Projects to improve food supply chain traceability can apply for Department of Agriculture grants, the federal government has announced. It has allocated $4 million to the Traceability Grants Program.
It aims to enable successful applicants to carry out projects that enhance product traceability and the competitiveness of Australian produce, for example by supporting assertions around organic or location-specific production.
It is available to individuals, communities, government or private sector organisations, as well as agricultural export industries, to enhance traceability in supply chains.
The funding round opened on 8 January and closes on 21 February. It is part of the Modernising Agricultural Trade agenda announced by the federal government to support the target of a $100 billion agricultural sector by 2030.
The grants will run over a minimum of two rounds, ending in June 2023 with $7 million allocated in total.
The government said: “Effective traceability systems are critical for continued access to these export markets, responding to demand from consumers domestically and internationally for greater transparency and real time convenience around the origins and safety of food in modern digital marketplaces.”
The Grants program will be managed by the Community Grants Hub which can be accessed at Assistance, grants and tenders.