Advanced Food Manufacturing Grants

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (15:14): My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. Minister, how is the state government contributing to the growth and profitability of the food manufacturing sector?

The SPEAKER: I call the nightwatchman.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Recreation and Sport, Minister for Racing) (15:15): Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the member for Kaurna for that question. The government is helping the food sector here in South Australia in a number of different ways.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Of course, I don't think I will need it against this opposition. This is an industry that's worth billions of dollars to our state and one that forms one of the key economic planks in our priorities, and that is premium food and wine produced in our clean environment and exported to the world. What we know is that people around the world want innovative food, not just really great high-quality food, so we are helping food producers here to make their products even more exportable and palatable.

We have had two rounds of grants so far in the Advanced Food Manufacturing Grants Program. We whacked $1.2 million into 19 projects, and that was matched by $1.44 million of industry co-funding, to deliver an estimated 26 jobs across South Australia. Earlier this year, following round 3 of the program, I announced a one-off small advanced food manufacturing program for businesses with an annual turnover of up to $10 million. Six South Australian food businesses received up to $30,000 each through the program:

Gelista, partnering with TAFE SA, to develop new low-GI ice-cream and sorbet products. The Minister for Environment may want to try them out—a little bit of low GI there.

The Lobethal Bierhaus—big Al up there at Lobethal and his fantastic crew—is partnering with the University of Adelaide's School of Agriculture, Food and Wine to develop a gluten-free beer that mimics attributes and flavours characterised in high-quality craft beer.

Pangkarra Foods is partnering with Orgran Health and Nutrition to utilise pilot extrusion technology to create a new snack range of puff pulse produce.

This one is my favourite, though: Potatoes South Australia, working with the University of Adelaide's School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, to develop (wait for it!) a premium South Australian vodka from waste potato peel. Has there ever been a better use for waste potato peel? I don't think so. It's going to be fantastic. We can't wait for that one to come out.

SA Mushrooms is partnering with Food Processing Specialists Pty Ltd to develop and commercialise export-ready packaged long shelf-life cooked mushroom products.

Woodside Cheese Wrights is partnering with the Orana Foundation to develop a luxury series of native Australian inspired cheese. Of course, we must remember that last year Kris Lloyd, who runs the magnificent Woodside Cheese Wrights, won a number of international awards, but I think the biggest gong she received was for a cheese that's covered in green ants. I don't know whether anyone has tried that, but it's an excellent cheese. You get this cheese and it's got all these little green ants all over it, and apparently they are good for you—eat your greens!

This is a terrific example of how our government is working side by side with the food and beverage sector here in South Australia to make sure that we are producing world-class quality produce that's not only very fresh and high quality but also innovative. I congratulate all the successful applicants and wish them well for the research they will be undertaking to deliver new produce to markets right around the world.