The City of Victor Harbor has announced a new Farm Business Support Grant Program, following a special council meeting on Monday 7 April.

The program aims to provide assistance to local agribusinesses facing challenges due to current dry weather conditions.

Grants will help farm businesses within the City of Victor Harbor council area maintain operations with funding to cover essential and unavoidable business expenses.

The program was officially launched yesterday, Monday 14 April, providing an $80,000 funding pool for individual grants of up to $2,500.

They can go towards power bills for water pumping for livestock; water, feed, fodder and other farm supplies; and freight expenses for water or feed.

Grant applications opened this week and will close on Friday 30 May or when the budget is fully used.

“The City of Victor Harbor recognises the significant challenges our local agricultural businesses are facing due to the current dry weather conditions,” says Mayor Dr Moira Jenkins.

“The new Farm Business Support Grant Program is a direct response to the needs expressed by our farming community and the Council’s Agribusiness Working Group.

“Our goal is to provide immediate financial assistance to help these businesses cover essential operational expenses and provide some relief during this tough time.”

“We understand that power bills for water pumping, the cost of feed and water, and freight expenses can become significant burdens during dry period. This grant of up to $2,500 is designed to help alleviate some of that financial pressure for eligible agribusinesses within our City.”

Council CEO Victoria MacKirdy is encouraging eligible businesses to apply and ask council staff for help with the application process if needed.

“The application process has been designed to be as straightforward as possible for our farming community to access. We also have dedicated staff resources on hand to answer queries and assist with the application process,” Mrs MacKirdy says.

“This grant program is just one part of the City of Victor Harbor's broader support for our agricultural sector. We are also actively working to provide information on other available support services, and our staff are available to assist farmers with navigating and applying for other relevant grants.”

“We believe this immediate financial support, combined with our ongoing efforts to provide information and assistance, will help our local farm businesses navigate these challenging dry conditions and contribute to the long-term resilience of our agricultural community.”