The Value Add Agribusiness Investment Attraction Fund aims to create jobs and drive productivity and capability of this growing industry sector in regional Western Australia.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's Value Add Agribusiness Investment Attraction Fund (VAAIAF), supported by State Government investment through the Royalties for Regions program, is designed to support investment in new projects or expansion opportunities by value adding agribusinesses.
VAAIAF round two – recipients
The round two recipients announced by the WA Government include:
| Organisation | Brief project description | Region | Grant (ex-co-contribution) |
| Yanchep Springs | Expansion and modernisation of blueberry packing facility | Wheatbelt | $300 000 |
| Honey Earth Produce | Construction and fit-out of honey processing and packaging facility | Great Southern | $83 376 |
| Handasyde Strawberries | Freeze dried fruit packaging facility | Great Southern | $47 069 |
| Seafresh Holdings Pty Ltd | Value add processing Shark Bay Fish Factory - Denham | Gascoyne | $127 500 |
| Aphotic Aleworks Pty Ltd | Brewery expansion | Goldfields Esperance | $112 230 |
| Kochii Eucalyptus Oil Pty Ltd | Kalannie Biomass Pyrolysis project - turning waste streams into revenue | Wheatbelt | $300 000 |
| Karranga Station Pty Ltd | Margaret River industrial hemp processing facility | South West | $300 000 |
| Green Oil Co Pty Ltd | Expansion of canola oil processing plant | Wheatbelt | $300 000 |
| Cowaramup Brewing Company | Investment in canning line and fermenting tank infrastructure for increased production | South West | $72 530 |
| Blind Corner Pty LTD | Bottling line and cellar door investment project | South West | $278 973 |
| NewLeaf Orchards | Increasing processing capacity and entering new product markets | South West | $150 000 |
| Margaret River Muesli Company Pty Ltd | Investment in increasing processing capacity and packaging machinery | South West | $127 600 |
| Rocky Ridge Brewing Co Pty Ltd | Expansion of production capacity to meet export market demand | South West | $210 000 |
| Black Barley Australia | Installation of optical sorting technology | Wheatbelt | $56 359 |
| Milne Agrigroup Pty Ltd | Abattoir expansion to produce export-quality chicken feet | Great Southern | $200 000 |
| MidWest Beef Processors | Expansion for value-added processing of beef tripe and hocks | Wheatbelt | $300 000 |
| Western Meat Processors | Abattoir expansion | South West | $300 000 |
| Kimberley Meat Company Pty Ltd | Expanding production line freezing capability to increase boxed beef volumes | Kimberley | $300 000 |
| Little Green Pharma Ltd | Development of an advanced value-add GMP facility for medicinal cannabis products | South West | $300 000 |
Some projects are subject to regulatory approvals
| Organisation | Brief project description | Region | Grant (ex-co-contribution) |
| Willie Creek Pearl Farm Pty Ltd | Feasibility study of additional forms of value-adding | Kimberley | $20 000 |
| Ord River District Cooperative Limited | 'De-risking the Ord Cotton Gin' - an industry-led project | Kimberley | $100 000 |
| Wide Open Agriculture Ltd | Site feasibility of oat milk processing facility in regional WA | Wheatbelt | $20 000 |
| Organisation | Brief project description | Region | Grant (ex-co-contribution) |
| Moora Citrus Pty Ltd | Installation of water measurement and monitoring technology for citrus trees | Wheatbelt | $80 000 |
| Kyarran Farming Co | Non-chemical weed management using seed mill technology | Goldfields Esperance | $24 750 |
| Derby Industries Pty Ltd | Production line upgrades through installation of ultrasonic carcasse grading | Wheatbelt | $100 000 |
VAAIAF round one - recipients
The Value Add Agribusiness Investment Attraction Fund’s (VAAIAF) initial round received exceptional interest, with 23 grants being awarded to companies from the Kimberley to the South Coast.
