Agriculture is one of Tasmania’s greatest competitive strengths and the Tasmanian Government is committed to continuing to support farmers to grow the industry and create jobs in our rural communities
The cost of energy can be significant for farmers, so advice on how to make savings on their daily business operations is extremely important.
Today I was pleased to launch the Agribusiness Support Program.
The program is a joint initiative between Aurora Energy and Rural Business Tasmania.
It delivers advice on financial management free of charge to farmers to manage and lower their energy consumption and costs.
The dry conditions in some parts of the state has put upward pressure on the cost of operating on the land.
The program includes on-farm energy usage audits to identify equipment with high energy usage and advise if any cost savings can be made.
Aurora is funding 100 half day business and financial management coaching sessions, as well as a tailored payment plan which can include the suspension of overdue account fees.
The program offers financial burden relief and practical guidance to help those involved in agribusinesses who are doing it tough.
It also complements actions we have already taken to ensure farmers have the support they need to respond to challenging drought conditions, which included additional funding for Rural Business Tasmania.