Rebates to improve digital connectivity for Primary Producers

Approved Suppliers can apply if they: 

• are listed as an Approved Supplier on the DITRDCSA website
• supply eligible equipment (list of eligible equipment is available on the DITRDCSA website) to an eligible Primary Producer (as defined in section 4.2 of the guidelines)
• provide a quote which:
  • includes the date the quote was raised (noting this date must be on or after the program opening date. Quotes must not precede the program opening date.)
  • includes the Approved Supplier’s address, contact details, entity name and ABN
  • includes details of the Primary Producer purchasing the eligible equipment
  • itemises the prices of each eligible equipment item/s to be supplied (not bundled), including costs for subscriptions, delivery, installation, and training (if applicable)
• are able to supply (including delivery, installation and training where applicable) the eligible equipment to the eligible primary producer within the 120 calendar days from the date of notification confirming approval of application
• ensure the Primary Producer’s ABN has been registered for 12 months or longer at the time of application submission. Where the eligible Primary Producer has multiple properties with a separate ABN for each primary production property, the properties must be at different locations
• confirm that they do not have any national interest, financial, legal, regulatory, governance or other issue, including in relation to any key personnel or related entities, that could create a material risk, conflict with Australian Government policy, or bring the Australian Government into disrepute if funding were provided.

Approved Suppliers may be removed from the program if they:

• engage in fraudulent conduct
• bring the program into disrepute, or
• breach the terms of the Deed Poll.

If the Approved Supplier is removed from the program, any application which has been submitted by the Approved Supplier will no longer be eligible for approval of the grant (rebate). Primary Producers are responsible for undertaking their own due diligence when choosing an Approved Supplier.

If an Approved Supplier is removed from the program and the program remains open for applications, the Primary Producer may engage a different Approved Supplier from the list and submit a new application. See the DITRDCSA website for further information on Approved Suppliers.

Additional eligibility requirements

We can only accept applications where:

• the Approved Supplier has confirmed that the Primary Producer meets the eligibility requirements set out below, and
• the Primary Producer completes a separate declaration through the online portal.

See section 6 of the guidelines for further information.

Eligible Primary Producers must:

• have an ABN registered for 12 months or longer at the time of application submission
• carry out primary production activities under one of the eligible ANZSIC codes (refer to Appendix A of the guidelines)
• have an average annual gross income between $40,000 and $4 million (i.e. total revenue before expenses and tax) over the three full financial years (2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25). See section 6.1 of the guidelines for further information.
• not be a hobby farmer.

As part of the application process, the Primary Producer must complete an online declaration through the portal confirming that they meet all the eligibility requirements.

The Primary Producer must also provide:

• their ABN, name, email address and phone number
• the address where the eligible equipment will be delivered and installed (where applicable)
• proof of their average annual gross income over the three full financial years. More information is provided in section 6.1 of the guidelines.

The Primary Producer must declare whether they have received a benefit under earlier rounds of the program. Receiving a benefit under a previous round does not affect eligibility but will determine the priority order the applications are assessed. More information about the assessment process is provided in section 7.1 of the guidelines.

You can’t apply if you are: 

• any organisation not listed as an Approved Supplier on the DITRDCSA website
• an organisation included on the National Redress Scheme’s list of Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme 
• an employer of 100 or more employees that has not complied with the Workplace Gender Equality Act (2012) .

The activity period commences on the date of notification confirming approval of your application.

Your project must: 

• assist Primary Producers to take advantage of agribusiness solutions through improved on-farm connectivity and/or connectivity-enabled agriculture-technology equipment
• supply eligible equipment (list of eligible equipment is available on the DITRDCSA website) to an eligible Primary Producer (as defined in section 4.2 of the guidelines)
• sell and provide eligible equipment, including delivery, installation and training (where applicable) at 50% of the eligible purchase price, up to a total eligible equipment value of $40,000 (excluding GST ). Primary Producers may purchase more than $40,000 (GST exclusive) worth of eligible equipment, however the maximum total rebate amount per eligible primary producer ABN is $20,000 (GST exclusive)
• include at least $2,000 (GST exclusive) in total eligible expenditure. 

This is a rebate program. We will reimburse the Approved Supplier for up to 50% of the eligible purchase price of eligible equipment purchased by an eligible Primary Producer.

The five categories of eligible equipment are:

• Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN)
• connectivity equipment
• environmental monitoring
• farm management
• remote automation and control equipment.

Other eligible expenditure items are:

• cost of training provided to the Primary Producer in the operation of approved eligible equipment items, to a maximum of 10% (excluding GST) of the total eligible equipment purchase price
• one-off cost of subscriptions to support operation of approved eligible equipment items for up to 12 months duration, to a maximum of 10% (excluding GST) of the total eligible equipment purchase price
• cost of delivery and installation (where applicable), to a maximum of 20% (excluding GST) of the total eligible equipment purchase price
• accommodation charges may be included in the cost of delivery, installation and training (where applicable). The Program Delegate may seek additional information to confirm eligibility.

For additional information on eligibility expenditure refer to section 5.2 of the guidelines.