Woolworths have launched its Dairy Innovation Fund, scheduled to deliver $5m in grants to support on-farm improvements for Woolies dairy suppliers. The grants are up to $100,000 and aims to deliver innovation, efficiency, greater resilience or enhanced sustainability.

The retailer received 500 applications for projects that include milk sensor technology, dairy automation, herd monitoring technology and enhanced bush fire protection with 24 dairy farms across the country receiving more than $2m in grants. Woolworths’s director of buying Paul Harker said the grant applications showed Australian farmers were focused on a sustainable future of the industry with investments in new technology and infrastructure to build thriving farms for generations to come. Harker said now was a particularly good time to invest because investments help set up dairy farms to prosper through the seasonal challenges that have always been a part of Australian farming.