Protect your farm against severe weather

Mark Dreyfus, minister for emergency management, and Peter Ryan, minister for regional and rural development, announced today (July 5) that the government would be providing additional assistance to those farmers in Victoria that were hit hardest by severe weather in 2011 and 2012.

Mr Ryan revealed that this assistance would provide a much-needed "boost" to the farming sector in Victoria, which is currently on the long road to recovery.

These ministers revealed that Category C Grants (which offer a maximum of $10,000) will be made available to primary producers in Victoria who operate in the most-impacted areas.

The grants are being jointly funded under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA).

Mr Dreyfus said they were being offered in addition to the "concessional interest rate loans already available to farmers under the NDRRA".

These farmers suffered from extreme losses and damages. However, even the smallest bit of damage as a result of severe weather could adversely impact the day-to-day activities you conduct on your farm.

At Elders Insurance, we provide a farm insurance policy that can cover your home and contents in the event that they are damaged by severe weather.

If you elect to have insured events cover, your property can be protected against such risks as lightning or thunderbolts; fire, smoke or explosions; earthquakes or tsunamis; storm, rainwater or wind (but not floods); and the impact of falling trees.

We also offer tailored crop insurance that takes the risks that extreme weather conditions can pose to your crops into consideration. Events such as hail or fire could spell the end for your carefully tended crops, so having insurance that covers you for this eventuality could give you peace of mind.

Of course, our insurance can cover you for much more than weather - contact your local Elders Insurance agent today and find out more!