Kim Chance

Kim Chance

Minister for Agriculture and Food; Forestry; the Mid West and Wheatbelt; Great Southern

    Western Australian farmers first to benefit from new farm training agreement

    24/01/2005 5:00 PM
     
    24/1/05

    Western Australian farmers will be among the first in the nation to gain access to new training programs through a $10million agreement between the Gallop Government and the Commonwealth.

    The State Government has provided $5million in matching funds to ensure primary producers and rural land managers have access to the new AAA FarmBis training program.

    Agriculture Minister Kim Chance today announced that WA was the first State to sign on to the new training program for the next three years.

    “FarmBis has proven to be an important support program to enable primary producers to improve their business management skills and knowledge,” Mr Chance said.

    “This highly successful program focuses on the adoption of a continuous learning culture and innovation and improved business management skills to build self-reliance.

    “It also looks at competitiveness and capacity of primary producers to meet the challenge of global change.”

    FarmBis is a joint Australian, State and Northern Territory Government program, which has been running since 1997.

    It provides reimbursement grants for short course business training undertaken by eligible participants from the primary industries including wild catch fisheries.

    The new program will start in WA on February 1 and will be administered by the Department of Agriculture through the Rural Business Development Corporation.

    Mr Chance said a State Planning Group had been appointed to provide strategic direction for the new program.

    “I am pleased to announce that Peter Cooke will chair the planning group, continuing on from his role as chair of the previous FarmBis program,” he said.

    “The State Planning Group represents WA's primary industries and provides strategic advice on how best to achieve the desired outcomes for sustainable farming, pastoral and fishing industries.”

    A new website: http://www.FarmBis.wa.gov.au will be set up and further information will be available to trainers and participants over the next fortnight. For further information contact the AAA FarmBis Co-ordinator on (08) 0368 3149.

    Minister's office: 9213 6700