New breed of disaster assistance for flood-hit producers

Flood-impacted Queensland primary producers hard hit by stock losses can now apply for disaster assistance to rebuild their herds.

Primary Producer Recovery Grants of up to $75,000 are available to cover the cost of embryo transfer procedures to reinstate genetically valuable breeding stock.

An expansion of the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) allows eligible producers to be reimbursed for costs associated with synchronisation drugs, veterinary fees, labour and technicians, and travel for embryo transfer procedures.

Assistance is available to support primary producers directly impacted by the devastating Queensland Monsoon Trough, Cyclones Koji and Narelle and Severe Weather which commenced in December 2025. 

Primary producers in north, Far North and northwest Queensland can apply for the grants aimed at helping them quickly rebuild their stock levels and return to full production.

Losing genetically valuable breeding livestock and future breeders has severely affected the ability of producers to resume breeding operations to pre-disaster levels and reduced genetic improvement in key seedstock operations. 

Including embryo transfer as an eligible cost under the DRFA allows stud cattle enterprises and other affected producers to rebuild their herds and return to full production sooner.

In further good news for producers, the eligibility for embryo transfer procedures has been retrospectively applied to some previous disaster events.

Eligible events include the North and Far North Tropical Low floods of early-2025 and subsequent events where Primary Producer Grants were announced.

Primary producers can apply for the grants through the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA) – www.qrida.qld.gov.au. 

Financial support is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the DRFA.