gov.au/ag-farm-food/drought/assistance/farm-household-allowance