Grant status: Closed (closed 13 February 2023)
The Agricultural Trade and Market Access Cooperation (ATMAC) program was launched in February 2016 under the Access to premium markets initiative. Before it closed in 2022-23, ATMAC provided 72 administered grants totalling over $30.6 million.
The grants aimed to break down technical barriers to trade for Australian agricultural exports and secure new and improved access to premium markets. The program’s objective was to open, improve and/or maintain access to overseas markets for Australian agricultural products by building stronger relationships with trading partners, neighbouring countries and international organisations.
ATMAC was expanded through the 2019-20 Budget and Agri-Business Expansion Initiative (ABEI), and the expanded version of the program provided grants for projects that harnessed opportunities to access new markets and strengthen market presence through existing channels for agricultural commodities affected by market disruptions and which have restricted access to key destination markets.
Trade diversification and expansion is key to Australia’s future prosperity, as well for the industry to reach their goal of a $100 billion agricultural sector by 2030. ATMAC provided a mechanism for the government to enter strategic partnerships, developed jointly with industry, that support trade diversification and expansion and provide direct benefits for the sector.
The program is closed for new applications.
Who benefited
Industry associations, including peak bodies and Rural Research and Development Corporations (RDCs) received grants under the ATMAC program. Grant applications needed to demonstrate broad support across industry stakeholders and include a meaningful co-contribution (financial and/or in-kind). The nature of the arrangements varied depending on the sector, export markets and diversification activities being targeted.
What was supported
Activities eligible for support under ATMAC included, but were not limited to:
- investments that support trade expansion
- international marketing and promotion plans
- research and development
- training and education
- information exchange
- feasibility studies
- competitor analyses or sector or market analyses
- export strategy development
- targeted relationship development
- influencing the evolution or adoption of international standards and protocols.
Download
Guidelines for the program released in 2022 can be found here:
ATMAC Grant Guidelines (PDF 153 KB)
ATMAC Grant Guidelines (DOCX 236 KB)
If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.
Program funding
When launched on 17 February 2016, the ATMAC program provided administered funding of $3.1 million over 4 years from 2015-16 to 2018-19. An extension of the program was announced in the 2019-20 Budget, with an additional $6.0 million over 4 years from 2019-20 to 2022-23. The first round of grant funding under the extension was referred to as ATMAC 2020.
ATMAC then received further funding of $4.0 million in 2020-21 and $12.0 million in 2021-22 under ABEI. The 2021-22 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) included an announcement of additional funding of $6.0 million in 2022-23. From 2020-21 the program was referred to as the ‘expanded ATMAC program’.
Administered grants awarded $m GST excl. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | Total | |
| ATMAC | 1.48 | 1.26 | 0.05 | 2.76 | ||||
| ATMAC 2020 | 1.38 | 1.38 | ||||||
| Expanded ATMAC | 4.07 | 14.93 | 7.50 | 26.50 | ||||
| Total | 1.48 | 1.26 | 0.05 | 1.38 | 4.07 | 14.93 | 7.50 | 30.64 |
| Recipient | Project name | Grant amount (GST exclusive) |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | ||
| AEXCO Pty Ltd | Diversification of the Australian export fodder industry into new markets in South-East Asia and the Middle East | $658,200.00 |
| Apple and Pear Australia Limited | Enhanced market access for apples to Japan: systems approach for fumigation-free trade | $450,000.00 |
| Australian Cotton Shippers Association and Cotton Australia – phase 3 | Taking Australian Cotton to the World – Realising the Opportunity | $890,401.25 |
| Australian Grape and Wine – phase 3 | Australian grape and wine sector market diversification framework implementation (Stage 3) | $489,091.48 |
| Australian Hide Skin and Leather Exporters Association | Diversification of export markets for Australian leather by building its environmental credentials and educating critical markets. | $562,300.00 |
| Australian Nut Industry Council – phase 2 | Australian Nut Industry Trade & Market Expansion Program Round 2 | $480,000.00 |
| Australian Renderers Association | Diversification of export markets for Australian rendered products in Asia | $460,900.00 |
| AUSVEG Ltd | Understanding compliance and commercial drivers in overseas markets to maximise trade outcomes | $121,350.00 |
