Let’s get a Limestone Coast town selected as the best in South Australia

Nominations are now open for the prestigious South Australian Ag Town of the Year award.

Now in its fifth year, the annual South Australian Agricultural Town of the Year recognises South Australian towns that excel in agricultural practices and the flow-on effect on their surrounding communities. South Australian Primary Industries and regional development Minister Clare Scriven (pictured) said the Agricultural Town of the Year Award demonstrates the innovation and world-class agricultural practices pioneered and used across South Australia.

“The award is recognition and an important showcase of South Australia’s regional towns,” Minister Scriven said.

“South Australia’s regional industries contribute $29 billion to the state’s economy, with agriculture playing a vital role through local employment and business opportunities.

“We strongly believe it’s important to recognise the great resilience, creativity and strength of our regional towns and the award creates a perfect opportunity to do that.”

Each year, the Ag Town of the Year award highlights the importance of developing and maintaining a strong and vibrant agriculture sector in South Australia, by recognising towns embracing their farming culture and displaying the foresight, resilience and spirit unique to our rural and regional communities.

The winning town will receive town entrance signage recognising their achievement, a certificate and trophy presented by the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, a community event and sign unveiling to celebrate the town’s achievement and a double-page feature in SALIFE magazine.

Past winners include 2019 Cleve, 2020 Pinnaroo, 2021 Kimba and 2022 Mypolonga. ON the local front, Millicent was a finalist in the award’s inaugural year. With Mypolonga taking last year’s coveted award, the small but mighty town celebrated its success yesterday. The Mypolonga community has proven resilient in successfully adapting to drought, frost, COVID-19 restrictions and, most recently, the floods, maintaining their drive and energy to explore new avenues.

The community has evolved from a traditional orchard and dairy-farming soldier’s settlement into a boutique market town with a thriving online presence.

Mypolonga’s local primary school plays an educative role in business operations, running a local shop within the school.

Nominations for the 2023 Ag Town of the Year can be made at agtown.com.au until they close on June 5.

Nominated towns will then be put to the public vote from June 12 to 26 to help select the top 10 agricultural towns and later three finalist towns who will contend for the title of 2023 South Australian Agricultural Town of the Year.

The winner will be announced at the Regional Showcase Awards celebration in November.