The new, Northern Tablelands-based Minister for Agriculture is working on the next tranche of drought help, as the latest update shows no impact from the region's recent rains.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Adam Marshall said he was - "quite quickly at the moment" - putting together a third NSW government package, to be ready for July 1.
And it will "not only assist farmers on-farm" but also people closer to the town centre.
"This drought is being felt far beyond the farm gate by our country towns and businesses," he said.
"There isn't a town in country NSW that hasn't seen businesses close or lay off employees because of the constriction in spending caused by this drought."
He said Inverell was an example of how the drought's effects crept into the main streets of a town or city.
"There, for the first time in a long, long time, we're seeing a number of businesses shut their doors," he said.
"While you can't say it's all about drought, drought no doubt has certainly played a part in it."
We're seeing a number of businesses shut their doors.
- Adam Marshall
'Reality check'
In the Sapphire City, the businesses to have closed in the past several months have included boutique bookstore, The Dust Jacket, and baby and children's goods and toy store, Inverell's Young World.
Inverell Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Nicky Lavender said recently some closures had been due to shop owners' life changes.
Others, however, shoppers should consider a "reality check", as competition from online retailers hurt all the more during the drought.
Inverell Shire councillor and local business owner Anthony Michael agreed: "The big boys online, it doesn't make any difference to them whether you shop there or not - they'll still survive - but the local businesses, sometimes it's make or break for those people if they lose support."
Mr Marshall said he couldn't pre-empt the release of the next drought package.
"But at this stage, what I am looking at is a package that not only continues important assistance on-farm for primary producers, but also provides some assistance post-farm gate for contractors, small business people [and the like]."
The third package will come on top of previous drought support measures to the value of $1.5 billion; a Farm Innovation Fund boost from $650 million to $1 billion; and low-interest loans through that fund being bumped up to $1 million.
Drought conditions 'unchanged'
The news comes after the Department of Primary Industries' March wrap-up showed a continuation "prolonged and widespread drought conditions".
Although there are now some areas in the recovery category, due to "significant March rainfall in eastern NSW", still 99.5 per cent of NSW was experiencing drought conditions.
"Other regions, such as Coonamble-Coonabarabran, received their first significant rainfall for some time ... it does not constitute a break from drought conditions [and] it will take a number of weeks to assess the agronomic impact of the falls," the report said.
"In the far west, north west and parts of central NSW, drought conditions remain unchanged."
"And the seasonal report heading into winter is still poor," Mr Marshall said.