Industry welcomes opening of Food and Beverage grants in $1.3B initiative
The Food and Agribusiness Growth Centre, trading as Food Innovation Australia Limited (FIAL), welcomes the release of the Food & Beverage Roadmap under the Australian Government’s $1.3B Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) by Ministers Andrews and Littleproud.
The Roadmap will guide investment, helping Australian manufacturers to scale up production, commercialise their products and operations, and integrate into domestic and global supply chains.
Industry-led and funded by the Australian Government, FIAL catalyses growth for the 180,000 businesses operating across the agri-food value chain from paddock to plate. As the relevant Industry Growth Centre for the Food & Beverage Roadmap, FIAL recognise the MMI as a ‘game changer’ for the sector.
Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said this funding would unlock investment to further grow what is the biggest manufacturing sector in Australia.
“The world already can’t get enough of Aussie made food and beverages but there are opportunities to further build on our international reputation for producing premium, safe and high-quality products,” Minister Andrews said.
“Investing in our food and beverage manufacturers will ensure they remain on the front foot and maximise every opportunity to tap into global markets and create jobs here at home.
“To strengthen our economy we need to make the most of our natural advantages in agriculture, and that means adding as much value as we can to raw materials through manufacturing.
“The other great thing about food and beverage manufacturing is its imprint on regional Australia – both in where many of the factories are located and the support for businesses right along the supply chain.”
Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud said this support for food and beverage manufacturers will have significant flow-on effects for Australian farmers and agriculture producers.
“This funding will open up further opportunities for the development of new products and the expansion of existing product lines beyond the farm gate.
“That’s good for our farmers, our transport industry and the regional communities they all support.”
FIAL Managing Director Dr. Mirjana Prica commends Minister Andrews and the Morrison-McCormack Government for standing behind local food and beverage manufacturers.
Opportunities identified include smart processing and packaging methods, products for health and wellbeing and enhanced nutritional value, high value-add products such as those containing new and enhanced proteins, products with strong food safety, origin and traceability systems and the adoption of solutions to increase differentiation of food and beverage products in domestic and overseas markets.
Applications are now open for the Translation and Integration streams of the MMI. $140 million of co-funding is available for the first rounds of funding under these two streams. Projects need to align with issues identified in the Food & Beverage roadmap.
“It is extremely rewarding to see FIAL’s 2020 Sector Competitiveness Plan, Capturing the Prize and its extensive work delivering on the National Food Waste Strategy referenced throughout the Food and Beverage Priority road map,” said Dr Mirjana Prica.
Dr Michele Allan, Chair of FIAL said “Minister Andrews’ support for food and beverage manufacturers will have significant flow-on effects across the value chain. We know from FIAL’s Capturing the Prize report that working as a whole-of-value chain is critical to growing the value of the sector to $200b and creating 300,000 additional jobs for Australians by 2030. This is a tremendous opportunity for the agri-food sector.”
For more information on the road maps and the available grant funding: industry.gov.au/manufacturing.
About the Food and Agribusiness Growth Centre:
Food Innovation Australia Limited (FIAL) is the Food and Agribusiness Growth Centre. Industry-led and funded by the Australian Government, FIAL catalyses growth for businesses operating across the agri-food value chain.