2019 AWARD WINNER

Nominations for the South Australian Agricultural Town of the Year Award are now open!

Introduced as a new award in 2019, the Agricultural Town of the Year Award recognises South Australian towns that are excelling in agricultural practices and the flow on effect they have on communities.

This award, proudly presented by Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) and Solstice Media, highlights the vital role that agriculture plays in the regional landscape – being the backbone of most regional communities.

The program endeavours to provide an avenue where communities can learn from one another which will play a role in building capacity and increasing growth in regional South Australia.

Nominate for your favourite town before September 18, 2020.

How to nominate

Step 1: Simply nominate a town or numerous towns via the nomination form below and answer the first question to the best of your ability. A nomination can be made by anyone.

Once all nominations are received, the public and an independent judging panel will help select the top 5 via an online voting system.

Step 2: If the town you have nominated is selected as one of the 5 finalist towns in 2020 we may be in contact to obtain further information to help complete 4 additional entry questions outlined in the award criteria. We will also connect you with the town’s council and business associations, in addition to any other person who has nominated the town to assist with this process. Entries will need to be completed between November and December 2020. You won’t be asked to do it alone!

Each of the Top 5 towns will also be visited by the judging panel in mid-January to early-February and will be required to submit an itinerary showcasing their town’s agricultural initiatives and supporting the questions/ themes they highlighted in their entry.

The 2020 Agricultural Town of the Year will be announced in February 2021.

Why nominate?

Entering the awards will provide regional towns and communities:

The opportunity to reflect on their contributions to the state’s primary industries and regional development.
Greater awareness of their town and agricultural contribution

In addition to being recognised as the ‘South Australian Agricultural Town of the Year’, the winning town will receive:

Sign for the town entrance recognising their achievement
Certificate and trophy presented by the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development
Community event and sign unveiling to celebrate the ‘2020 Agricultural Town of the Year’
Double page feature in SALIFE magazine

Eligibility and criteria

Who is eligible to be nominated?

Any regional town in South Australia can be nominated and enter the South Australian Agricultural Town of the Year award. ‘Regional’ is defined by those towns that are located within Areas 1-6 on the PIRSA Regions Map here, and the McLaren Vale Preservation District, Virginia and Gawler.
For the purpose of this award, ‘agriculture’ refers to all primary industries – agriculture (field crops, horticulture, meat and livestock, dairy, grape and wine, forestry), and fisheries and aquaculture.
A town’s involvement in agriculture is not limited to farmers, but includes the wider community that supports the industry – e.g. shops, service providers, community activities.

Criteria: Click here to download the criteria.

Program Timeline

19 August 2020 to 18 September 2020 — Nominations
October to November 2020 — Online voting by the public and judging panel to determine the top 5 finalists
November to December 2020 — Entry by the 5 finalists
Mid-January to Early-February 2021 — Regional visits to the 5 finalist towns
February 2021 — Announcement of the 2020 Agricultural Town of the Year
April 2021 — Community event

DOWNLOAD PROGRAM ASSETS

Nominate a town now

Sorry! Nominations for Ag Town of the Year have now closed.

By completing this form, you agree to accept the terms and conditions of nominating for the 2020 South Australian Agricultural Town of the Year Award

2019 Agricultural Town of the Year Award Winner

Cleve

Having faced the challenge of drought, Cleve’s community spirit and stories shared, are testament to the town’s resilience and creativity. A small community on the Eyre Peninsula, Cleve is an inspirational agricultural town that has employed a range of activities to improve efficiency and morale.

These include:

initiatives aimed at improving physical and mental health
continuing to drive farm innovation through field days and other programs
encouraging agricultural education programs at the local area school

The agriculture industry in the Cleve area contributes more than 74% of the region’s exports, making it a major contributor to the South Australian economy.