Wine Grape Smoke Taint Grant

Grants of up to $10,000 (with dollar-for-dollar co-contribution) are now available to eligible wine grape producers who have suffered crop damage from smoke taint caused by the Victorian Summer bushfires commencing 21 November 2019, who are located outside the areas that are eligible for Emergency Bushfire Response Primary Industries and Small Business Bushfire Support Grants.

This program is fully funded by the Commonwealth Government and administered by the Victorian Government under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.  

To be eligible for the grant, the applicant must: 

• Be a wine grape producer
• Hold an Australian Business Number (ABN) at the time of the eligible disaster.
• Be located in Victoria
• Be outside the Local Government Areas eligible for the Emergency Bushfire Response Primary Industries Grant or the Small Business Bushfire Support Grant, as listed in the program guidelines.
• Have had the 2020 vintage of wine grape harvest tainted by smoke from the Victorian Summer bushfires commencing 21 November 2019 and provide evidence to support that claim.
• Have suffered a decline in revenue or grapes harvested of 40% or more in a relevant three-month period (compared to a relevant three-month period in the previous year) since 21 November 2019.

Grants funds can be used for:

• business recovery including ongoing business costs
• improvements to make the business more resilient to future disasters
• planning for business growth and diversification of markets
• marketing and communications activities.

Repairing damage to residential properties is not an eligible activity, and grants will not be permitted to be used for damage or activities covered under existing insurance policies or other Victorian or Commonwealth grants.

The Commonwealth Government has made grant assistance received under this scheme non-assessable, non-exempt income.

Please read the Wine Grape Smoke Taint Grant Guidelines before completing an application form.

Completed applications, together with all supporting documents, must be submitted to Rural Finance by 31 December 2020 via:

Post: Rural Finance, PO Box 1313, Bendigo Central 3552

Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Fax: 5441 8901

For further information please contact Rural Finance on 1800 260 425.