Water for Fodder

The Water for Fodder program is part of the Australian Government's Drought Response, Resilience and Preparedness Plan.

Under the program, 40 gigalitres of water was produced from the Adelaide Desalination Plant and an equivalent amount released upstream from the River Murray.

Farmers in the southern connected Murray–Darling Basin were able to apply to purchase South Australian River Murray water (Trading Zone 12) at a discounted rate. The water had to be used to grow fodder and pasture. This helped farmers to maintain their breeding stock during the drought.

Round 1 of the program opened on 11 December 2019 and due to over-subscription, closed on 13 December 2019. Under round 1, 800 parcels of 50 megalitres of water were available at $5,000 ($100 per megalitre).

Following the review of Round 1 and consultation with South Australia, the Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia, the Hon. Keith Pitt MP, has announced that there will not be a second round of the Water for Fodder program.

Remaining funding will be redirected to other programs that benefit farmers and communities in the Murray–Darling Basin.

While Round 1 was successful, more water is available in the southern Basin due to autumn rainfall. This has reduced the need for a second round as an emergency drought response.

Read more about the Water for Fodder Program here: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/water/mdb/programs/basin-wide/water-for-fodder