Call for more farmers to apply for the Woolworths Organic Growth Fund by 1 March 2020

Royal Melbourne Show Principal Partner Woolworths has awarded $1 million in grants and interest-free loans to four organic farms across Australia in the second round of the Woolworths Organic Growth Fund.

The $30m Woolworths Organic Growth Fund was established in 2018 in partnership with Heritage Bank to help Australians farmers meet the growing consumer demand for organic fruit and vegetables.

The four successful recipients in the second funding round - Gingin Organics, N&A Group, Biofarms Australia and Pairingi Farms - grow a wide range of fruit and vegetable varieties on farms based in Western Australia, New South Wales and Tasmania.

The third round of the Woolworths Organic Growth Fund will close on 1 March 2020 and The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV) encourages applications from farmers across Australia.

RASV CEO Brad Jenkins said, “As a proud principal partner of the Royal Melbourne Show, The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV) is delighted to support this generous initiative from Woolworths.”

“We encourage members and exhibitors to share this wonderful opportunity with your networks to continue to promote the growing consumer demand for organic fruit and vegetables,” said Mr Jenkins. 

 

Woolworths Organic Growth Fund second-round recipients

GINGIN ORGANICS - NEERGABBY, WA

Gingin Organics, owned and operated by Lynda and Noel Harding, is the first recipient of the Woolworths Organic Growth Fund from Western Australia. They grow a range of organic and seasonal vegetables such as broccoli, carrots and cauliflower.

The Hardings will use the $200,000 grant to develop six hectares of new organic farmland and upgrade their packhouse over the next year.

BIOFARMS AUSTRALIA - FORTH, TAS

Tasmanian-based Biofarms Australia, run by brothers Chris, Mark and David Benson, produces a diverse range of certified organic vegetables such as broccoli, beetroot and pumpkin.

The organic vegetable grower will use a $500,000 interest-free loan from the Organic Growth Fund to buy new machinery and equipment, and upgrade irrigation systems to improve productivity and efficiency on the 300 acre farm.

N&A GROUP - BATLOW, NSW

Nestled in the south-west slopes of NSW, the N&A Group has been supplying Woolworths as a conventional supplier since 1956 and decided to diversify into organics in 2015 in response to increasing demand for organic produce. They will use a $150,000 interest-free loan to fund protected cropping at their Ardrossan Orchards in Batlow.

PARINGI FARMS - PARINGI, NSW

Paringi Farms in NSW will use a $170,000 interest-free loan to convert its electricity supply to renewable sources and invest in new packing equipment.

The farm - owned and operated by third-generation farming brother the Kazzis - uses different growing practices including glasshouse, shade net and field production to produce organic vegetables such as capsicums, zucchinis and tomatoes. They are currently going through in conversion to be fully certified organic.

Apply now

Interested in applying for the Woolworths Organic Growth Fund? Visit the Woolworths website and complete the application.