The Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island have missed out on the final five of this year’s Agricultural Town of the Year award.

Last year KI’s Parndarna made the final five, with the Mallee town of Pinnaroo ultimately taking out the trophy.

Eight Fleurieu and KI towns were nominated in 2021, possibly splitting the local vote. The towns in the running were Currency Creek, Delamere, Langhorne Creek, Myponga, Parndarna, Port Willunga, Strathalbyn and Willunga.

After more than 3,000 public votes, five towns across the Mid North, Murray Mallee and Eyre Peninsula have been selected as finalists this year.

Kapunda, Orroroo, Booleroo Centre, Mypolonga and Kimba are in the running for the title after votes were cast for the 59 nominated towns across South Australia.

Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development David Basham says the five finalists represent communities that are home to a diverse range of agriculture.

“The Ag Town of the Year Award recognises the important role our farmers and the agriculture sector plays in everyday lives of regional communities,” Minister Basham says.

“It is pleasing to have thousands of people again engaged in the awards program, supporting their favourite agricultural town.

“Every town nominated for this award should be immensely proud of what their community has achieved and will continue to achieve in the face of significant challenges, such as COVID-19 restrictions and drought.

“Incredibly Kapunda has been a finalist every year since the award was introduced in 2019, which speaks volumes for the community’s support. Kimba has also been a finalist before, and I welcome the addition this year of Mypolonga, Orroroo, and Booleroo Centre to the top five.

“As the next part of the award program, an independent panel of experienced judges will visit the five finalist towns in October this year.

"South Australia's primary industries and agribusiness generated $15.2 billion in revenue in 2018–19, making this sector a critical economic driver for South Australia as well as being important to the wellbeing of the state as a whole."

The judging panel is made up of John Rothwell (Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of SA), Hon Rob Kerin (Regional Development South Australia), Mayor Erika Vickery (South Australian Regional Organisation of Councils), Belinda Cay (AgCommunicators), Nikolai Beilharz (ABC Rural) and Rilka Warbanoff (Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce-SA).

The announcement of the 2021 Agricultural Town of the Year is scheduled for Friday 19 November at the Regional Showcase.

For more information on the Ag Town of the Year award, visit the website.  

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay