The head of the ACT Rural Landholders' Association says only a handful of drought-stricken territory farmers are able to access transport subsidies, as he warns the worst of the drought could still be ahead.
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Association president Tom Allen has written to the ACT government, asking it to follow the NSW government's lead in making the transport subsidies announced in August available to farmers with less than $5 million in off-farm assets.
At present, the ACT subsidies are only available to farmers with less than $1 million in off-farm assets.
To be eligible for the subsidies, which can deliver savings of up to $20,000 a year on the cost of transporting fodder water or stock, farmers must also earn more than half their gross income from their farm business.
Mr Allen said the current criteria meant only "about six people" would be eligible in the ACT.
"If anyone's got investments in real estate, like if you've got a house that's worth $1 million, you're buggered," he said.
Given the ACT subsidies were based on the NSW model, Mr Allen said he the ACT government ought have no issue with changing the off-farm assets test.
Ian Walker, the executive director of the ACT government's Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development directorate, said the government would consider the request.
Mr Allen's request for changes to the criteria for transport subsidies comes as he warns the drought's impact on the ACT could get worse.
The Symonston farmer said the grass on ACT farms was usually between three and four inches high at this time of the year, but in most paddocks it was less than half an inch off the ground.
Mr Allen told the Sunday Canberra Times the five millimetres of rain recorded at Canberra Airport in the space of two-and-a-half hours early on Saturday afternoon was a good start, but more was needed.
"It just settles the dust, really," he said of the Saturday storm.
"If we get another five millimetres [on Sunday] it'll be good, but we're still in a very bad situation.
"If we don't get another 25 millimetres by Melbourne Cup Day [November 6], the worst times are definitely ahead."
By 5pm on Saturday, the daily rainfall total at Canberra Airport had reached 9.4 millimetres.
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting 8-20 millimetres of rain in Canberra on Sunday.
Mr Allen said the period from the start of October until mid-November was typically the most important time for grass growth in the ACT, and the signs so far were not good.
He said while not many farmers were able to capitalise on the transport subsidies, "40 or 50" farmers had applied for a share in $150,000 worth of ACT government grants, designed to help farmers develop drought-related property management plans and carry out works to minimise the impact of continued dry weather.
Lanyon farmer Andrew Geikie said the lack of rain had forced farmers to make their latest round of big decisions at the start of this month, with the end of December likely to be another turning point.
Having de-stocked by about 25 per cent ahead of the winter, he decided not to de-stock further this time around and bought fodder including hay to keep his animals going.
Mr Geikie said he also decided to wean about 2000 lambs early as a result of the drought.
"It's a very dynamic situation at the moment," he said.
"[The drought has] levelled. It hasn't got worse, but it hasn't got any better either.
"It's not over by any stretch."
The latest Bureau of Meteorology data shows rainfall deficiencies have plagued the ACT since the February floods.
Rainfall totals lower than the long-term average have been recorded at Canberra Airport in each of the past seven months, with the September total of 38.2 millimetres just 73 per cent of the usual level for that month.
The lastest climate outlook issued by the bureau, on October 11, revealed Canberra had just a 35 to 40 per cent chance of exceeding its usual rainfall totals in the next three months.
