A round of grant funding totalling $2 million has been committed to help Australian farmers access safe and effective agvet chemicals.
Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia David Littleproud said the 16 grants would be used to address priority uses of agvet chemicals identified by industry.
"These grants are part of the government's 11-year, $26 million commitment to improve access to safe and effective agvet chemicals," Minister Littleproud said.
"Through this funding, we're able to improve the productivity of Australian farmers by providing access to priority agvet chemicals needed to manage the pests and diseases that can damage crops and livestock.
"Where these grants are at their most effective is helping smaller industries to gain access to agvet chemicals that might not otherwise be available to them.
"The grants announced today cover a range of industry identified and prioritised agvet chemicals for use across a range of commodities including finfish, blueberries and hemp sectors.
"We've been working closely with R&D Corporations, Animal Health Australia, Australian Veterinary Association, Plant Health Australia, the National Farmers' Federation, and state and territory governments to compile a priority list of agvet chemical use needs of Australian farmers.
"These grants are on their seventh round, and to date, the grants program has resulted in 41 new permit uses and nine new label uses for agvet chemicals.
"A little bit goes a long way in agriculture. ABARES estimates that for every dollar we spend on grant funding through this program, on average we get $117 back. I'd call that a solid return on investment."
