Image: Courtesy AgConnex
Fourteen agriculture projects across regional NSW will share in a $105.5 million investment designed to lift productivity, strengthen supply chains and help producers lower emissions.
The NSW Government will contribute $28 million through the Agriculture Industries Innovation and Growth Program, with funding recipients contributing a further $77.5 million.
The co-investment model is aimed at helping agricultural businesses adopt new technology, upgrade equipment and expand regional processing capability, while opening up new domestic and export market opportunities.
The projects stretch across the state – from high-tech organic propagation in Cessnock and plant protein infrastructure in Griffith, to hemp-based building materials in Coffs Harbour, a digital wool auction hub in Goulburn and low-emissions energy projects in Balranald and Forbes.
The announcement comes after NSW primary industries recorded a $25.5 billion Gross Value of Production in 2024–25, underlining the scale of agriculture’s contribution to the state economy.
Premier Chris Minns said agriculture remained one of NSW’s most important industries: “The sector contributes billions of dollars to our economy, underpins thousands of jobs in regional communities and puts food on our tablesagconnexa.
“This co-investment model unlocks enormous potential for our state’s primary industries, driving private investment in projects that advance the sector and deliver real benefits for regional communities across New South Wales.”
The largest single grant is $4 million for AgConnex in Griffith, to upgrade rail loading, storage and processing capability at the Western Riverina Connect rail siding. The project is expected to unlock new opportunities in the plant protein sector and improve access to domestic and export markets.
Other major grants include almost $3.95 million for Eringoarrah Station in the Wagga Wagga local government area, to construct an on-farm off-grid processing facility capable of processing cattle, sheep and pigs.
RMIT University will receive more than $3 million to design, deploy and demonstrate an integrated hybrid renewable energy system for an agricultural business in Balranald, while Altitude Farms will receive more than $2.95 million to build a cherry packing facility in Orange.
In Grafton, Provenance Propagation will receive $2.1 million to expand its controlled-environment propagation growing area by 1.38 hectares, incorporating automation and advanced production systems.
Image: Courtesy Provenance Propagation
Freeman Vineyards in Young will receive $2 million to build what the government says will be NSW’s first dealcoholisation facility, enabling end-to-end production of non-alcoholic wine in regional NSW.
In Coffs Harbour, Yieldtech Enterprises will receive $2 million to establish a manufacturing facility converting Australian-grown hemp by-products into prefabricated building materials for the construction sector.
Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said the projects would deliver benefits beyond individual businesses.
“Investing in agriculture means investing in the strength of our regional communities,” she said.
“When farming businesses do well, the whole community benefits – from local shops to transport operators and service providers.
“Supporting this and the other 13 projects announced today helps create local jobs, strengthen supply chains and set our regional industries up for sustained economic growth.”
The program is funded through the NSW Government’s Regional Development Trust and supports projects that improve export access, supply chain productivity and lower-emissions production.
For regional NSW, the investment points to a broader shift in agriculture – where competitive advantage is increasingly tied to technology, efficient logistics, value-added processing and the ability to capture more economic benefit locally.
Discover the full list of recipients here.
