SA farmers urged to ask for help South Australian farmers have been urged to apply for loans to help ease financial pressures. SOUTH Australian farmers in financial trouble have been urged to apply for government loans to ease debt pressures. Local farmers can apply for funds from the Farm Finance Package with five-year loans between $200,000 and $650,000 available from the $50 million allocated over the next two years. Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce said some farmers in South Australia were doing it tough because of a range of factors including the dry conditions in parts of the state. "Rural debt continues to be a significant challenge for parts of the farming sector," Mr Joyce said in a statement on Thursday. I know farmers are self-reliant and resilient but I encourage farmers not to self-assess, to talk to an expert or a rural financial counsellor about the loans package and eligibility criteria. South Australian Agriculture Minister Gail Gago said the loan scheme aimed to help farm businesses that were having trouble servicing debts but had good long-term prospects of returning to commercial viability. "The loans for debt restructuring will help farmers get back on track," she said. Applications open on Friday and close on March 31.