NSW launches $1.4 million Smart Farming Program for Central-West growers
NSW Minister Penny Sharpe announced a $1.4 million Smart Farming Program on August 11, 2026, offering Central West-Orana farmers grants up to $35,000.
Photo by Tom Fisk on Pexels
The New South Wales government announced a AU$1.4 million Smart Farming Program on August 11, 2026, offering grants to farmers in the Central West-Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) to help cover the cost of agricultural technology. NSW Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe announced the program at the National Renewables in Agriculture Conference in Orange, an event that drew more than 300 farmers, energy developers, and policymakers, according to the NSW government and The Land.
Eligible primary producers within the Central West-Orana REZ will be able to apply for funding toward monitoring tools, site security systems, and drones, with individual grants capped at up to $35,000 per producer, The Land reported.
Why the smart farming program targets the Central West-Orana REZ
Sharpe framed the funding as a way to let farmers access benefits from the renewable energy zone before large-scale transmission and generation projects are complete. “We know that the upfront costs are often the thing that makes it very prohibitive, we want to be able to show what is possible,” she said, according to The Land. She added that “the whole point of this funding is to support legacy projects, but also saying to communities that you can get the benefit of renewable energy zones before waiting for them.”
The Central West-Orana REZ has already received close to $128 million in community benefit funding, according to Sharpe, including $14.5 million previously committed for mobile reception and connectivity technology and $60 million distributed through community grants in 2025. The government has not yet published an application opening date for the Smart Farming Program.
What the funding can buy
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total program funding | AU$1.4 million |
| Maximum grant per producer | Up to $35,000 |
| Eligible region | Central West-Orana Renewable Energy Zone |
| Eligible technology | Monitoring tools, site security, drones |
| Prior REZ community funding (connectivity) | $14.5 million |
| REZ community grants distributed in 2025 | $60 million |
| Total REZ community benefit funding to date | Nearly $128 million |
Sharpe said the department is consulting on similar, though not identical, funding programs for the New England and South West REZs, which she expects to roll out “in the next six to 12 months.” She acknowledged the rollout has involved some trial and error: “We are building the plane as we’re flying it, and we’re learning along the way.”
The grants add to a wider set of tools helping farmers adopt monitoring and automation technology, including drones used across sustainable agriculture for crop mapping, pest detection, and irrigation management. It also follows other recent Australian government investment in grid technology, after the federal government allocated AU$30 million in grid-enhancing technology grants in July 2026.
Background
The Central West-Orana Renewable Energy Zone is one of five REZs the NSW government has designated to coordinate new wind, solar, and transmission infrastructure across the state under its electricity infrastructure roadmap. The zone spans farming country around Orange, Dubbo, and Mudgee, where large-scale renewable projects have drawn scrutiny from agricultural communities over land use and compensation. The National Renewables in Agriculture Conference, held annually in Orange, brings together farmers and energy developers to address those tensions directly. The Smart Farming Program announced there on August 11, 2026 is the NSW government’s latest attempt to demonstrate tangible, near-term benefits to farming communities inside the zone while larger REZ infrastructure projects remain under construction.
Sources: NSW Government; The Land
Featured image: photo by Tom Fisk on Pexels (free Pexels license).
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I specialize in sustainability education, curriculum co-creation, and early-stage project strategy. At WINSS, I craft articles on sustainability, transformative AI, and related topics. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me chasing the perfect sushi roll, exploring cities around the globe, or unwinding with my dog Puffy — the world’s most loyal sidekick.
