SYDNEY, Australia — The cattle are more bones than meat, the dirt more dust than soil — and the rain, the glorious rain, just never comes.

The drought that has been suffocating Australia for months just keeps tightening its grip.

In response, state officials in New South Wales announced a new assistance package on Monday worth 500 million Australian dollars, or about $370 million, that will expand existing loan programs and subsidize transportation for shipments of feed and water. The package also includes funding for mental health and critical services like road repair.

But is it enough?

Farmers across the affected region, an area of southeastern Australia larger than Texas that has not seen substantial rain in two years, said they were grateful but certain: It’s not even close.