The New South Wales government has been criticised for offering “critical producer” farming grants to metropolitan areas in Sydney. 

The “critical producer” grant program run by the Rural Assistance Authority provides up to $100,000 to farmers impacted by “severe weather and flooding that occurred from February 2022 onwards”.

The grant is offered only to primary producers in forestry, aquaculture, horticulture, and agriculture including broadacre cropping.

However, 16 of the 62 eligible local government areas (LGA) are located in suburban Sydney, including the LGAs of Parramatta, Strathfield, Ryde, and the Inner West.

But several rural council areas currently being inundated, such as the Lachlan, Forbes and Bland Shires in the central west, and Moree and Narrabri in the north, are not eligible.

A spokesperson for the Department of Primary Industries has told reporters that the critical producer grant is for industries that were disaster declared for flooding in February and March this year.

Primary producers who have been affected more recently are being encouraged to respond to the Primary Industries Natural Disaster Damage Survey.

A spokesperson for Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke says the state is working with the Commonwealth to provide more targeted support for flood-affected communities under the jointly funded Disaster Relief Funding Arrangements.