WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/AG/N/AUS/77 
13 July 2010 
 (10-3815) 
Committee on Agriculture Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION  
 
  The following submission, dated 16 June 2010, is  being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of Australia .  The notification concerns new or modified domestic support measures 
exempt from reduction ( Table DS:2 ). 
 G/AG/N/AUS/77 
Page 2  
 
  Table DS:2 
DOMESTIC SUPPORT:  Australia  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction  
(1)  Full title of measure: Caring for our Country - Natural Heritage Trust  
(2)  Domestic legislation: Natural Heritage Trust Act 1997   
(3)  Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
Caring for our Country – Natural Heritage Trus t provides funding on a competitive basis for 
projects conducted by natural resource mana gement bodies, non-government organisations, 
industry bodies and landowners to improve environmental management and sustainable 
farming against clearly-defined outcomes and ta rgets.  The program facilitates changed land 
management practices by Australian farmers, e ither to enhance biodive rsity conservation or 
improve soil management. 
This program is exempt from reduction comm itments consistent with Paragraph 12 – 
Payments under environmental programs – of  Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture . 
(4)  Cost of measure:  
 Overall cost of measure (Budget) – $A1.30 billion 
 2008/09 expenditure – $A257.90 million (5)  Date of entry into effect:  From July 2008 
(6)  Period of application:  Initially to June 2013  
(7)  Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):  
  This measure is non-product-specific. 
  G/AG/N/AUS/77 
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  Table DS:2 
DOMESTIC SUPPORT:  Australia  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction  
(1) Full title of measure:   Caring for our Country – Landcare 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Natural Resource Management (Financial Assistance) Act 1992 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
Caring for our Country – Landcare aims to fac ilitate the development and implementation of 
integrated approaches to natural resource ma nagement in Australia for the purpose of 
achieving efficient, sustainable and equitable management of natural resources, consistent 
with the principles of ecologically-sustainable development.  
An Annual Business Plan outlines the national priorities and targets which the Australian 
Government is seeking to fund through a comp etitive project round.  Successful projects are 
those which address key targets, such as reducin g soil erosion and acidification, and reducing 
the impact of weeds of national significance and specified feral animals.  Caring for our 
Country – Landcare has a strong emphasis on improving land management practices, 
improving the skills and knowle dge of landholders, and improving ecosystem connectivity 
across private and public land.  Grantees must  be legal entities, usually community groups, 
and funding is not generally available to individual landholders.  Generally, community 
groups are provided with funding to undert ake activities to manage and improve the 
environment and natural resource sustainability. 
This program is exempt from reductions commitments consistent  with Paragraph 2 – General 
Services – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture . 
(4) Cost of measure:   
 Overall cost of measure (Budget) – $A180.00 Million 
 2008/09 expenditure – $A35.23 million  (5) Date of entry into effect:   1 July 2008 
(6) Period of application:   5 years. 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):   
 This measure is non-product-specific. G/AG/N/AUS/77 
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Table DS:2 
DOMESTIC SUPPORT:  Australia  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction  
 (1)  Full title of measure: Caring for our Country - Environmental Stewardship Program 
(2)  Domestic legislation: Nil. 
(3)  Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
Caring for our Country – Environmental St ewardship Program provides funding on a 
competitive basis for projects conducted by natural resource management bodies, non-
government organisations, industry bodies and landowners to improve environmental 
management and sustainable farming against clearly defined outcomes and targets. The program facilitates changed land management practices by Australian farmers, either to enhance biodiversity conservation or improve soil management.  
The Environmental Stewardship Program uses a competitive market based instrument to 
deliver funding to land managers for the purposes of managing high value environmental 
assets on their land consistent with specific environmental conditions. 
This program is exempt from reduction comm itments consistent with Paragraph 12 – 
Payments under environmental programs – of  Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture . 
(4)  Cost of measure:  
 Overall cost of measure (Budget) – $A37.00 million 
 2008/09 expenditure – $A7.04 million (5)  Date of entry into effect:  July 2008   
(6)  Period of application:  July 2008 – June 2013 
(7)  Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):  
 This measure is non-product-specific. 
 
