$3.9 million invested in Queensland agriculture under fifth round of rural grants

The Palaszczuk Government is delivering a $3.9 million boost to 24 Queensland agricultural businesses and creating up to 215 direct, long-term jobs under Round Five of its Rural Economic Development (RED) Grants program.

The 24 successful applicants for Round Five of the RED Grants program are located across 13 local government areas: Barcaldine, Cairns, Cook, Gold Coast, Livingstone, Lockyer Valley, Mareeba, Moreton Bay, Somerset, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville, and Whitsunday.

Each successful applicant will receive up to $200,000 to complete shovel-ready projects that stimulate economic and employment growth in Queensland’s agricultural industry.

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner said the activities being funded under Round Five of the RED Grants program are diverse and range from a meat snacks processing line and livestock supplement manufacturing to high-tech nursery production and horticultural produce cooling, processing, and packaging facilities.

"With successful Round Five applicants located from the Darling Downs to Far North Queensland, the Rural Economic Development Program is helping create resilient regional communities built on strong local agricultural industries," Minister Furner said.

“Time and time again the Palaszczuk Government has delivered on its commitment to bolster Queensland’s agricultural industry.

“Round Five of our Rural Economic Development Grants program is no different, with a $3.9 million investment to create up to 215 jobs in rural and regional communities.

“Over five years, the Palaszczuk Government’s RED Grants program has provided a total of $13.3 million in funding to support 59 successful regional agribusiness projects, worth more than $52.4 million and estimated to create over 2,500 new direct and indirect jobs.”

Minister Furner said funding for a sixth round of RED Grants has been allocated for the 2023-24 financial year, with applications to open later this year.

"We want to give even more agricultural businesses a chance to grow, which is why later this year we will be opening applications for Round Six of this great program," Minister Furner said.

The Round Six grants program will include a focus on supporting Indigenous-owned agribusinesses and projects aimed at low-emissions agriculture.

The Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA) administers the RED Grant scheme on behalf of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

For more information visit qrida.qld.gov.au/program/rural-economic-development-grants.