Jo Palmer,Minister for Primary Industries and Water
As a Government, we are delivering a range of measures to future-proof Tasmanian agriculture and manage risks to primary industries.
These ongoing measures are supported with the opening of new grants to help Tasmanian fruit and vegetable growers cover the costs of protective netting.
Tasmania has been included in the expansion of the Australian Government’s Horticultural Netting Program Trial, with $1.94 million committed to support netting infrastructure in the State.
Under the program, eligible fruit and vegetable growers will be able to apply for a grant of up to 50 per cent of the cost of buying and installing netting, with the maximum grant amount available set at $150,000.
Protective netting is a significant cost for horticulturalists across Australia, but is important to help reduce the impact of weather events and pests.
The latest grants will help to build resilience and value in the horticulture industry following success in other states, and the inclusion of Tasmania in the expanded national program recognises the important role Tasmania plays in the Australian agricultural sector.
Tasmania has a target to sustainably grow the farm gate value of Tasmanian agriculture to $10 billion by 2050 and this also aligns with the national target of a $100 billion sector by 2030.
The funding will help secure Australia’s food supply during ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and recent natural disasters across the country, including in Tasmania.
The grant scheme is being delivered by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania. Applications close on 31 March 2023.
