The Morrison government insists it has a national drought policy despite Australia's peak farm lobby handing it a wide-ranging blueprint for future dry spells.
The National Farmers' Federation has criticised governments past and present for lacking a comprehensive national plan for when drought hits.
But Drought Minister David Littleproud rejects the claim.
"We already have one, but what we want to do is be constructive with peak bodies like NFF and sit at the table and be positive about what can be added to it," he told ABC Radio National on Thursday.
He pointed to the government's three-pillar drought approach which looks at immediate measures, support for communities and long-term preparation.
"We have to make sure that we're responsive. That's why to outsiders it might look ad hoc, but it's actually targeted."
NFF president Fiona Simson said the current approach gave no certainty to people grappling with drought.
"It's each man for himself in terms of governments," she told the ABC.
"The federal government certainly has an agreement about the sorts of things they're going to deliver, but we don't know what they are."
Mr Littleproud says the federal government deals with farmer welfare while animals are the states' responsibility.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison believes the NFF's policy aligns strongly with the government's actions, despite criticism from the lobby group's heavy hitters.
The NFF policy aims to bring all drought-affected stakeholders to the table including industry, community groups, local government, as well as federal, state and territory governments.
It also seeks to:
* Identify specific measures that need to be maintained, amended or reviewed, and propose new drought measures.
* Build on the Council of Australian Governments' National Drought Agreement and incorporate lessons learnt from past droughts.
* Create a drought forum for submissions every two years, in drought and out of drought, on what has worked and what has not.
* Establish a drought committee, responsible for overseeing implementation of the policy.
* The committee would commission studies into the effectiveness of drought measures, review the national policy and recommend changes through a four-yearly review.
Meanwhile, the government has announced farmers coming off a four-year assistance payment will get $13,000 for couples and $7500 for singles.
It comes after Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce revealed his backbench colleagues were pushing ministers to announce more drought relief measures.
One proposal is for a regional grants program to give money to drought-stricken areas through local committees.
Deputy Nationals leader and Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie said her colleagues had been clear on the need for more action.
Australian Associated Press
