Supporting Our Local Farmers
At a Special Council Meeting on Monday, 7 April 2025 the City of Victor Harbor took steps to support its local farm businesses through a new Farm Business Support Grant Program. The new grant program aims to provide much-needed assistance to local agribusinesses facing challenges due to current dry weather conditions.
The program aims to help farm businesses within the City of Victor Harbor council area maintain operations during this challenging time by providing funding to cover essential and unavoidable business expenses.
The program, which officially launched on Monday, 14 April 2025, provides an $80,000 funding pool through which eligible applicants the opportunity to apply for up to $2,500 (ex GST) to support costs of:
* Power bills for water pumping for livestock
* Water, feed, fodder and other farm supplies
* Freight expenses for water or feed.
Applications will be assessed on an ongoing basis and can be lodged from Monday 14 April 2025. Applications close on Friday 30 May 2025 or until the budget is fully exhausted.
“The City of Victor Harbor recognises the significant challenges our local agricultural businesses are facing due to the current dry weather conditions. 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,” said City of Victor Harbor Mayor, Dr Moira Jenkins.
“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.”
City of Victor Harbor Chief Executive Officer, Victoria MacKirdy encouraged eligible businesses to apply and reach out to Council staff for assistance 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,” said Mrs MacKirdy.
“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.”