The grants are expected to generate more than $12 million in total co-investment across a range of industries, and create more than 120 jobs in the regions. Of the 23 grants, 16 grants totalling $2 684 000 will support investment in expansion, relocation or new value adding production facilities and a further seven grants totalling $486 216 are to assist recipients to undertake investment de-risking activities.
There are two grant streams as part of the fund:
Program 1 - Capital expenditure
Sixteen grants totalling $2.68 million has been awarded to businesses towards capital expenditure to invest in expansion, relocation or new value adding processing and production facilities (grants up to 50% of the value of the total investment).
Program 2 - De-risking investment
Seven grants totalling $486 000 has been awarded to businesses to undertake pre-investment activities to support decision to expand, relocate or establish processing and production facilities in WA.
Congratulations to the below list of recipients.
Note. Grants are provisional and subject to a funding agreement between DPIRD and grant recipients.
| Organisation | Brief project description | Grant (ex-co-contribution) |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean Grown Abalone
| Expansion of abalone processing facility in Augusta, including increased capabilities for value adding and live exports, focused primarily on abalone with ability to handle other seafood. | $150 000 |
| Ryan’s Meats | Expansion of Davenport facility to Tier One Export accreditation, and expansion of value added food service product. | $300 000 |
| Margaret River Eggs | Processing of older laying hens for premium whole meat poultry products. | $239 000 |
| West Australian Octopus | Refurbishment of Geraldton octopus processing and freezing facility. | $150 000 |
| Margaret River Kombucha Company | Purchase and commissioning of a bottling line and associated production equipment for scaled growth of rok Kombucha's premium and organic beverages. | $250 000 |
| Lucky Bay Brewery | Relocation and expansion of Esperance brewery, utilising local barley product, with increased cellar door and product development capacity. | $125 000 |
| The Lake House Denmark | Development of Vinofood. New food production and warehousing facility for premium value add wine-complimentary specialty condiments. | $120 000 |
| Ord River District Cooperative | Optical sorting technology to improve quality of high-value grains (chickpeas, culinary beans) and allow for value-added market expansion opportunities. | $125 000 |
| Albany Seafoods | Value added processing of sardines through automatic filleting machine, breading machine and vacuum packer for the wholesale, retail and food service sectors. | $175 000 |
| Red Range Stock Supplements | Stock supplement plant automation and expansion. | $175 000 |
| Linley Valley Pork | Equipment for new lines of portion controlled meat products and tray sealing equipment. | $225 000 |
| Terra Temptations | New processing and retail facility for increased production of preserves, ice-cream, dried fruit and gourmet products including freezer room, coolroom, commercial kitchen and retail. | $75 000 |
| Simmos Ice Creamery | Expansion of ice-cream factory for increased production and new product lines. | $75 000 |
| Handasyde Strawberries | Diversification of strawberry production including freeze drying and enhanced packaging of fruit products. | $75 000 |
| Manjimup Cider Company | Alternative option for Newton Orchards apples for premium juice and cider. | $125 000 |
| Limeburners | Grain malting plant and distillery expansion in Porongorup and Albany including local product sourcing and craft malting capacity. | $300 000 |
| Organisation | Brief project description | Grant (ex-co-contribution) |
|---|---|---|
| Dandaragan Camel Dairies | Feasibility of high capacity dairy for the production and processing of premium quality camel milk and milk based products. | $100 000
|
| Avon Valley Beef | Northam Abattoir expansion and strategic business plan feasibility. | $100 000 |
| Dardanup Butchering Company | Viability modelling of dedicated meat processing and value added products. | $75 000 |
| Kimberley Wild Gubinge | Infrastructure and planning research for processing of gubinge. | $37 216 |
| Yarrie Station | Feasibility study for the design, construction and operation of a mobile abattoir and processing facility. | $79 000 |
| Hall's Family Dairy | Feasibility study for dairy production facility for single origin cheeses. | $55 000 |
| Chestnut Grove Holdings | Feasibility for winery diversification for apple crushing, juicing and cider production. | $40 000 |