EcoHarvest snags $90,000 grant through Coles Nurture Fund

Northern Tasmanian organic berry producer EcoHarvest will use a $90,000 grant through the latest round of the Coles Nurture Fund to bring advanced irrigation, automation and soil health technology to its first-generation berry farm.

Established in 2023 in the Liffey Valley, near Deloraine, EcoHarvest will use the funding to upgrade its irrigation system, automate soil moisture monitoring and mowing and improve soil health across the farm.

The project will help the growing business bring forward practical improvements designed to improve water efficiency, reduce manual labour and support more reliable organic berry production.

EcoHarvest director Johannes Kruusma said the grant would allow the young business to accelerate important upgrades that would otherwise have been several years away.

“Running an organic berry farm means understanding exactly what the plants need and when they need it, so having better information about soil moisture will help us make smarter decisions about watering. That’s especially important during the drier months, when we can be irrigating several days a week,” he said.

“The funding will allow us to introduce technology that is more commonly used on larger farms, including automated irrigation, soil moisture sensors and autonomous mowing, while also helping us improve soil health through our microbe farming program.

“For a young business like ours, that is a significant step forward. It means we can bring these upgrades forward by two or three years, improve efficiency on farm and support a more reliable supply of organic berries for customers.”

Since 2015, the Coles Nurture Fund has awarded more than $43 million to 127 Australian businesses, providing grants of up to $500,000 for projects that support sustainability, efficiency and growth.

With this round, total support for Tasmanian small and medium-sized businesses has grown to more than $2 million.

Coles Group chief commercial and sustainability officer Anna Croft said EcoHarvest reflected the innovation and forward-thinking approach of Tasmanian producers.

“EcoHarvest is a great example of a young farming business embracing technology to improve water efficiency, soil health and productivity, while helping strengthen the long-term future of Tasmanian agriculture,” Ms Croft said.

EcoHarvest is among eight small and medium-sized businesses across Australia awarded grants of up to $500,000.