Maroc - TIMBERBIZ.COM.AU - A La Une - 24/Jun 00:57

New recipients of traceability grants announced including forestry

Eleven new projects will share $4 million worth of funding in round three of the Australian Government’s Traceability Grants Program. The program supports collaborative projects that enhance traceability systems to support our agricultural export supply chains. Source: Timberbiz One of the recipients was the Advancing Transparency and Efficiency through State-of-the-Art Supply Chain Tracking for the Australian Forest Export Industry. The project will develop data standard protocols and frameworks for the forest industry that can be utilised across the supply chain and assist with traceability system development. The project will then use those protocols to develop a tracking tool to address the existing concerns raised by timber industry regarding the non-compliance of export logs. Deputy Secretary for Agricultural Trade and Regulation, Tina Hutchison, said that this latest round of grants continues the important work under rounds 1 and 2 to enhance the traceability of Australian agriculture commodities. “As with the first two rounds of this program, we’re proud to assist more Australian farmers and producers to improve agricultural supply chain traceability systems and access the opportunities which open up as a result,” Ms Hutchison said. “Beneficiaries from this round widely cover the agricultural sector- from first nations producers of native foods to wine, honey, pork, beef and sheep producers, seafood harvesters, timber exporters, and more. “These grants will help them maintain their competitive export edge and increase their ability to extend into lucrative export markets.” Prior to the launch of Round 3, the Government released the National Agricultural Traceability Strategy 2023 to 2033. The strategy contains 8 objectives and 11 priority areas for action. The Traceability Grants Program – Round 3 is funding projects that focus on the priority areas for action that include: Enhancing and supporting trust and adoption of agricultural traceability through demonstration of value-add and return on investment. Improving two-way, producer-consumer information flows to identify value-add creation and distribution opportunities and drive business development. Establishing a flexible and responsive agricultural traceability research and development agenda. The Traceability Grants Program is a part of the Modernising Agricultural Trade – Promoting Australia’s Clean, Green Brand initiative. Building on the outcomes of earlier rounds, the activities funded under Traceability Grants Program – Round 3 are expected to be completed by 30 June 2026.