Table DS:2

DOMESTIC SUPPORT: AUSTRALIA

Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction

(1) Full title of measure:

Climate-Smart Agriculture Program 

(2) Domestic legislation reference:

Natural Heritage Trust of Australia Act (1997)

(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:

The Climate-Smart Agriculture Program (CSA Program) funds best practice sustainable agriculture and natural resource management activities. The CSA Program has established 9 integrated investment streams, which are being delivered with best practice grant management, monitoring and evaluation and procurement systems and processes. In the 2023-24 financial year, 6 investment streams provided funding to the agriculture sector:

(i)_        Regional Soil Coordinators and Soil Community of Practice: Funding supports networks for researchers, primary producers and community groups, and provides a forum for soil practitioners to share the latest soil science information and tools. The Funding is being provided to Soil Science Australia, a national soil science body, and to a network of eight Regional Soil Coordinators across Australia.

(ii)_       Supporting National Landcare Organisation: Funding maintains the operational capacity of national landcare organisations. The funding is being provided to Landcare Australia Limited and the National Landcare Network.

(iii)_      Australian National Soil Information System and National Soil Monitoring Program: Funding supports soil health. This includes funding to design and deliver a new National Soil Monitoring Program. The data collected will be standardised and made publicly available on the Australian National Soil Information System. Funding is provided through a direct partnership with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

(iv)_     Sustainable Agriculture Facilitators: Funding supports a national network of Sustainable Agriculture Facilitators that ensures farmers have access to trusted advice on climate-smart agricultural practices, and carbon and biodiversity markets, to inform critical investment decisions for their future sustainability. Funding is being provided to the Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator personnel within each of the 52 Regional Delivery Partners.

(v)_      Regional Capacity Services: Funding maintains the operational capacity of natural resource management delivery partners. Funding is provided to a network of natural resource management organisations to maintain their operational capacity to deliver projects under the CSA Program.

(vi)_     Regional Landscape Priority Projects and Emergency Preparedness: All natural resource management regions across Australia have developed emergency preparedness plans covering biodiversity and agricultural natural capital.

This program meets the criteria of paragraphs 1 & 2(d) (extension and advisory services) because it does not involve direct payments to producers and includes the provision of means to facilitate the transfer of information and the results of research to producers.

(4) Cost of measure:

2023-24 expenditure AUD 19.881 million

Overall budgeted cost AUD 302.1 million

(5) Date of entry into effect:

1 July 2023

(6) Period of application:

1 July 2023 to 30 June 2028

(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):

No specific product

Table DS:2

DOMESTIC SUPPORT: AUSTRALIA

Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction

(1) Full title of measure:

Partnerships Against Pests

(2) Domestic legislation reference:

Catchment & Land Protection Act (1994) (Victoria)

(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:

This measure supports community-based organisations and partnerships to work collaboratively with Traditional Owner Corporations (TOCs) and Aboriginal Victorians to deliver established species management capacity and capability building projects that align with Whole-of-Country Plans, respect Traditional Owner expertise, and recognise and implement decisions that Traditional Owners make over traditional lands and resources.

The structured community grant program provides funding for invasive plant and animal management projects. Eligible entities include organised community groups, specific longstanding community pest management groups (gorse, serrated tussock, rabbits, blackberry) and traditional owner corporations. Applications are assessed and approved through a structured community and government-represented Advisory Board.

The program meets the criteria of Annex 2, paragraph 1 and 2(b) (pest and disease control) because it does not involve direct payments to producers or processors and seeks to prevent the spread of pests and diseases which impact the agriculture or the rural community.

(4) Cost of measure:

2023-24 expenditure AUD 0.781 million

Overall budgeted cost AUD 5.2 million

(5) Date of entry into effect:

July 2022

(6) Period of application:

1 July 2022 to 30 June 2027 

(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):

No specific product

Table DS:2

DOMESTIC SUPPORT: AUSTRALIA

Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction

(1) Full title of measure:

Victoria's Fruit Fly Strategy Grants 2021-2025

(2) Domestic legislation reference:

This measure does not sit under any specific legislation. It is supported by a budget commitment provided by the Victorian Government in May 2021.

