DRYLAND farmers say they are being expected to unfairly bear the brunt of rate rises flagged in the Swan Hill Rural City Council draft budget for 2023-24.

While the council has kept the average rate rise to 3.5 per cent, as required by the State Government’s Fair Go Rates System cap, rates for dryland farms will jump 20.8 per cent.

By contrast, the average rate rise for Swan Hill residential r...