- Farmers in the Mid and Upper North will benefit from the third round of the Smart Farms Small Grants program
- 113 projects nationally will share in over $5 million funding
- Smart Farms Small Grants fund organisations and individuals to undertake sustainable agriculture projects
Federal Member for Grey Rowan Ramsey has welcomed the Federal Government investment of more than $5 million – including eleven projects in Grey and seven in the Mid and Upper North.
“These projects are aimed at helping equip farmers with new skills and knowledge to improve sustainability and their bottom line,” he said.
“Australian agriculture is something I am very proud of and Australia’s farmers have shown themselves to be among the most innovative in the world.
“They have always looked after the land and every year Australian farmers are caring for the land in a better manner and we are giving them a helping hand through this grant program to adopt best practice natural resource management methods.
“These are projects happening throughout the country and are about improving the resilience and productive capacity of farms.”
In the Mid and Upper North funding has been secured for –
- Livestock SA Incorporated Sevenhill will receive $50,000 to showcase large scale feral deer traps to reduce their impacts on agricultural enterprises and the environment and increase sustainable agriculture practices.
- Ag Excellence Alliance Incorporated Burra/Clare will receive $34,000 to build capacity of climate carbon knowledge in the Northern and Yorke farming community.
- Hart Field Site Group Incorporatedwill receive $42,546 to educate early career farmers in sustainable agriculture.
- Rural Directions Trust Livestock Integration Mid North Region will receive $48,621.50 for resilient Cropping Systems.
- South Australian No-Tillage Farmers Association Incorporated will receive $19,500 for sowing primed seed to ensure germination and soil cover over non-wetting sands.
- Upper North Farming Systems will receive $50,000 to regenerate pasture beyond Goyders Line – re-establishing productive and profitable grasslands and scrublands in the highly degraded, once cropped landscapes of Goyders Line.
- The Agricultural Bureau of South Australia Incorporated will receive $47,260 to increase farmers knowledge and skills to manage ’emerging’ soil acidity to improve soil health, crop and pasture production- in Mallala and Minlaton.
Mr Ramsey said our farmers have always been early adopters of new technologies.
“These recently funded projects show the determination of many in the electorate to continue that tradition,” he said.
Grants have been given to farming and landcare groups for projects related to sustainable farming education, pest management, improving soil health, agroforestry and more.
For more information on the Smart Farms Small Grants program visit: agriculture.gov.au
- Smart Farms Small Grants is part of the Federal Government’s Smart Farms program – a key initiative of phase two of the National Landcare program
- Smart Farms Small Grants is a $43.5 million grants program (six annual rounds)
- Round 1 funded 77 projects for a total of $4.75 million. These are expected to be completed by April 2020
- Round 2 funded 110 projects for a total of $9.25 million. These are expected to be completed by September 2021
Round 3 projects must be completed by 30 June 2022
Media Contact: Leonie Lloyd-Smith 0417827523
May 22, 2020
