$3.29m to boost Eyre Peninsula’s productive potential

The Hon David Littleproud MP
Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management
  • Project to improve the resilience and productivity of Eyre Peninsula agriculture
  • A networked system of soil moisture probe information, satellite imagery and projected crop yields will inform farm decision-making.
  • The Coalition Government has backed a project that uses advances in satellite imagery and soil analysis to unlock Eyre Peninsula’s full agricultural potential.

    Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud said the $3.29 million Smart Farming Partnerships investment would improve farm resilience and productivity.

    “Eyre Peninsula is one of South Australia’s premier agricultural regions, with a high proportion of the population employed in agriculture,” Minister Littleproud said

    “We’re backing its producers by investing in an innovative project that will help them develop more resilient and profitable farming systems in an increasingly variable climate.

    “Eyre Peninsula Agricultural Research Foundation and the Lower Eyre Agricultural Development Association will work with local farmers, their advisers and researchers.

    “An important aspect of this project is the integration of data from soil moisture probes, weather observations and climate projections.

    “This will significantly improve the capacity of farmers to make decisions and plan.

    “What we learn from this project will provide a valuable demonstration to other regions of the value of combining climate, water and soil data to improve on-farm decisions.

    “The Coalition Government is ready to help agriculture become a $100 billion industry by 2030 and we’ll do that in part through investing in projects like this.”

    For more details about Smart Farming Partnerships click here.

    Fast Facts:

    • Smart Farms is an initiative under phase two of the National Landcare Program.
    • The Government is investing $134 million to help develop and roll out practices tools and technologies that help primary producers and regional communities improve and protect soils, water and vegetation.

    /Public Release. View in full here.