Farmers could get a boost of up to $35,000 to invest in the ag tech and connectivity solutions they need to drive increased productivity and position their business for the future thanks to the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the NSW Government was backing the industry with $20 million in grants as part of the Farms of the Future program to support investment in everything from soil moisture sensors to dashboards to help monitor the farm from your mobile.
"The ag sector is always innovating and this fund will help producers tap into the latest technology to drive productivity in the paddock and allow them to work smarter, not harder," Mr Toole said.
"A grant of up to $35,000 could put some of these technologies in reach for hundreds of farm businesses and unlock multiple times that in cost savings and boosted productivity."
Minister for Agriculture Dugald Saunders said embracing on-farm technology will help take agriculture in NSW to the next level.
"Despite the challenges over the last few years, our primary industries sector continues to break records and is currently valued at a whopping $23.1 billion, and we're confident we can boost this to $30 billion by 2030," Mr Saunders said.
"Encouraging farmers to engage in widespread use of agricultural technology and digital connectivity will help drive substantial growth now and into the future, which is great news for our farmers and regional communities."
Farmers can use their grant to select devices from a dedicated Agtech Catalogue website that best suits their farming operation. The Catalogue features IoT devices, digital monitoring products and connectivity solutions from 50 suppliers who were selected through an Expression of Interest held in 2022.
The Farms of the Future program has been developed in partnership with Tocal Agricultural College, one of the leading providers in specialised training for agricultural and rural industries.
Full details of the grant funding opportunity are available on the NSW Government's grants and funding finder website at www.nsw.gov.au/fotfgrant.
Applications close 5.00pm on Thursday 31 August 2023.
