South Australian towns flying the flag for primary industries will be eligible for a new award – South Australian Ag Town of the Year - which aims to highlight the vital role agriculture plays in regional communities.
The award, launched on National Ag Day, by Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Tim Whetstone during a visit in the Mid North, aims to recognise towns supporting and promoting agriculture.
The Ag Town Award will be part of the 2019 South Australian Regional Showcase Program, hosted by Brand South Australia, which showcases regional businesses, groups and individuals across the state.
Minister Whetstone said the Ag Town of the Year Award is a unique way to acknowledge farming communities for the diversity and innovation and celebrate agriculture as a part of their social fabric.
"We want to acknowledge the positive impact agriculture has on regional towns and the flow on effect this has on a township, on community members and on the state as a whole," said Minister Whetstone.
"The Ag Town of the Year Award will also highlight how our communities can learn from each other and will enable them to grow.
"This is yet another example of the importance the Marshall Government places on primary industries in South Australia, which generated $22.5 billion in the agriculture, food, wine and forestry industries in 2016-17."
Guidelines for the South Australian Ag Town of the Year Award will be released in the near future.
In addition, South Australians are being encouraged to buy local to show their appreciation for farmers on National Ag Day.
Today is also World Fisheries Day, highlighting the critical importance of global fisheries and ensuring sustainable stocks and healthy ocean ecosystems.
If you're on social media, make sure you join in on the Thank a Farmer campaign and use the hashtags #ThankafarmerSA, #ThankafisherSA, #AgDayAU and #IChooseSA and #EatLocalSA on your posts.
The Ag Town Award will feature in 2019 as part of the South Australian Regional Showcase.
