Individually Droughted Property declarations

An Individually Droughted Property (IDP) declaration issued before 1 April 2022 allows you to apply for the Drought Relief Assistance Scheme (DRAS).

You do not need an IDP to access the drought assistance program.

Other government departments or councils may offer their own assistance measures which require an IDP to access.

Who is eligible

IDP declarations are available to all primary producers. This does not include hobby farmers, but does include share-farmers and lessees.

A hobby farmer is defined as someone who does not normally spend more than 50% of their labour on, and/or derive more than 50% of their gross income from a primary production enterprise.

Eligibility is based on:

  • the property being affected by a 1 in 10 to 15 year rainfall deficiency for the previous 12 months
  • pasture availability and water availability on the property indicating drought conditions
  • stocking rates for the property being acceptable for the type and class of land
  • the property having taken positive steps to respond to the drought (e.g. stocking rates have been reduced, drought feeding has already commenced)
  • no livestock other than your own is on the property
  • no livestock have been introduced within 16 weeks before the application for IDP is made.

Eligibility is based on:

  • the property being affected by a 1 in 10 to 15 year rainfall deficiency for the previous 12 months
  • you have shown a reasonable level of self-reliance in drought management
  • soil moisture, crop yields (expected yield reductions) and available irrigation water are indicative of drought conditions.

Additional criteria for sugar cane

Plant crop:

  • date of planting
  • presence or absence of subsoil moisture
  • whether the rate of germination is less than 60% (this would require the crop to be ploughed out)
  • whether the proportion of dead plants is greater than 40% of those that germinated (this would require plough-out)
  • the presence or absence of other non-drought-induced pest or disease factors that may affect germination or cause plant death
  • whether rainfall during months critical for plant cane establishment was significantly less than average.

Ratoon crop:

  • date of harvest of previous crop
  • dead stools greater than 40%
  • ratoon crop so backward by mid-December that, even with wet-season rains, they will not recover to produce a viable crop (water-logging of backward crops by wet-season rains could even contribute to crop failure)
  • presence or absence of non drought-induced pests or diseases
  • whether or not rainfall during months critical for ratoon crop development is significantly less than average.

Both crops:

  • assessment of crop potential (per block) versus 5-year average production, using data from mill records and farmer records, and information from cane inspectors.

How to apply

Complete the relevant application form for either:

  • livestock properties
  • agricultural and horticultural properties.

You can attach additional information to illustrate the impact of the drought on your property (e.g. property rainfall record, photos of water storages, etc).

Once you have completed the form, send it to your local Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) climate risk coordinator to be approved.

They will assess your application and approve or decline it based on how well you meet the criteria. They may also inspect your property to confirm conditions and drought management practices.

Applications are usually assessed within 10 working days of being submitted. You will be notified in writing of the outcome.

Find your local climate risk coordinator

Call the Customer Service Centre on 13 25 23, or contact your local climate risk coordinator by email or post.

Kingaroy

Rockhampton

Toowoomba

Charters Towers

Unsuccessful applications

If your IDP application is not approved, you may ask DAF to review the decision. Your application will be reviewed by either the state climate risk coordinator or by the Director, Drought Policy and Response.

If you are dissatisfied with this review, you may appeal the decision by writing to the Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries.

Length of declaration

IDP declarations are effective from the date of approval. If the assessment of your application is delayed, the declaration may be made effective from the date of application.

Revoking an IDP declaration

An IDP declaration can be revoked:

Before you apply to have your property's drought-declared status revoked, make sure you have enough pasture and water to last a minimum of 12 months at normal or near-normal stocking rates.

Once the status is revoked, your property will not be eligible for a drought declaration for 12 months. After 12 months, your property will need to again meet the eligibility criteria in order to become drought declared.

A DAF climate risk coordinator may revoke an IDP declaration only after widespread rainfall and improved conditions. They will revoke an IDP only if conditions on the property have improved so that there is enough water and pasture to last a minimum of 12 months at normal or near-normal stocking rates.

  • Last reviewed: 21 Sep 2022
  • Last updated: 21 Sep 2022