Grants support local wine industry and small farms

A SMART Farms Small Grant of $80,000 will help wine-grape growers and vignerons throughout the North East deal with climate change impacts. The federal funding, announced on Sunday, responds to last year’s North East Black Summer bushfires which caused widespread damage across the region’s premium wine sector, with losses from smoke taint costing tens of millions of dollars. “The farm gate value of the grape harvest before the Alpine and King valleys fires was $36 million, but the impact of smoke taint cut that to just $13 million,” said Indi independent federal MP Helen Haines. “Because of the fruit loss, many vignerons were also unable to produce wine and reap the added value that cellar door, restaurant and retail sales deliver to our regional economy. “Climate disruption poses a significant threat to the viability of viticulture in the North East, and if the sector has to account for catastrophic smoke taint events every 10 years, or even five years, it will fundamentally change the business model and viability of our producers. “So the $80,000 Smart Farms Small Grants allocation to help AgBiz Assist bring together more than 70 vignerons from the Alpine Valleys, Beechworth, Glenrowan, King Valley and Rutherglen, which make up the North East geographical indications, will build their capacity to connect, understand and manage future risks like these.” Dr Haines said grants had also been made to Burgoigee Creek Landcare Group, which supports community environment projects around the Murmungee Basin, as well as the Ovens Landcare Network. Burgoigee will use its $99,500 grant to workshop the forecast impacts of climate change and present management tools to improve landscape resilience and capacity for change, including helping landholders develop property plans to include biodiversity assets, shade and water supply. Ovens Landcare Network will use its $79,600 to build members’ uptake of best management practice.

Grants support local wine industry and small farms

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