Rural Finance – Wine Grape Testing Rebate

This program aims to assist Victorian wine grape growers establish the extent and impact of smoke exposure from the 2019-20 bushfires on the 2020 vintage.

The objectives of the program are to support:
- Victorian wine grape growers with access to information about the impacts of possible smoke exposure on grapes grown in the 2019-20 growing season.
- Grape growers to make sound, evidence-based decisions about the harvesting and handling of grapes that have been potentially exposed to bushfire smoke.

Rebates of up to $1,200 are available to Victorian wine grape growers on samples submitted for smoke testing between 1 January 2020 and 30 April 2020. One rebate will be offered per business.

Applicants who both grow their own grapes and buy in grapes may claim a rebate only for testing of their own grapes.

Applicants are required to pay for the smoke testing, before applying for the rebate.

Eligible applicants must:
- Be the owner, operator or share farmer of a Victorian business producing wine grapes.
- Own or operate a vineyard located in Victoria.
- Have an Australian Business Number (ABN).
- Demonstrate that grapes or juice were submitted for analysis between 1 January 2020 and 30 April 2020.

Regional Wine Association or winery or company that can demonstrate that it has paid for testing on behalf of growers who meet the above criteria are also eligible to apply.

Applicants should provide their Property Identification Code (PIC) where they have one. Applicants who don't have a PIC are strongly encouraged to obtain one from Agriculture Victoria (https://pic.agriculture.vic.gov.au/) as vineyards are required to have a PIC for biosecurity purposes.

Eligible activities include the testing of samples of whole wine grapes, fresh grape juice or fermented grape juice for the effects of smoke exposure. Only samples of grapes or juice from grapes grown by the applicant are eligible.

Samples may be submitted to either of the commercial analytical laboratories in Australia offering analysis of smoke-related compounds in grapes and wine – the Australian Wine Research Institute (South Australia) and/or Vintessential Laboratories (Victoria).

Please refer to the Guidelines for the list of ineligible activities.