  G/AG/N/AUS/77 
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  Table DS:2 
DOMESTIC SUPPORT:  Australia  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction  
(1) Full title of measure:   National Weeds and Productivity Research Program (NWPR) 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil. 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
The objective of the NWPR program is to inv estigate and address significant invasive plant 
problems and to improve advice to the farm sector on managing invasive plants in forests, 
pastures and native vegetation. 
This program is exempt from reduction commit ments consistent with Paragraph 2(a) – 
research – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture .  
(4) Cost of measure:   
 Overall cost of measure (Budget) – $A15.30 million 
 2008/09 expenditure – $A3.15 million  
(5) Date of entry into effect:   2008/09 
(6) Period of application:   Four years – 2008/09 until 2011/12 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):   
This measure is non-product-specific. G/AG/N/AUS/77 
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  Table DS:2 
DOMESTIC SUPPORT:  Australia  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction  
(1) Full title of measure:   Australia's Farming Future - Clim ate Change Adaptation Partnerships 
Program - FarmReady 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil. 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
Within the Australia’s Farming Future framewo rk, the FarmReady program aims to improve 
the adoption of risk management and busin ess management skills, and increase the adoption 
of new technologies and best practice management  to enable primary producers and industries 
to adapt and respond to the impacts of climate change. 
The program consists of two separate elements: 
• FarmReady Reimbursement Grants  to individual primary producers and indigenous 
land managers of up to $A1, 500 per financial year to a ttend approved climate change 
training activities;  and 
• FarmReady Industry Grants  of up to $A80,000 per financial year to industry 
organisations, farming groups  and natural resource manage ment groups to facilitate 
training and educational programs that will enable their members to adapt to the 
impacts of climate change.  Proposals may include new educational or training programs, adaptation of existing programs or implementation of current research 
results.  Activities could include, for exampl e, identifying strategies to combat 
emerging climate change issues, climate change related communication campaigns, facilitation of the uptake of best management techniques and strategies, and climate change adaptation and mitigation practices. 
This program is exempt from reduction commitm ents consistent with Paragraph 2(d) – 
extension and advisory services – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture . 
(4) Cost of measure:   
 Overall cost of measure (Budget) – $A26.50 million 
 2008/09 expenditure – $A3.04 million  (5) Date of entry into effect:   2008/09 
(6) Period of application:   4 years to 30 June 2012  
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):   
This measure is non-product-specific. 
  G/AG/N/AUS/77 
 Page 7 
 
 
  Table DS:2 
DOMESTIC SUPPORT:  Australia  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction  
(1) Full title of measure:   Promoting Australian Produce (Major Events) 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil. 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
Promoting Australian Produce (Major Events) pr ovided funding during 2008/09 to help stage 
major collaborative events that brought together  industry participants from across the value 
chain to share information and ideas, and pr omote the development and adoption of new 
technologies to improve productivity. 
This measure is exempt from reduction commit ments consistent with Paragraph 2(f) – 
marketing and promotion services – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture . 
(4) Cost of measure:   
 Overall  cost of measure (Budget) – $A3.00 million 
 2008/09 expenditure – $A2.67 million (5) Date of entry into effect:   19 December 2008 
(6) Period of application:   1 year 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):   
 This measure is non-product-specific. G/AG/N/AUS/77 
Page 8  
 
