The Federal Government Department of Agriculture, has the following support programs for farmers, food and fibre production in our region:

• Relocation Assistance To Take Up A Job (RATTUAJ)
  Assists eligible participants to relocate to take up an offer of employment. From 1 December 2020, all job seekers participating in employment service programs will be immediately eligible for the Relocation Assistance to Take Up a Job program.
  From 1 November 2020, relocation assistance will be available to people who relocate to harvest and regional areas to take up short-term agricultural work, including Australians who are not receiving income support and those with the right to work in Australia.

• Jobmaker Hiring Credit
  The JobMaker Hiring Credit will be:
  • $200 per week for each eligible employee aged 16 to 29
  • $100 per week for each eligible employee aged 30 to 35.
    An employer cannot claim JobKeeper and JobMaker Hiring Credit at the same time.
• Boosting Apprenticeships Commencements
  The $1.2 billion Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidy will support businesses and Group Training Organisations to take on new apprentices and trainees, to build a pipeline of skilled workers to support sustained economic recovery.
  Any businesses or Group Training Organisation that engages an Australian Apprentice on or after 5 October 2020 may be eligible for a subsidy of 50 per cent of wages paid to an apprentice between 5 October 2020 and 30 September 2021, to a maximum of $7,000 per quarter

Pick your own farms (UPick) are treated as a retail business under the public health directions, for visitor contact tracing. These businesses are permitted to operate subject to the following requirements:

• the density quotient for each indoor space; and
• the signage requirement for each indoor space; and
• the records requirement, except where not practicable to do so; and
• the cleaning requirement.

Further information on the requirements visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au