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Smart Farms Small Grants open for big impact

  • Smart Farms Small Grants fund short-term projects that build the capacity of farmers, fishers and foresters to adopt best practice natural resource management.
  • Up to $6.5 million is available for Round 4, with funding of between $5,000 and $100,000 (GST exclusive) for each grant.
  • Applications open 21 August 2020 and close 11pm AEDT on 9 October 2020.

Farmers, fishers and foresters can now apply for Australian Government funding of up to $100,000 to support their natural resource management efforts.

Senator for Victoria Sarah Henderson said applications for Round 4 of Smart Farms Small Grants were now open.

“This is a hugely popular program that provides a real bang for buck when it comes to delivering benefits for farms, the environment and local communities,” Senator Henderson said.

“Aussie farmers not only produce the best food and fibre in the world, but they are also our greatest environmentalists.”

“Our farmers have always looked after the land and through these grants we can give them a helping hand to adopt the next generation of sustainable farming practices.”

“There is $6.5 million available under this round of Smart Farms Small Grants to support one- to two-year projects that boost best practice sustainable farming awareness, skills and capacity.

“We’re looking for projects across a range of areas such as pest control, vegetation management, farm input efficiency, climate and market management, and the use of new technologies.”

“Previous rounds of this program have delivered benefits across the length and breadth of the country— from Indigenous fishers and aquaculturalists in Cape York to pistachio growers in Robinvale, Victoria. I want to continue that trend and get innovative practices out on the ground and delivering real benefits to our farmers.”

Smart Farms Small Grants is a sustainable agriculture element of the National Landcare Program (NLP).

The Australian Government is investing more than $1 billion towards the second phase of the NLP from 2018-2023.

For more information and to apply, visit the Community Grants Hub https://www.communitygrants.gov.au/grants

Fast Facts:

  • Smart Farms Small Grants support projects that address a range of natural resource management issues including soil health, pest and weed management, farm production efficiency, Indigenous involvement, climate and market risk and use of new technologies to improve sustainable practices.
  • Projects may be delivered locally, regionally and multi-regionally and must be completed by 30 June 2023.
  • A total of $43.5 million is available for Smart Farms Small Grants from 2017–18 to 2022–23.

24 August 2020

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