Potential value

Farmers taking part in round two of the trial will have access to:

• Grant funding of up to $25,000 (excluding GST) to contribute to up to two thirds of the eligible cost of IoT technology selected from approved suppliers
• Specialised support from an Agriculture Victoria Industry Technology Coordinator who will help farmers select IoT solutions to match their on-farm needs
• Enhanced network connectivity delivered to participating farms to support IoT deployment.

Eligibility

Applicants must be a farm business in horticulture, sheep, dairy or broadacre cropping industries and located in an eligible trial region.

The trial regions will be determined by the coverage range of IoT network connectivity provided under the trial. Connectivity is expected to cover the local council areas of Wellington, Buloke, Loddon, Greater Shepparton and parts of Moira Shire.

Agriculture Victoria is seeking a range of applicants with different levels of technology uptake and different levels of experience with digital technology. Farmers already using IoT technology on-farm are also encouraged to apply.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible to participate in the On-Farm IoT Trial, farms must:

• be a commercial farm that is either a:
• • dairy cattle farm
  • horticulture farm
  • broadacre cropping farm
  • sheep farm
• be located in one of the following eligible regions:
  • Wellington Shire
  • Loddon Shire
  • Buloke Shire
  • Greater Shepparton
  • Moira Shire
• be a business with an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• be a legal entity
• meet all industrial relations obligations as an employer in accordance with the National Employment Standards
• have a broadband internet connection
• agree to participate in future evaluation activities.

To be considered a commercial farm business, farm turnover must exceed $50,000 per annum under normal business conditions (a year in which average yields/productivity is achieved and with no adverse climatic conditions such as drought).

Sheep farms must be either a mixed enterprise with at least 100 head of sheep, or a specialised sheep (meat/wool) producer.

The legal entity may be a corporation or individual/s (including on behalf of a partnership) that has legal standing in the eyes of the law. The legal entity may be a trustee on behalf of a trust. A legal entity has legal capacity to enter into agreements, assume obligations, incur and pay debts and sue and be sued in its own right.

The trial regions will be determined by the coverage range of IoT network connectivity provided under the On-Farm IoT Trial.

As  part of the application process for round two, the location of the Applicant’s farm property will be assessed to determine if it is within a trial region and whether it is feasible to achieve adequate network coverage to the property under the connectivity being delivered as part of the trial.

In addition to meeting the above criteria, farmers wishing to participate in the On-farm IoT Trial must agree to:

• Select at least one IoT solution to trial on their farm for at least two (2) years
• Contribute to the cost of the Apps & Devices to be trialled
• Share data generated by the Apps & Devices with the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (the department) during the On-Farm IoT Trial
• Enter into a Grant Agreement with the department
• Participate as an On-Farm IoT Trial case study, or in On-Farm IoT Trial demonstration events.

What you get

Participating farmers will be eligible to receive grant funding toward the cost of acquiring Apps & Devices provided by approved trial suppliers. These suppliers are listed in the Catalogue of Apps & Devices.

The catalogue has been developed by the department and contains a sample range of IoT technologies that have been deemed suitable for the On-Farm IoT Trial. The catalogue is intended as a guide and applicants are encouraged to speak directly with suppliers to determine which is the best solution for their business.

Applicants will receive support from an Agriculture Victoria Industry Technology Coordinator who will help them select an IoT solution to match their identified on-farm needs.

Full funding conditions for round two are available in the Applicant guidelines.

How to apply

1. Read the Applicant guidelines carefully to establish your eligibility.
2. Read the Catalogue of Apps & Devices to find the list of approved suppliers and understand what technology is available on the trial. Only technology from approved suppliers listed in the Catalogue of Apps and Devices will be considered for grant funding.
3. Speak directly with suppliers listed in the catalogue to determine what technology best fits your farm business.
4. Obtain a quote from your chosen supplier/s (you may purchase from multiple suppliers and multiple technology solutions). This quote must be attached to your online grant application.
5. Get in touch with your regional Industry Technology Coordinator if you have any questions.
6. Submit your online Application for Funding, including quotes from your chosen suppliers, to apply for funding to trial IoT solutions on your farm.
7. Your Application for Funding will be assessed and, if successful, you will be required to execute a Grant Agreement with the department and be enrolled in the On-farm IoT Trial as a Participating Farmer.

You will need your ABN to submit your application. The department may request additional supporting documentation to determine your eligibility to participate in the trial.

If you are a trustee on behalf of a trust, please print and sign the Trustee Declaration Form and submit it with your grant application.
On-Farm IoT Trustee Declaration (RTF 38.28 KB)

Applicant guidelines

On-Farm IoT Trial Applicant Guidelines funding round two (PDF 2245.87 KB)

On-Farm IoT Trial Applicant Guidelines funding round two | accessible version (DOCX 33.54 KB)

Sample application responses (PDF 250.93 KB)