Kimba, has been named SA's 2021 Ag Town of the Year at Friday night's Regional Showcase at the Adelaide Hills Convention Centre on National Ag Day.
The vibrant town finished ahead of Booleroo Centre, Kapunda, Mypolonga and Orroroo to take the prize as the state's premier agriculture town.
Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister David Basham congratulated the Kimba community on the win having also been a finalist in 2020.
"Recently I was in Kimba and I really was blown away by the community spirit and the way the farming community works together for the betterment of the small town," he said.
"With a very active agriculture bureau branch combining with a real sense of pride in innovatively finding new ways to attract tourists, it is no surprise the independent judging panel has chosen Kimba as the 2021 Ag Town of the Year winner.
"Kimba has a rich agricultural history being at the forefront of South Australian dry land agriculture and it is a tradition that continues today.
"This is a town where the younger generation are the driving force behind so many initiatives and spurring on the rest of the community.
"A big factor in Kimba's success this year has been its emphasis on future readiness and innovation and I heartily congratulate all involved."
Mr Basham said the Ag Town of the Year Award, in its third year, continued to grow in stature.
"SA's primary industries and agribusinesses generated revenue of $14.1 billion in 2019-20, making this sector a critical economic driver for the state," he said.
"The Ag Town of the Year award recognises towns that demonstrate excellence in agriculture, encouraging growth in primary industry and fostering leadership in this sector.
"I know the judging panel had a difficult time making this decision, with each of the finalists all worthy contenders. They are all towns that excel in agricultural practices, embrace a vibrant community spirit and resilience, and are committed to regional development."
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Member for Flinders Peter Treloar congratulated the Kimba community on winning the Ag Town of the Year Award.
"Kimba is a small but proud community and it's fantastic to see the town get this sort of recognition," he said.
"Given all the significant challenges farming communities have faced in recent years such as COVID-19 restrictions and challenging seasonal conditions, Kimba, and the other four finalists should all be immensely proud of their achievements."
In addition to Ag Town of the Year, six other awards were also presented to a range of regional organisations, businesses and initiatives as part of the 2021 Regional Showcase.
The winners were:
- Regional Resilience Award - Bushfire Kids Connect
- Business Innovation Award - Nunyara & Yadu Aboriginal Health Services
- Community Empowerment Award - SA Carp Frenzy
- Industry Skills Award - Fitzy's Natives & Horticulture Services
- Meaningful Connections Award - Steven Toope
- Lifelong Learning Award - Sadiki Kamundele
- People's Choice Award - Steven Childs
"The Regional Showcase is a chance for our whole community to celebrate South Australia's regions and their importance in the life of this state," Mr Basham said.
"Earlier this year we implemented South Australia's first Regional Development Strategy, the blueprint to assist our regional businesses to be more innovative, resilient and build a stronger regional economy. In proactively working with community and industry groups we have an ambitious goal to grow food, wine and agribusiness revenue to $23 billion by 2030, as part of the Growth State Plan.
"Despite all the challenges, our regions continue to grow and thrive.
"The stories shared through this year's Regional Showcase exemplify the strength and resilience of our regions and the people who call them home. They are inspirational and diverse, just as the various landscapes that cross this state."
The Regional Showcase, which coincided with National Agriculture Day, was held in partnership with Solstice Media, with the public invited to vote on the People's Choice Award from the 20 shortlisted regional stories.
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