The Hon. Clare Scriven, Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development (SA), Media Release, 5 November 2022
Farming community Mypolonga has been named the 2022 Ag Town of the Year during Friday night’s Regional Showcase event at the UKARIA Cultural Centre at Mount Barker.
Located in the heart of the Murraylands, the entrepreneurial community finished ahead of Crystal Brook, Kapunda, Orroroo and Waikerie to take the prized title of South Australia’s premier agricultural community. Mypolonga was also a finalist in the 2021 Ag Town of the Year award.
Each year, the Ag Town of the Year award highlights the importance of developing and maintaining a strong and vibrant agriculture sector in South Australia, by recognising towns excelling in agricultural practices and the flow on effect this has on communities.
For more information on AgTown of the Year Awards visit www.agtown.com.au
In addition to Ag Town of the Year, six other awards were also presented to a range of regional organisations, businesses, and initiatives as part of the 2022 Regional Showcase.
The winners were:
- Regional Resilience Award, sponsored by PIRSA – South Australian Seed Conservation Centre
- People’s Choice Award – 5431 Collective, Orroroo
- Business Innovation Award – Kiminnes Ol’ School Shearing
- Community Empowerment Award – Rural Aid
- Lifelong Learning Award – Bike SA
- Meaningful Connections Award – My Bundaleer
PIRSA is the major sponsor of the Regional Showcase. For more information the Regional Showcase award winners visit www.solsticemedia.com.au/regional-showcase.
Quotes attributable Clare Scriven:
South Australia’s regions are the backbone of our economy. They are major drivers of our state’s economy, identity, and social fabric. The past few years have shown the strength of our regional communities and it’s vital we as a state recognise and celebrate the contributions of our regions.
Mypolonga has a population of around 500 but is not short of energy. Its tagline of ‘Mypo Small but Mighty’ absolutely rings true. The community has a remarkably diverse agricultural industry, with a wide range of crops and livestock. The entrepreneurial spirit is clear in the impressive range of businesses experimenting, diversifying, and value-adding from traditional products and outputs.
Congratulations to everyone who makes Mypolonga a great place to live and work and contributed to this achievement for your town. I also offer congratulations to the finalist towns of Crystal Brook, Kapunda, Orroroo and Waikerie, which are great South Australian agricultural communities.
Quotes attributable to Rural City of Murray Bridge Mayor, Brenton Lewis:
To be here this evening and be fortunate enough to receive this award is something you can only hope for. It’s overwhelming, and I applaud our strong, vibrant, safe, and innovative community. As the current Mayor of Murray Bridge Council, I couldn’t be prouder.
