“Tangible benefits:” REZ unlocks $1.4 million to fund tech upgrades for local farmers

Up to 40 local primary producers in the Central-West Orana region of New South Wales will soon be able to apply for grants of up to $35,000 to help them buy new and upgraded agricultural technology, as one of the “tangible benefits” of the local renewable energy zone (REZ) is rolled out.

The Minns Labor government announced on Wednesday its new $1.4 million Smart Farming Program which will provide local primary producers with grants of up to $35,000 to cover 70 per cent of the cost of eligible farming technologies.

The new initiative – part of a $128 million investment in community benefits for the Central-West Orana REZ – provides funding for a range of agricultural technologies, including soil and water sensors, drones, livestock and crop monitoring tools, electric fence monitoring and fuel tank sensors.

Grants can also be used to help fund the connectivity devices that underpin modern farming systems so as to enable producers to access real-time data, automate their operations, and manage assets remotely.

“These grants, available thanks to the Renewable Energy Zone, will help farmers invest in practical technologies that improve productivity, safety and profitability,” said Penny Sharpe, state minister for energy.

“Through initiatives like this, we’re ensuring communities hosting critical renewable energy infrastructure see tangible benefits now, while building a stronger future for regional NSW.”

Grant applications will open in the coming months, and applicants will need to have completed an Agtech Fundamentals workshop, which are designed to help producers assess technology options, develop farm monitoring plans, and make informed decisions.

Delivered by the government’s Farms of the Future Program, the workshops can be completed face-to-face or online.

“More than 1,500 farmers across NSW have already taken part in Farms of the Future Agtech Fundamentals training,” said Tara Moriarty, minister for agriculture and regional NSW.

“Our recently launched online learning hub, the Agtech Academy, will make it even easier for producers to build their understanding of agtech and assess opportunities for their own operations.”

Details of upcoming Agtech Fundamentals workshops in the Central-West Orana region, including dates and locations, will be published online via the Agtech Fundamentals Workshops website.  

Funding for the program is part of the state government’s promise to ensure communities across the state’s REZs are able to share in the benefits and opportunities created by the state’s energy transformation.

The new Smart Farming Program is just the latest initiative to be launched by the government.

In July, the Minns government announced its new $14.5 million Telecommunications Infrastructure Uplift Program, designed to improve mobile and internet coverage across the Central-West Orana REZ.

Additional community benefit funding will also continue to flow over the coming years, funded by fees paid by renewable energy projects connecting to the Renewable Energy Zone network.

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