Just for balance.Although we receive and expect nothing being hobby farmers, I thought I'd post this here as you might not see it otherwise.
http://theland.farmonline.com.au/news_daily.asp?ag_id=26679&s=15314
DAILY NEWS : AGRIBUSINESS AND GENERAL
Too much farm support? Try cars
Thursday, 26 May 2005
The NSW Farmers Association has released startling figures disputing claims from metropolitan media that farming is excessively supported.
Among the criticism from the urban media was Tuesday’s editorial in The Australian newspaper, which questioned whether drought relief encouraged efficient practices, as farmers knew aid would always be there if things got bad in drought years.
But figures prepared by the NSW Farmers Association reveal agriculture is the least supported major industry in Australia.
And drought aid pales into insignificance, when compared with the ongoing assistance provided to the manufacturing industry.
They show that in 2003-04 the Government provided $11 billion in business support to other forms of industry, of which the manufacturing industry received $10b.
This figure is made up of an equivalent $7.5b in tariff programs, virtually all of which is directed to the manufacturing sector.
The automotive industry received $2b in direct tax concessions, while the services sector received around $800m.
And the housing industry has received a $5.2b boost since the Government introduced its First Home Buyers grant.
According to NSW Farmers’ president, Mal Peters, this compares, in farming, with
• Just $79 million a year in direct business support to drought-affected farmers, and
• $137m/year in welfare support.
In total, the Federal Government has provided $225m/year over the past three years, in farm income and business support.
The Government does make the point that, when the cost of other drought-proofing programs is added, such as tax deductions for on-farm infrastructure and lost tax revenue from Farm Management Deposits, the figure is more like $1.6 billion a year.
Even on that basis, however, on an annualised basis, agriculture still receives just a fraction of the total aid given to nearly all of the other major industries.
SOURCE: The Land, NSW, May 26.