| Grains Australia Limited – phase 2 | Projects that provide further opportunities to diversify production and export of Australian grain | $574,000.00 |
| Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited – grant 2 | India supply chain mapping | $350,000.00 |
| Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited for the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group (dairy, meat, horticulture, wine, and seafood sectors) – phase 2 | Amplifying impact in our key export markets | $600,000.00 |
| Infant Nutrition Council – phase 2 | Developing new export markets for Australia’s infant formula industry | $300,000.00 |
| Jersey Australia and Holstein Australia | Expand trade for the Australian genetics and livestock sectors into premium export markets with a high-growth potential | $75,450.00 |
| Meat & Livestock Australia – phase 2 | Export market diversification for Australian red meat in India | $145,000.00 |
| Medicinal Cannabis Industry Australia | Export Market Strategy for the Australian Medicinal Cannabis Industry including an International Engagement Strategy | $250,000.00 |
| Seafood Industry Australia – phase 3 | Market access and market development proposal for the Australian seafood industry – phase 3 | $165,000.00 |
| WoolProducers Australia Limited – phase 2 | Ensuring a sustainable Australian Wool Industry through market diversification and risk mitigation - Phase 2 | $800,000.00 |
| 2021-22 | ||
| Australian Cotton Shippers Association and Cotton Australia – phase 2 | Taking Australian Cotton to the World - Market Diversification & Supply Chain Expansion & Education | $1,411,000.00 |
| Australian Grape and Wine – phase 2 | Australian Grape and Wine Sector Market Diversification Framework Implementation - Stage 2 | $1,817,000.00 |
| Berries Australia | Post-COVID19 international market program for Australian berry industries | $239,000.00 |
| Citrus Australia | Australian Citrus to India: 30,000 tonnes by 2030 | $485,771.00 |
| Forest and Wood Products Australia | Splinters to Structures: Value Adding to Exported Wood Fibre | $1,183,000.00 |
| Geraldton Fishermen's Co-operative | Value-adding, market expansion and market diversification for Australian lobster | $1,926,000.00 |
| Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited – grant 1 | Australian Horticulture International Demand Creation | $2,040,000.00 |
| Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited for the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group (dairy, meat, horticulture, wine, and seafood sectors) – phase 1 | Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group Market Expansion Initiative | $500,000.00 |
| Infant Nutrition Council – phase 1 | Diversifying Australia's Infant Formula Exports | $160,000.00 |
| National Farmers' Federation | National Farmers' Federation International Engagement Strategy | $210,000.00 |
| Queensland Cane Growers Organisation Ltd and the Australian Sugar Milling Council | Diversifying and Enhancing Market Access for the Australian Sugar Exports | $539,000.00 |
| Red Meat Advisory Council | Australian Red Meat Market Diversification Program | $752,600.00 |
| Seafood Industry Australia – phase 2 | Seafood Industry Australia: Marketing, Access, and Export Development Proposal for the Australian Seafood Industry - Year 2 | $1,275,000.00 |
| WoolProducers Australia Limited – phase 1 | Ensuring a Sustainable Australian Wool Industry through Market Diversification and Risk Mitigation | $662,000.00 |
| 2020-21 | ||
| Australian Cotton Shippers Association and Cotton Australia– phase 1 | Taking Australian Cotton to the World - Market Diversification & Supply Chain Expansion & Education | $692,456.00 |
| Australian Grape and Wine – phase 1 | Australian Grape and Wine Sector Market Diversification Framework | $998,000.00 |
| Australian Nut Industry Council – phase 1 | Nut Industry Trade and Market Access Expansion Program | $550,000.00 |
| Dairy Australia | Reduction of Technical Barriers to Trade for Australian Dairy in South East Asia | $310,000.00 |
| Grains Australia Limited – phase 1 | Market Diversification for Australian Grains Industry - Beyond China | $969,480.00 |
| Meat & Livestock Australia – phase 1 | Australian Red Meat Export Market Diversification: Saudi Arabia / Thailand / Vietnam | $1,520,000.00 |
| Seafood Industry Australia – phase 1 | Marketing, Access and Export Development Proposal for the Australian Seafood Industry | $887,727.27 |
| Total grant funding | $26,499,727.00 | |
| Recipient | Project name | Grant amount (GST exclusive) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | ||
| Australian Food and Grocery Council | Engaging with Indonesia- A comprehensive plan to harness export opportunities for Australian food and beverage businesses | $91,000.00 |
| Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries | Trial Shipments of Irradiated Queensland Persimmons to Thailand under New Protocol | $118,200.00 |
| Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries | Export Supply Chain Improvement for Sea freight of Vegetables | $123,000.00 |
| Grain Producers South Australia | Application for Snail Pest - Export Risk Management Project to assist South Australian grain growers and value chain participants in managing the potential technical, phytosanitary-barriers to grain exports to China | $102,225.00 |
| Meat & Livestock Australia | Vietnamese cattle animal welfare and traceability. Industry delegation and workshop establishing a mechanism to harmonise the legal standards and monitoring systems for animal welfare and livestock traceability | $135,000.00 |
| Dairy Australia | Improving Access to India for Australian Dairy | $76,400.00 |
| Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre | Improving access to Australian barley markets through technical extension | $150,000.00 |
| Fruit Growers Victoria Ltd | Fruit Growers Victoria (FGV) would escalate & improve market access of new & existing trading opportunities for Pear Growers into China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia & Taiwan | $44,500.00 |
| NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment | Supporting informed horticultural market access treatment decisions | $167,698.00 |
| Agribusiness Regional Development Association Incorporated | Capital Region Export Alliance | $200,000.00 |
| Australian Organic Limited | The Australian Organic LTD Growing Organics International Market Access and Export Project | $100,000.00 |
| Bowen Gumlu Growers' Association Incorporated | Bowen Gumlu Growers Association Export Series - Growing With Japan | $70,143.00 |
| Total grant funding | $1,378,166.00c | |
| Recipient | Project name | Grant amount (GST exclusive) |
|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | ||
| NSW Department of Primary Industries | Improving the cost competitiveness of Australian horticulture exports by reducing phytosanitary compliance costs | $201,633.00 |
| Ngaanyatjarra Council (Aboriginal Corporation) | Australian camel export development in the Gulf States | $115,000.00 |
| Meat & Livestock Australia | Red meat cold chain integrity workshops | $80,935.00 |
| The Organic Industry Standards Certification Council Inc | Gaining market access through the organic mark | $70,000.00 |
| Australian Horticultural Exporters Association Limited | Bilateral trade facilitation through import value chain development and capacity building | $104,350.00 |
| Australian Food and Grocery Council | Enhancing understanding of Australia’s food safety regulatory systems in meeting trading partner requirements | $272,000.00 |
| Australian Food and Grocery Council | Realising the benefits of ChAFTA through Australian - Chinese partnership to provide supply chain assurance | $115,000.00 |
| Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries | Determination of host status of Australian finger limes to enable market access | $313,409.00 |
| Export Council of Australia | Non-Tariff Barriers to Australia's Agriculture Trade: Case Studies | $55,000.00 |
| Grain Trade Australia | Building networks and addressing trade barriers to facilitate improved market access for grain | $103,000.00 |
| Winemakers' Federation of Australia | Improving access to the Chinese wine market | $59,469.00 |
| New South Wales Department of Primary Industries | Developing export markets for blueberries | $120,000.00 |
| National Farmers Federation | Agricultural industry engagement strategy in preparation for upcoming FTAs in Europe | $164,000.00 |
| Australian Livestock Export Corporation | China-Australia Bluetongue Virus collaboration 2017 | $131,190.00 |
| Meat & Livestock Australia | Red meat cold chain integrity workshops - China | $136,090.00 |
| Australian Meat Industry Council | Mexico - A packaging innovation for sheep carcases | $59,000.00 |
| 2017-18 | ||
| Organic Federation of Australia in trust on behalf of the Australian Organics Industry Working Group | Australian Organic Industry Export Market Access Project | $90,909.00 |
| Food Standards Australia New Zealand | Trade facilitation through harmonization of maximum residue limits for pesticides – development of two implementation tools | $146,452.00 |
| Curtin University | Australian-made wheat noodles and Chinese wheat products for China | $100,000.00 |
| Australian Manuka Honey Association Ltd | Realising Market Access Opportunities for Australian Manuka Honey Exporters in Global Markets | $150,000.00 |
| Meat & Livestock Australia | Detailed analysis of the UK and EU market for Australian red meat imports | $83,636.00 |
| The University of Adelaide | Understanding parallel trade of Australian products to China | $93,000.00 |
| Total grant funding | $2,764,073.00 | |
Further information
For further information on the ATMAC program please contact: ATMAC@aff.gov.au.