More than 40 jobs will be created thanks to a State Government grant that will help a Lockyer Valley nursery to expand with a state-of-the-art greenhouse.
The project will mean Pohlman's Nursery at Gatton will move to a world class standard while creating agricultural jobs through grant funding from the Palaszczuk Government.
The Palaszczuk Government grant will contribute $250,000 towards the project, which is expected to create eight jobs during construction and then 40 direct and indirect jobs after it is completed.
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said Pohlman's Nursery was one of 15 businesses in Queensland to receive a Rural Economic Development (RED) Grant to help fund expansion and create job growth in regional areas.
"The family-owned business has been operating for more than 40 years but the seedlings, potted colour, indoor foliage and trees and shrubs have literally outgrown their pots," Mr Furner said.
"Plans are in place to build a new state-of-the-art greenhouse designed to maximise productivity and cash in on the growing gap between supply and demand.
"These grants show how the Palaszczuk Government is supporting regional Queensland businesses today and growing our economy for the future."
Second generation director and general manager Robert Pohlman said the Pohlmans Nursery Propagation facility project involved a new state-of-the-art greenhouse facility that would maximise productivity, achieve the precise environment for all crops and staff and achieve the highest quality on the market.
"The new facility will allow us to meet current and future demand for products," Mr Pohlman said.
"The intended outcomes of the project include increasing productivity, production and sales for the business, thus creating and securing local jobs in the Lockyer Valley and broader economy.
"The project will increase security of supply by reducing our exposure to risk from external suppliers and allow us to further meet market demand at all times and enable Pohlmans to further explore export markets."
The Rural Economic Development Grant program offers emerging projects up to $250,000 in co-contributions to build industry and grow employment opportunities across the agricultural sector. The $10 million grants program provides for three funding rounds over a three-year period ending 2021.
A total of 15 businesses have received $3.3 million under the first-round of funding for the RED Grant program. Overall these 15 projects are expected to create more than 600 jobs across the agricultural sector in regional Queensland.
Funding for Round 2 of the RED Grants will be announced later this year.
The Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA) administer the RED Grant scheme on behalf of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