  Table DS:2 
DOMESTIC SUPPORT:  Australia  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction  
(1) Full title of measure:   AAA – Advancing Agricultural Industries Program (where AAA 
stands for Agriculture Advancing Australia) 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil. 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
 The AAA – Advancing Agricultural Industries Program provided funds  to national and 
regional organizations, local producer groups a nd individuals to develop their skills and 
knowledge through strategic planning, and pr ovide training in whole of supply chain 
programs. 
 The program is exempt from reduction commit ments consistent with  Paragraph 2(d) – 
extension and advisory services – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture . 
(4) Cost of measure:    
Overall  cost of measure (Budget) – $A40.00 million (See Point 6 – Period of application) 
 2008/09 expenditure  – $A1.58 million  
(5) Date of entry into effect:   1 July 2008  
(6) Period of application:    
 Initially, four years, however, the pr ogram was terminated on 30 June 2009. 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):   
 This measure is non-product-specific.  G/AG/N/AUS/77 
 Page 9 
 
 
  Table DS:2 
DOMESTIC SUPPORT:  Australia  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction  
(1) Full title of measure:  Climate Change Adjustment Program – Advice and Training Grant 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
The Climate Change Adjustment Program (CCAP) will assist primary producers who are, or 
are likely to be, adversely impacted by c limate change - including those experiencing 
hardship caused by drought - to obtain professiona l advice and training.  The objective of the 
program is to assist primary producers to plan to adjust their businesses to manage the 
impacts of climate change and improve the long- term financial viability of their operation. 
An Advice and Training Grant of up to $A5,500.00 is available for specialised professional 
advice, such as climate risk assessment and weather monitoring, across a range of areas to 
assist farmers to adjust to the impacts of climate change.  
The program is exempt from reduction commit ments consistent with  Paragraph 2(d) – 
extension and advisory services – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture . 
(4) Cost of measure:   
 Overall cost of measure (Budget) – $A14.96 million 
 2008/09 expenditure– $A0.27 million (5) Date of entry into effect:   1 July 2008 
(6) Period of application:   1 July 2008 – 30 June 2012 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):   
 This measure is non-product-specific. G/AG/N/AUS/77 
Page 10  
 
  Table DS:2 
DOMESTIC SUPPORT:  Australia  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction  
(1) Full title of measure:  Promoting Australian Produce  
(2) Domestic legislation:  Nil. 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
The Promoting Australian Produce Program will assist Australian food industry organisations 
and groups to better develop their capacity to ma rket their products. Over the next three years 
it will fund dollar-for-dollar grants of between  $A50,000.00 and $A750,000.00 to Australian 
food industry groups and organisa tions to assist them to develop their capacity to market, 
promote and encourage the deve lopment of regional brands. 
This program is exempt from reduction commit ments consistent with Paragraph 2(f) – 
marketing and promotion services – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture .   
(4) Cost of measure:   
 Overall cost of measure (Budget) – $A5.00 million  
 2008/09 expenditure – Nil  
(5) Date of entry into effect:   19 December 2008 
(6) Period of application:   3 years 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):   
 This measure is non-product-specific.  G/AG/N/AUS/77 
 Page 11 
 
 
  Table DS:2 
DOMESTIC SUPPORT:  Australia  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction  
(1) Full title of measure:   Bush Tender 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:   
Bush Tender is an auction-based approach to  improving the management of native vegetation 
on private land.  Under this system, landholders  competitively tender for contracts to better 
protect and improve their native vegetation.  Successful applicants receive payments to 
compensate them for their management actions  under agreements signed with the Victorian 
State Government Department of Sustainability and Environment.  
To apply, landholders must bid indicating anticip ated environmental benefits in areas such as 
salinity control, water quality, land protecti on and greenhouse gas management.  They also 
may gain grants if the area is of particularly high conservation significance. 
This program is exempt from reduction comm itments consistent with Paragraph 12 –
Payments under environmental programs – of  Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture . 
(4) Cost of measure:   
 Overall cost of measure (Budget) – Ongoing  2008/09 expenditure – $A1.21 million 
(5) Date of entry into effect:  July 2008  
(6) Period of application:  Year-by-year review 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):   
  This measure is non-product-specific. 
 
  
 
 
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