Coles launched the $50 million Nurture Fund in April 2015 to help small and medium sized businesses innovate and grow.

Round Eight of the Coles Nurture Fund is now open and will close on Friday, 20 March 2020 at 5pm AEST. Small and medium sized businesses can apply for a grant of up to $500,000 to help them develop new market-leading products, technologies and processes. Farmers and producers affected by bushfires or drought can also apply for a grant to help renew their business.

Visit the Coles Nurture Fund website for further information and to apply...

Fight Food Waste CRC Small to Medium Enterprise Solutions Fund.  
Grants of up to $50K matched funding to create a value-added offering from food waste. For more information click here.

Australia-China Agricultural Cooperation Agreement (ACACA) 2020 Grant
Round 1 up to $50,000 for a project undertaken in Australia or China to enhance cooperation between china and Australia & Round 2 is up to $15,000 for a Trade Mission to China. Visit the Australian Government Community Grants website for further information.
 
Traceability Grants Program – Round 1
Minimum $20,000 Grants to enhance traceability of agricultural products particularly for exports along the supply chain. Traceability covers food safety, plant and pest and disease status, provenance, authenticity and social matters such as sustainability and welfare practices. Visit the Australian Government Community Grants website for further information.
 
Package Assisting Small Exporters (PASE)
Funding available (not specified, as long as it’s not over total grant project funding of $5million over 3 years) for projects that assist small agricultural exports to overcome barriers in participation in the export sector and to identify opportunities. Visit the Australian Government Community Grants website for further information. 

Early Bird ends 19 March 2020

Visit the Hort Connections website for forther information + registration

On 1 July 2020, changes to the water charge rules in the Murray-Darling Basin will come into effect. These changes, announced by the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources on 3 April 2019, are based on advice provided by the ACCC in 2016.

The new rules provide transparency for customers of monopoly water infrastructure operators by requiring them to include certain charges on their schedule or bill. The rules also set limits on termination fees that may apply to customers exiting an irrigation network.

Visit the ACCC website for example schedule of charges + other information...

Bushfire support
If you’ve been impacted by these bushfires, don't be concerned about your tax affairs. Now is the time for you, your family and community.  Where your business or residential address is in one of the identified bushfire impacted postcodes, the ATO has automatically applied deferrals for lodgments and payments due. You or your agent do not need to apply for this deferral. Visit the bushfire support website for further information...

It's time to move to Single Touch Payroll
It’s not too late to join the other 550,000 employers who are reporting through Single Touch Payroll (STP), but time is running out.  Visit the ATO website for further information regarding STP.

Use AUSkey or myGov to access the Business Portal?
The way you access our online services is changing. From the end of March you won't be able to use AUSkey, it’s being replaced because it hasn’t kept up with modern technology. Visit the ATO website for more information...

Compliance and enforcement officers are visiting labour hire providers and hosts
The Authority’s compliance and enforcement officers have started the year by visiting labour hire providers and hosts across Victoria. The officers are educating hosts and providers about their obligations and monitoring compliance with the labour hire licensing scheme.

Some providers and hosts have contacted the Authority for ‘proof’ that a business can provide labour hire services. Licensed providers can show they have been granted a licence by:

• referring hosts to the Register of Licensed Labour Hire Providers
• publishing a link to the Register of Licensed Labour Hire Providers on their website
• providing their licence number
• showing hosts their licence

For more information, please visit the Labour Hire Authority website...