WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/AG/N/AUS/53 
19 February 2004 
 
 (04-0710) 
Committee on Agriculture Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION  
 
  The following submission, dated 13 February 2004,  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/53 
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:   Beef Australia 2003 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:   
Under this Commonwealth Government measure , a one-time grant was provided to Beef 
Australia Inc, an association formed for the purpose of running beef cattle industry expositions, to assist it to stage Beef Australia 2003.   
The program is exempt from reduction commitm ents consistent with paragraph 2 (f) – 
General Services, marketing a nd promotion – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture.  
(4) Cost of measure:   Up to A$2.2 million 
(5) Date of entry into effect:   12 April 2002 
(6) Period of application:   1 year 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s) ):  
Beef cattle. 
  G/AG/N/AUS/53 
 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:   Farm Business Support Grant – 2002/03 drought 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:   
This Victorian State Government program was developed following the Victorian Government’s 
recognition of the prolonged adverse seasonal cond itions suffered by farmers as a result of the 
2002-03 drought.  
To be eligible for assistance, applicants were requi red to meet strict eligibility criteria. Only those 
applicants located in a specific Government decl ared drought afflicted ar ea were eligible for 
assistance. These applicants were required to demonstrate a reduction in gross income of at least 33% due to dry seasonal conditions.  
The amount of assistance granted to successful applican ts was limited to up to a maximum of $20,000 
per farming enterprise.  
The program is exempt from reduction commitment s consistent with para graph 8 – Payments for 
relief from natural disasters – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture.  
(4) Cost of measure:   Up to A$50 million 
(5) Date of entry into effect:   1 October 2002 
(6) Period of application:   until 30 June 2003 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s) ):   
 
 Measure is non product specific. G/AG/N/AUS/53 
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:   Gracemere Saleyards Exhibition Centre 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:   
 Under this Commonwealth Government measu re, a one-time grant was provided to the 
Rockhampton District Saleyards Board to design and construct a stud exhibition centre.  The centre will also be used for non- agriculture related activities. 
 The program is exempt from reduction commi tments consistent w ith paragraph 2 (g) – 
General Services, infrastructural services – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture.  
 (4) Cost of measure:   Up to A$3.5 million 
(5) Date of entry into effect:   15 April 2002 
(6) Period of application:   1 year 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s) ):   
 Beef cattle and livestock, and horses. 
  G/AG/N/AUS/53 
 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:   National Food Industry Strategy  
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:   
This Commonwealth Government measure aims to build food industr y skills and knowledge, 
improve innovation, increase research and de velopment and establish a course for food 
business managers. The program is widely ava ilable to all food in dustry participants. 
Under this measure, funding is provided on a ma tching basis for demonstration projects and 
innovation activities that meet the eligibility criteria. Grant funding has also been provided for the development of research and development centres and for the establishment of a national 
food industry management devel opment course that will provide training to managers in the 
food industry business. 
The program is exempt from reduction commitm ents consistent with  paragraph 2 (c) – 
General Services, training – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture. 
(4) Cost of measure:   Up to A$63.2 million 
(5) Date of entry into effect:   1 July 2002 
(6) Period of application:   5 years 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s) ):   
 
 Measure is non product specific.  
 G/AG/N/AUS/53 
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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:   Post bushfire assistance 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:   
 
 This assistance program was developed in respon se to the emergency situation declared by the 
Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government following the January 2003 ACT bushfires. 
Assistance was provided to farm families and farm businesses seriously affected by the 
bushfires. Fire affected families received fodder freight subsidies and assistance with 
removing the remains of buildings destroyed by fire. The ACT Government also facilitated repairs to fire damaged roadside fencing to  prevent stock from straying onto roads causing a 
safety hazard. 
The program is exempt from reduction commitments  consistent with pa ragraph 8 – Payments 
for relief from natural disasters – of A nnex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture.  
(4) Cost of measure:   Up to A$1.4 million 
(5) Date of entry into effect:   January 2003 
(6) Period of application:   January to August 2003 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s) ):   
 
 Measure is non product specific.  G/AG/N/AUS/53 
 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:   Reduction in Australian Quarantine Inspection Service 
(AQIS) fees and charges 
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:   
Under this measure, the Commonwealth Government  has agreed for a limited time to fully 
recover the fees and charges for inspection ser vices provided by AQIS to all agricultural and 
rural commodities. 
The program is exempt from reduction commitm ents consistent with  paragraph 2 (e) – 
General Services, inspection services – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture. 
(4) Cost of measure:   Up to A$109.3 million  
(5) Date of entry into effect:   1 November 2001 
(6) Period of application:   4 years 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s) ):   
 
 Measure is non product specific. G/AG/N/AUS/53 
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:   South Australian Government Drought Assistance Program 
(2) Domestic legislation:  Nil 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:   
Under this South Australian State Government  measure, grants are available to farm 
businesses and rural communities suffering as a result of ongoing adverse climatic difficulty. 
Only those applicants located in a specific Government declared drought afflicted area are 
eligible for assistance.  Eligibility includes a reduction of at least 40% in annual average 
income in 2001 and 2002. 
Eligible farmers may receive up to A$10, 000 per farm business for reseeding crops, 
restocking and for cartage for domestic water s upplies.  Support is also provided for rural 
counselling, financial advice and mediation, trai ning to help farmers manage for drought and 
other adverse conditions. 
This measure also made available grants of  up to A$5,000 to rural community groups to 
undertake activities focused on managing drought in their rural community. 
The program is exempt from reduction commitments  consistent with pa ragraph 8 – Payments 
for relief from natural disasters – of A nnex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture. 
(4) Cost of measure:   Up to A$5 million 
(5) Date of entry into effect:   October 2002 
(6) Period of application:   until June 2005 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):      
 Measure is non product specific. 
   
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