The beef farmer suggested there was no problem with his property or outlook coming into summer.

"My farm is looking good and the growth is good," he said.

"You need rain at the right time and we could use more to kick on but so far its going good.

"The rainfall we had four weeks ago has made for a good season and a good start for growth.

"When the hay season starts we might have some demand to send it up north where there's no hay growing.

"We are not in drought in this area."

Cr Ryan rejected claims any part of the shire was in drought after Prime Minister Scott Morrison allocated $1 million to the area under the Drought Community Program which would also see farmers eligible for grants up to $3000.

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Cr Ryan said he had received emails from farmers in northern Australia congratulating him and his council on their decision to give the funding back to the government.

"I don't accept that there's drought in northern Moyne. The hay crop you see here is replicated around the Shire," he said.

"When you talk to people around here, they say 'we don't have drought, we just have dry years due to the rainfall'.

"Our strong view was that Moyne didn't qualify for drought and it was wrong to deprive northern Australian farmers.

"If people think our area is in drought, then they need to go up to Menindee to see what drought really is. Those people are struggling for drinking water and I'm very happy in our decision to give back the funding. Morally we could not have accepted that money."

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