(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:

The Fruit Fly Strategy Grants provide support for regional fruit fly programs to adapt in their management of the fruit fly. They fund full-time Regional Fruit fly Coordinators in each of the three largest fruit growing regions in Victoria (Goulburn Murray Valley, Greater Sunraysia and the Yarra Valley). The funding covers the surveillance of fruit fly to better inform affected communities, focussing on educating landholders in the region, particularly home gardeners and landholders in places with high fruit fly populations.

The program meets the criteria of Annex 2, paragraph 1 and 2(b) (pest and disease control) because it does not involve direct payments to producers or processors and seeks to prevent the spread of pests and diseases which impact the agriculture or the rural community.

(4) Cost of measure:

2023-24 expenditure AUD 1.52 million

Overall budgeted cost AUD 6.4 million

(5) Date of entry into effect:

1 October 2021 (funding allocation date)

(6) Period of application:

1 October 2021 to 30 June 2025

(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):

Horticulture

Table DS:2

DOMESTIC SUPPORT: AUSTRALIA

Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction

(1) Full title of measure:

Western Port Recycled Water Scheme

(2) Domestic legislation reference:

The Western Port Recycled Water Scheme does not sit under any specific legislation. The project is being delivered by South East Water Corporation, which is a statutory authority under the Victorian Water Act (1989).

(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:

The Western Port Recycled Water Scheme will provide over 4,000 megalitres per annum of recycled water to 40-60 farms within the Cardinia Shire Council's special agricultural land use zone.  The project will construct a new pump station, trunk main, approximately 49km of recycled water pipelines, as well as an upgrade to the Pakenham Class A treatment plant to increase capacity to 8 megalitres per day.

This program complies with Annex 2, paragraphs 1 & 2(g) (infrastructural services) because it does not involve direct payments to producers and provides infrastructural services related to water supply facilities.

(4) Cost of measure:

2024-25 expenditure AUD 0 million

Overall budgeted cost AUD 113.20 million

(5) Date of entry into effect:

3 February 2025

(6) Period of application:

February 2025 to 2029

(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):

No specific product

Table DS:2

DOMESTIC SUPPORT: AUSTRALIA

Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction

(1) Full title of measure:

Victorian Water Infrastructure for Sustainable and Efficient Regions (WISER) Initiative.

(2) Domestic legislation reference:

This measure does not sit under any specific legislation. The projects are being delivered by five Water Corporations, which are statutory authorities under the Victorian Water Act (1989).

(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:

The initiative provides funding towards the delivery of the following projects for Victoria:

(i)_        Gellibrand River Restoration and Supply Resilience: To supplement urban water supplies with groundwater, which will reduce extraction from the Gellibrand River. This will lead to meaningful environmental outcomes for a regionally significant river and estuaries, and ensure climate-resilient water supply to urban, agricultural and processing industry customers.

(ii)_       Growing the Surf Coast Hinterland and Protecting the Karaff: To harvest urban stormwater from Torquay before it enters the sensitive and high-value Karaff coastal saltmarsh. The harvested stormwater will then be combined with local recycled water to supply the Surf Coast hinterland.

(iii)_      Rutherglen Reuse Scheme: To upgrade current recycled water supply quality from Class C to Class A equivalent, allowing for greater integrated water management benefits and outdoor uses for irrigation and urban housing developments, and reduced reliance on Murray River water supplies.

(iv)_     King Road Recycled Water Wetlands Storage: To construct a series of wetlands at the King Road Wastewater Treatment Plant, providing an additional 60 megalitres of storage and capacity to produce Class B recycled water for integrated water management outcomes and enhanced environmental values.

(v)_      Water Security for Buchan: To replace ageing infrastructure with new tanks and treatment equipment to provide water security and reliability to the small rural community of Buchan.

This program complies with Annex 2, paragraphs 1 & 2(g) (infrastructural services) because it does not involve direct payments to producers and provides infrastructural services related to water supply facilities.

(4) Cost of measure:

2024-25 expenditure AUD 0 million

Overall budgeted cost AUD 40.6 million

(5) Date of entry into effect:

3 February 2025

(6) Period of application:

2025 to 2027

(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):

No specific product 

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