The Agriculture Industries Innovation and Growth Program is a $25 million investment from the Regional Development Trust and aligns to the sustainable regional industries key focus area that aims to enable regional industries to grow and adapt with structural and environmental change.
Key outcomes of the program include:
- increased access to new and expanding markets
- reduced impacts for the agricultural sector associated with geopolitical and environmental change
- economic participation of regional Aboriginal businesses.
The objective of the program is to:
- accelerate the development and uptake of innovative technology and equipment in regional NSW to increase access to export opportunities, improve productivity and resilience in supply chains and achieve lower emissions.
The program aims to do this by:
- supporting key growth sectors such as the development of future fuels and plant-based proteins
- enabling the purchase of equipment and new agtech that will help to lower emissions in the agricultural sector
- improving the agricultural sectors supply chain efficiencies and ability to access new and emerging export markets
- supporting uptake of innovative technologies that improve supply chain efficiency and increase sustainability
- supporting development of innovative solutions that improve competitiveness and leverage the strengths of the NSW agricultural sector.
Who can apply
To be eligible for grant funding, an applicant must have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and be one of the following entity types:
- a company incorporated in Australia
- an incorporated association or co-operative
- a legally binding incorporated partnership
- Incorporated trustee of an Australian-based trust
- an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation incorporated under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006.
Applicants must:
- be registered for GST
- be able to demonstrate that they are financially viable by providing the most recent 2 years of financial statements
- hold or commit to obtaining Public Liability Insurance of not less than $20 million per occurrence prior to executing a funding deed with the department
- be a fit and proper person/legal entity
- not be insolvent, bankrupt or subject to ongoing legal proceedings
- declare in the application form that the applicant is not aware of any issues which could cause reputational or other risks to the NSW Government.
Location that are eligible include Albury City, Armidale Regional, Ballina, Balranald, Bathurst Regional, Bega Valley, Bellingen, Berrigan, Bland, Blayney, Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Broken Hill, Byron, Cabonne, Carrathool, Central Coast, Central Darling, Cessnock, Clarence Valley, Cobar, Coffs Harbour, Coolamon, Coonamble, Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional, Cowra, Dubbo Regional, Dungog, Edward River, Eurobodalla, Federation, Forbes, Gilgandra, Glen Innes Severn, Goulburn Mulwaree, Greater Hume Shire, Griffith, Gunnedah, Gwydir, Hay, Hilltops, Inverell, Junee, Kempsey, Kiama, Kyogle, Lachlan, Lake Macquarie, Leeton, Lismore, Lithgow City, Liverpool Plains, Lockhart, Lord Howe Island - Unincorporated Area, Maitland, Mid-Coast, Mid-Western Regional, Moree Plains, Murray River, Murrumbidgee, Muswellbrook, Nambucca Valley, Narrabri, Narrandera, Narromine, Newcastle, Oberon, Orange, Parkes, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Port Stephens, Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional, Richmond Valley, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Singleton, Snowy Monaro Regional, Snowy Valleys, Tamworth Regional, Temora, Tenterfield, Tweed, Unincorporated Far West, Upper Hunter, Upper Lachlan Shire, Uralla, Wagga Wagga, Walcha, Walgett, Warren, Warrumbungle, Weddin, Wentworth, Wingecarribee, Wollongong, Yass Valley