Five significant agricultural towns from across South Australia have been named as finalists in the inaugural Ag Town of the Year award.

Words David Washington

For the first time this year, a new competition is celebrating South Australia’s agricultural country towns.

The State Government initiative is designed to highlight South Australian towns that support and promote primary industries and all that they bring to rural communities.

The Government received 43 nominations, with an independent judging panel whittling that list down to five finalists – Cleve, Kapunda, Langhorne Creek, Millicent and Renmark.

Each of the five finalist towns will be profiled in SALIFE digital over the coming weeks, as well as in the October issue of SALIFE magazine.

The winner, also selected by the independent panel, will be announced at the South Australian Regional Showcase celebration event on October 11.

The Regional Showcase, a long-term initiative of now-defunct Brand SA, has been taken over by Solstice Media – the South Australian-owned publisher of SALIFE and InDaily. The showcase highlights important and inspiring stories about regional communities across South Australia. The finalists in the Regional Showcase will be highlighted on InDaily in September, with the public having a say in the eventual winners.

Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister Tim Whetstone said judging for the Ag Town of the Year Award had highlighted the pride in regional towns and how these places are inextricably linked to agriculture.

“Cleve, Kapunda, Langhorne Creek, Millicent and Renmark have showcased the diversity of their regions and agricultural activities – from farmland and livestock to wine, forestry, fisheries and horticulture,” he said.

“The stories of these towns really paint a picture of the agricultural innovation, diversity, leadership and community spirit that exists within them. It’s now up to each of the five towns to illustrate why it deserves to be crowned the inaugural Ag Town of the Year.

“Local agricultural organisations, councils and schools are encouraged to get involved and undertake activities to highlight their town and its link to agriculture.”