WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/AG/N/AUS/64 
20 February 2007 
 (07-0699) 
Committee on Agriculture Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION  
 
  The following submission, dated 8 February 2007, 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/64 
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:   South Australian Government Adelaide Plains Flood Relief Program 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria: 
 
The Adelaide Plains flood on 8 November 2005 was a major natural disaster resulting in approximately 1,000 hectares of land being flooded and losses estimated at $40 million. 
 Payments of up to $10,000 were available to  assist affected farm business enterprises meet 
immediate recovery costs attributable to the flood event.  To be eligible for assistance, 
recipients must have incurred a financial loss exceeding $10,000 as a direct result of the flood 
event. 
 This programme is exempt from the reduction commitment consistent with paragraph 8 –
payments for relief from natural disasters – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture. 
(4) Cost of measure:  $A0.85 million  
(5) Date of entry into effect:   10 November 2005 
(6) Period of application:   15 February 2006 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):   
 
 This measure is non-product specific.  G/AG/N/AUS/64 
 Page 3 
 
 
  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:   Australian Vegetable Industry Development Group 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
  
 The Australian Vegetable Industry Development Group was established in August 2005 as an  extension and advisory body to assist the vege table industry to develop strategic plans and 
 projects to help the industry make operational improvements.    The funding contributes to the administrative costs of the Australian Vegetable Industry  Development Group and its access to expertise. 
 
This programme is exempt from the reduction commitment consistent w ith paragraph 2(d) – 
extension and advisory services – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture. 
(4) Cost of measure:  $A3 million  
(5) Date of entry into effect:   August 2005 
(6) Period of application:   30 June 2008 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):   
 Vegetables G/AG/N/AUS/64 
Page 4  
 
  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:   Citrus Canker Assistance Package – Relief Payment 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
 
Assistance is available to Qu eensland citrus growers and c itrus production nurseries facing 
serious financial pressure following an outbreak of  citrus canker in the Emerald region of the 
state of Queensland.  The outbreak resulted in the removal and destruction of infected trees 
and the establishment of a quarantine zone to rest rict the  movement of plant and plant related 
material out of the zone.  
A loss of income of at least 30% is required to qualify for assistance.  The amount of support 
available to citrus growers is equivalent to Australian unemployment benefits and is 
assessable for income tax purposes.  No produc tion is required to qualify for assistance. 
 This programme is exempt from the reduction commitment consistent with paragraph 8 – 
payments for relief from natural disasters – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture.  
(4) Cost of measure:  $A0.4 million  
(5) Date of entry into effect:   11 February 2005 
(6) Period of application:   10 February 2007 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):  
 Citrus  G/AG/N/AUS/64 
 Page 5 
 
 
  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:   Citrus Canker Assistance Package – Interest Rate Subsidy 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
 
Assistance is available to Qu eensland citrus growers and c itrus production nurseries facing 
serious financial pressure following an outbreak of  citrus canker in the Emerald region of the 
state of Queensland.  The outbreak resulted in the removal and destruction of infected trees 
and the establishment of a quarantine zone to rest rict the  movement of plant and plant related 
material out of the zone.  
Interest rate subsidies up to a maximum of $100,000 per year over two financial years are 
available on commercial loans to citrus growers th at suffered a severe loss of income (at least 
30 per cent) as a direct result of the citrus canke r outbreak.  Assistance to eligible recipients 
outside the Emerald quarantine zone is subject to  an assets test and interest rate subsidies are 
assessable for income tax purposes.  No produc tion is required to qualify for assistance. 
 
 This programme is exempt from the reducti on commitment consistent with paragraph 8 – 
payments for relief from natural disasters – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture. 
(4) Cost of measure:  $A1 million  
(5) Date of entry into effect:   11 February 2005 
(6) Period of application:   30 June 2006 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):   
 Citrus 
 G/AG/N/AUS/64 
Page 6  
 
  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:   Queensland Government Rural Water Use Efficiency Initiative 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
  
The Rural Water Use Efficiency (RWUE) sch eme is a government-industry partnership to 
improve water management practices and achieve water use efficiency through extension and 
advisory services such as workshops, farm demonstrations and extension activities.  The RWUE scheme is a general service that does not involve direct payment to producers.  
This programme is exempt from the reduction commitment consistent w ith paragraph 2(d) – 
extension and advisory services – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture.   
(4) Cost of measure:  $A46.5 million 
(5) Date of entry into effect:   May 2006 
(6) Period of application:   May 2010 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):   
 This measure is non-product specific.  G/AG/N/AUS/64 
 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:   Queensland Government South-East Queensland Irrigation Futures 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
  
The South-East Queensland Irrigation Futures (SEQ-IF) programme is a rural water use 
efficiency project for South East Queensland.   The programme offers industry groups with 
assistance to provide extension services lead ing towards the adoption of better water 
management or effluent manage ment practices.  It includes cross-regional activities such as 
field demonstrations, workshops, developmen t of information packages and extension 
services which aim to assist industries to deliver focused projects to irrigators. 
 
The SEQ-IF programme is a general service that does not involve direct payment to producers.  This programme is exempt from the reduction commitment consistent w ith paragraph 2(d) – 
extension and advisory services – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture.   
(4) Cost of measure:  $A3.60 million 
(5) Date of entry into effect:   April 2006 
(6) Period of application:   April 2010 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):   
 This measure is non-product specific. G/AG/N/AUS/64 
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:   Marketing of Eggs Adjustment Assistance Scheme 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Marketing of Eggs Act 1945  (WA) 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
 
 Adjustment assistance was provided to eg g producers whose production licences were 
cancelled as part of industry deregulation in  the state of Western Australia.  Producers 
received $A7.14 per licensed bird owned on the date of deregulation.  The scheme also included the provision of business advice to e gg producers affected by the deregulation. 
 No production was required to qualify for assistance. 
  
This programme is exempt from the reduction commitment consistent with paragraph 6 – 
decoupled income support – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture.  
(4) Cost of measure:  $A8.55 million 
(5) Date of entry into effect:   July 2005 
(6) Period of application:   October 2005 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):   
 Eggs 
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