Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, has announced that the Rural Financial Counselling Services scheme will be continued across Australia for a further four years.

 

The Australian Government will provide $54.9 million over four years in grants to the 14 state and regional organisations that currently deliver the RFCS on behalf of the Government.

 

This includes $13.3 million in funding in 2011-12 and a further $41.6 million from 2012-13 to 2014-15 to support the program.

 

The  RFCS provides free and vital assistance to farmers, fishers and small rural businesses in financial difficulty throughout Australia.

 

Mr Ludwig said the government recognised the challenges faced by farmers and food producers as a result of conditions such as droughts and floods, pest and disease threats and resource constraints.

 

“Rural financial counsellors provide a wide range of information to help farmers in rural and regional Australia identify financial and business options and negotiate with their lenders. In 2009-10 alone, more than 10,200 farming, fishing and small rural business clients accessed the services provided by rural financial counsellors across the country.”

 

There are more than 190 people employed by not-for-profit organisations delivering rural financial counselling services, with 119 of these people working as rural financial counsellors.

 

Further information on the RFCS, including the locations and contact details of rural financial counsellors, are at www.rfcs.gov.au.