Agriculture Grants for Innovative Farming Projects

On the 23rd of November 2017, a forum to discuss Smart Farm Grants funding was held at the Katanning Leisure Centre. Member of O'Connor Rick Wilson organised the conference. The panel aimed to address the offering of some grants for the agriculture industry on the whole.

On the 23rd of November 2017, a forum to discuss Smart Farm Grants funding was held at the Katanning Leisure Centre. Member of O'Connor Rick Wilson organised the conference. The panel aimed to address the offering of some grants for the agriculture industry on the whole. Persons and groups are welcome to apply for these grants if they qualify. There are two sets of awards to be shared, the more significant grants totaling $60 million and the small grants for a totaling $50 million to be paid out over six years.

There were a lot of attendees present at the forum from Landcare groups from various parts of the region. The attendants were there to hear about grants that are available to farmers as well as farming organisations for the implementation of innovative and sustainable land management practices that will help to protect the soil while improving conditions for biodiversity and vegetation.

The more substantial grants run between $250,000 to $4 million with a total of $60 million in grants to be shared. These Smart Farming Partnerships for awards are open to groups in the agriculture, aquaculture, fishing and farm forestry industries working in talented and innovative organisations. All persons working in these sectors qualify to apply for these grants as long as they are working with innovations to provide superior products and run a more efficient operations.

Mr Wilson sees how collaborating with land care and environmental protection groups as well as farming improvement groups can help to increase innovation and farm production. He notes that this will provide opportunities for reinvigorating the land care movement while at the same time revitalising farming improvement groups.

Department of Agriculture representative Kathryn Galea was also in attendance at the forum. She was there to provide general advice as well as to answer some questions that people had about the grants funding process, selection and use of the funds.

Mr Wilson noted how the attendees to the forum were confident with their feedback, giving him good insight into how they would make their grant application stand out from all the others.  This way local projects will be funded which will give back to the local communities while improving farming techniques and putting the O'Conner area on the map for innovations in farming techniques.

Smaller grants are also open to industry and community groups as well as fishers and farmers. Persons in this funding stream will have the opportunity to apply for grants that are between $5000 and $100,000 via the Smart Farms Small Grants program. This small grants program has a total of $50 million in grants to offer those who qualify. Funding will be paid out over a over a six-year period. These more modest grant amounts provide an opportunity for smaller operations that are making use of innovations in their facilities to provide for more efficient services and end products that are of higher quality.

For more information click on this link to view the application guidelines.