Applications are now open for Round 3 of the McGowan Government’s Agrifood and Beverage Voucher Program to support food and beverage manufacturing and processing businesses throughout the State.
Up to $10,000 per business is available to access expert advice to build resilience and sustainability, competitiveness, scale and export preparedness into business operations.
There are five categories of expertise for this round: business planning, manufacturing for business growth, sales and marketing, financial health and a new category for environmental sustainability and social responsibility.
The vouchers are provided on a matching dollar-for-dollar basis to help businesses overcome barriers to growth, reduce business risk and capture market opportunities.
The Program has helped to transform agrifood and beverage businesses in the regions, as well as those in the Perth metropolitan area that use locally sourced products – generating jobs and flow on benefits to industry, communities and the State economy.
More than 170 agribusinesses from the Kimberley to the South Coast have benefited from previous rounds of the voucher program, worth a collective $780,000.
Previous recipients have used the vouchers to secure export approvals to facilitate aquaculture exports to Singapore, analyse the nutrition content of food waste streams, develop shelf stable meat products and expand new distribution networks and markets.
For more information and to apply for an Agrifood and Beverage Voucher visit https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/AFBvoucherprogram. Applications close 5pm, Monday November 15, 2021.
As stated by Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan:
“The Agrifood and Beverage Voucher Program provides support for small businesses to expand, diversify, value add and capture domestic and export market opportunities.
“Applications for vouchers continue to increase with every round and we have received great feedback from participants – demonstrating the success of the program.
“We encourage local businesses looking to take their businesses to the next level to apply for the program.
“This is just one of a range of McGowan Government investments supporting the growth of this important sector, alongside the Food and Beverage Fund, Regional Food and Beverage Capability Guides, capability building programs and the Buy West Eat Best program.”
