• Farmers in Mallee will benefit from the third round of the Smart Farms Small Grants program
• 113 projects nationally will share in over $5 million funding
• Smart Farms Small Grants fund organisations and individuals to undertake sustainable agriculture projects

The Federal Government is investing more than $5 million – including approxiamtely $300,000 in Mallee – to help equip farmers with new skills and knowledge to improve sustainability and their bottom line.Federal Member for Mallee, Anne Webster said farmers have always been early adopters of new technologies.“These recently funded projects show the determination of many in the electorate to continue that tradition,” Dr Webster said.“The Birchip Cropping group were particularly successful, having been awarded $99,000 for two separate projects.Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said 113 projects nationally will receive grants of up to $50,000 from the third round of the Smart Farms Small Grants program.“Australian agriculture has a long history of early adoption of innovation – the ingenuity of our farmers never ceases to amaze me,” Minister Littleproud said.“They have always looked after the land and we are giving them a helping hand through this grants program to adopt best practice natural resource management methods.“These are projects happening throughout the country and are about improving the resilience and productive capacity of farms.”Grants have been given to farming and landcare groups for projects related to sustainable farming education, pest management, improving soil health, agroforestry and more.For more information on the Smart Farms Small Grants program visit: agriculture.gov.au

• Smart Farms Small Grants is part of the Federal Government’s Smart Farms program – a key initiative of phase two of the National Landcare program
• Smart Farms Small Grants is a $43.5 million grants program (six annual rounds)
• Round 1 funded 77 projects for a total of $4.75 million. These are expected to be completed by April 2020
• Round 2 funded 110 projects for a total of $9.25 million. These are expected to be completed by September 2021
• Round 3 projects must be completed by 30 June 2022

Successful grants in Mallee are belowProject Title:Defining regenerative agriculture and building the evidence base for landholders in the Wimmera and MalleeGrantee:Birchip Cropping Group Inc.PurposeDefining regenerative agriculture and building the evidence base for landholders in the Wimmera and MalleeGrant Commitment:$50,000Grant Funding Location/s:Birchip, VictoriaProject Title:Increasing landholder awareness of Integrated Past Management practices across the Wimmera and Southern MalleeGrantee:Birchip Cropping Group Inc.PurposeThis project aims to encourage the adoption of Integrated Pest Management practices that help to delay and prevent the emergence of chemical resistance among target insect species, as well as reduce the potential impacts of insecticides on non-target insect and other reptilian and mammalian, species.Grant Commitment:$49,000Grant Funding Location/s:Birchip, VictoriaProject Title:Resilient mixed farming systems in Victoria and New South Wales through controlled traffic farming. A workshop seriesGrantee:Australian Controlled Traffic Farming Association Inc.PurposeImproving the profitability and sustainability on mixed farms in Victoria and New South Wales through controlled traffic farming.Grant Commitment:$40,550Grant Funding Location/s:Parkes, Lake Cargelligo, New South Wales                 Swan Hill, Cullulleraine, VictoriaProject Title:Establishing a new ‘platform’ for industry technology transfer through utilising past and current research into a ‘best practice manual’Grantee:Pistachio Growers Association IncPurposeThe objective of this project is to collate all past and current information data and to build industry best practice manuals for both the expanding Australian Pistachio and Walnut industries.Grant Commitment:$50,000Grant Funding Location/s:Robinvale, VictoriaProject Title:Drought affected Murrayville area adapting to the weather changes by being proactive and obtaining real time data on their farming land by monitoring weather and soil moisture using weather stations and soil moisture probesGrantee:Landcare Victoria IncPurposeAssisting the drought affected Murrayville area to adapt to the weather changes by being proactive and obtaining real time data by monitoring weather and soil moisture using weather stations and soil moisture probes.Grant Commitment:$27,650Grant Funding Location/s:Murrayville, VictoriaProject Title:Informed decisions for managing climate variability in grazing systemsGrantee:Perennial Pasture Systems IncPurposeAims to employ current, available technologies and combine their use to provide pasture growth predictors to assist farmers in the decision making process required to deal with climate change and its potential environmental impactGrant Commitment:$43,000Grant Funding Location/s:Southern Wimmera region, VictoriaProject Title:Quantifying the benefits of multi-species forages and regenerative fanming management practices on the natural resource base, farm profitability and resiliencyGrantee: Upper Loddon & Avoca Landcare NetworkPurposeQuantifying the benefits of multi-species forages and regenerative farming management practices on the natural resource base, farm profitability and resiliencyGrant Commitment:$50,000Grant Funding Location/s:Upper Loddon, Avoca, Victoria.