- AgUP grants to support initiatives to develop and retain agricultural workers
- Industry-led invited to bring forward initiatives that meet their labour needs
- Program aims to improve sustainability of our primary industries workforce.
A round of grant funding will be offered to industry to develop projects and initiatives to support the growth, retention, and sustainability of the agricultural workforce.
Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia David Littleproud and Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry said the $7.3 million AgUP grants program would encourage the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector to lead efforts to meet their workforce needs.
“Agriculture is only as good as its people,” Minister Littleproud said.
“It’s always a shame when agriculture, fisheries or forestry lose a good worker because they can’t see a career pathway that works for them.
“The AgUP grants program is about supporting industry led initiatives to develop career pathways and upskill, train and mentor agricultural workers.
“We want to see opportunities within these industries for Australians who want them. That means making sure workers know that they can progress and grow their careers while still staying in the primary industries sector.”
Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry said the AgUP program would help industry to take control of the key resource that underpins their future – people.
“By supporting these initiatives, we can build up the industry workforce in a way that is sustainable and so businesses and the regions that rely on them can keep good people,” Ms Landry said.
“Training, retaining and growing the workforce is just one way that we can support the industry to become a $100 billion sector by 2030.”
More information on the AgUP Grants Program is available at www.awe.gov.au/agriculture-land/farm-food-drought/agricultural-workforce or at www.communitygrants.gov.au/grants.
Fast Facts:
- The AgUP Program 2022 (Round 1) opens for applications on 23 November 2021 closing on 20 January 2022.
- The Australian Government has announced a total of up to $7.323 million in administered funding over four years for the AgUP Program.
- The objectives of the program are:
- support sustainable industry-led approaches that improve workforce outcomes to retain workers in agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors and
- industry to facilitate workforce activities that successfully identify and establish career pathways and progression in agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors for Australians.
