On-farm Drought Infrastructure Rebate Scheme
Key dates
Applications will close on 31 January 2026.
Grant funding is only available for eligible items paid for on or after 26 November 2024.
Applicants who applied for Tier 1 funding on or before 17 April 2025 can apply for additional funding under Tier 2.
From 17 April 2025 applicants may seek prepayment for eligible activities before the costs are incurred.
Grant details
The On-Farm Drought Infrastructure Rebate Scheme is for primary producers to implement infrastructure projects that assist with managing current drought conditions and strengthen preparedness for future droughts.
Where payment is made in advance, eligible activities must be completed within 6 months of receiving grant funds.
Only one application will be accepted per ABN for a primary production business, except for Tier 1 applicants who applied on or before 17 April 2025 who are eligible to access additional funding under Tier 2.
Amounts
Tier 1: 75% rebate – grants of up to $5,000 (GST exclusive)
Successful applicants must be able to cover the full cost of the infrastructure and will be reimbursed through the grant for 75% of the total cost up to a maximum grant of $5,000 GST exclusive. Applicants must contribute at least 25% of the total infrastructure cost.
Applicants that have already applied or been approved for Tier 1 funding will have the opportunity to access additional funding under Tier 2. This will be up to the difference between the funding already allocated and the maximum funding available under Tier 2.
Information if you have already submitted a Tier 1 application
Information if you have already submitted a Tier 1 application
If you have applied on or before 17 April 2025 and been granted pre-approval under Tier 1 and have not yet received payment, you do not need to take any action. Based on the changes to the grant disbursement process that allow for pre-payment, we will contact you regarding the payment process.
Accessing additional funding
- If your original Tier 1 application indicates that you are entitled to a higher grant amount under Tier 2 and you have provided us sufficient evidence of expenditure or planned expenditure, we will assess your eligibility for funding up to the maximum of $20,000 available under the program and process the application accordingly.
- This applies to all applications submitted on or before 17 April 2025 including those which have already been approved and paid, those which were pre-approved (whether paid or not) and those applications still in progress.
- If we have evidence from your original Tier 1 application that you are entitled to a higher amount under the terms of the program, we will process your application accordingly and pay the maximum amount that you are eligible for based on the evidence you have provided. You do not need to re-apply.
- If you wish to provide evidence of additional expenditure (not previously provided) in order to access additional funding now available under Tier 2, you can submit a second application using the form below. Do not include any expenditure information already provided in your Tier 1 application. You only need to tell us about expenditure on new activities or additional expenditure on the original activities that you did not previously report.
See More information about the On-farm Drought Infrastructure Rebate Scheme.
Tier 2: 50% rebate – grants of up to $20,000 (GST exclusive)
Successful applicants must be able to cover the full cost of the infrastructure and will be reimbursed through the grant for 50% of the total cost up to a maximum grant of $20,000 GST exclusive. Applicants must contribute at least 50% of the total infrastructure cost.
Other State or Federal Government funding, including grants, concessional loans, or insurance claim funds, cannot be used towards the applicant’s contribution.
Eligibility
To apply for this rebate, the following conditions must be met:
- You are a property owner, share-farmer or lessee in the primary production industry.
- You are a commercial apiarist (managing at least 50 hives).
- Your business is registered with the Australian Taxation Office as a Primary Producer and has an Australian Business Number (ABN) that was registered as at 26 November 2024 and is registered for GST.
- Your property is located in South Australia.
- As the property owner and operator, share-farmer or lessee:
- you earn more than 50% of your gross income from your primary production business under normal seasonal circumstances, OR
- you have commenced your farming operation within the last 12 months and 50 per cent of your gross income will be derived from your Primary Production Business within three years of the date of your Application. Eligibility of new entrants will be considered on a case-by-case basis
- You are required to make payment of a minimum 25% of the costs for Tier 1 applications and a minimum of 50% of the costs for any Tier 2 application after any eligible rebate, excluding insurance, other Government grants or concessional loans.
- The drought infrastructure in respect of your application is installed on your property and improves drought management and preparedness.
- You purchased and installed new eligible drought infrastructure, or repaired or replaced existing eligible drought infrastructure on or after 26 November 2024.
- You have not received funding from another South Australian or Australian Government program in respect of the same activities.
You are not eligible to apply for funding under the scheme if you did not meet all the terms and conditions placed on any previous Government of South Australia funding, grant or concessional loan provided to you.
Eligible activities
Eligible activities
Eligible activities include and but are not limited to:
- items to construct a new, or upgrade an existing, stock containment area, such as fencing, gates, troughs, piping, tanks and pumps
- reticulated water systems using pumps, piping, tanks and troughs for livestock
- water pumps and associated water distribution systems (includes desalination plants, leak detection units, water level sensors, dam covers, plastic sheeting, dissolved oxygen probes and sensors, aeration systems)
- pipes associated with connecting to new water sources as an emergency measure
- irrigation system upgrades (for example: automated systems) that will improve water use efficiency and drought resilience
- purchase or repair of fixed infrastructure (for example: irrigation pumps, repair piping, replace troughs, upgrade tanks) and upgrade of pond liners, upgrading water storage facilities that will improve water use efficiency and drought resilience
- improved on-farm water infrastructure for stock management (for example: consolidating, enlarging or desilting farm dams, sludge removal from tanks and bores)
- technologies to improve drought management efficiencies to farm production systems (for example: soil moisture monitoring equipment, weather stations, telemetry sensor equipment)
- grain and fodder storage (for example: silos, silage bunkers, hay sheds)
- internal fencing to better match property layout with land capability or improve management
- fencing for the exclusion of wildlife to protect and manage crops, pastures and livestock
- drilling of new stock water bores and associated materials and power supply such as generators
- improving wastewater and effluent management systems
- upgrading of areas (for example: laneway upgrades, repairs or expansion) to control erosion and improving stock access to water
- feeding system upgrades (for example: feed pads or feed troughs) to reduce impacts of drought (for example: to reduce erosion caused by stock)
- Infrastructure to maintain apiary operations during drought conditions (such as feeders, storage facilities, mixing equipment and facilities, water storage and systems)
- any freight component to purchase and install the equipment set out in the above activities
- third party contractor hire costs for the installation and implementation of the above eligible activities
- any other activity that the Minister or the Minister’s delegate is satisfied assists in managing drought conditions and/or strengthens preparedness of future droughts.
Ineligible activities
Ineligible activities
Rebates are not available for:
- fodder or water carting expenses
- management tools that are part of standard farm production and not directly contributing to drought preparedness (for example: finance software)
- wages for employees, self-assessed labour or transport costs not associated with the supply of purchased equipment
- livestock electronic identification devices or equipment
- training costs
- loss of income
- replacing existing agricultural machinery and equipment (for example: tractors and trailers)
- purchase, lease or acquisition of land
- purchase, lease or maintenance of vehicles (for example: tractors, cars, motorbikes, quadbikes, quadbike safety devices and trucks)
- utilities and operating costs of the business (for example: gas, electricity, rates)
- standard variable inputs (normal operations, for example: water, grain, fertiliser, seed and fodder)
- purchase of livestock
- standard boundary, fencing that is deemed by the Minister or the Minister’s delegate to be standard maintenance or house fencing
- annual fees and charges (for example: lease fees, software or publication subscriptions)
- administration, legal or insurance costs
- breeding technologies (for example: DNA analysis, semen purchases, artificial insemination, or embryo transplant program)
- farm business exit strategy assistance
- activities not ready for implementation
- activities that are the legal responsibility of the landowner
- activities deemed by the Minister or the Minister’s delegate to be general ongoing maintenance and associated with the standard operation of the enterprise
- any infrastructure works completed or paid for prior to 26 November 2024
- firefighting or fire protection equipment.
How to apply
Read the On-farm Drought Infrastructure Rebate Scheme Guidelines ().
You must include the following supporting documentation with your application:
- Copies of all tax invoices and receipts (or quotes if seeking pre-approval) showing:
- details of the goods or services supplied, clearly identifiable as related to drought management and preparedness infrastructure costs
- GST exclusive cost of those goods or services
- your business name, address and ABN.
- Copies of any approvals required to complete activities as part of this application.
- Completed and signed acquittal form ().
Complete the online form
- Open the rebate application form on the myPIRSA portal.
- Login or register for myPIRSA. You may receive a message confirming that your myPIRSA service for the On-farm Drought Infrastructure Rebate Scheme is now available – this means you can now sign in and complete your application.
- Select 'Launch service' (blue button).
- Click 'submit' (blue button).
- Select 'On-Farm Drought Infrastructure Rebate Scheme' approved service (green and white button).
- Provide all requested information and supporting documents.
- Submit your application.
You will receive a receipt number on screen and via email after submitting the form.
Applications will enter the assessment queue when all required information is provided. Applications will be assessed in the order that they are received.
Pre-approval submissions
Applicants who have been granted pre-approval and have not yet received payment do not need to take any action, as we will make payment based on the evidence submitted.
Fraud
If you believe someone has submitted a fraudulent application for the On-Farm Drought Infrastructure Rebate Scheme, or that a recipient of grant funding has not spent their grant on eligible equipment or activities as described in the guidelines, PIRSA encourages you to make a report.
Contact
Phone: 1800 931 314
Email: PIRSA.Recovery@sa.gov.au
