BEACHPORT has been nominated for the Ag Town of the Year and businesses that stock produce from local farmers and fishers are feeling pride in the achievement.
Rivoli Bay Deli owner Michelle Fryer and Bompas Beachport owner Miranda Dong both use produce from around the town and region in their dining options.
Ms Fryer also sells a range of Beachport-based products, including Beachport Berkshires pork, Allisford Organic Farm garlic and Austar Mariculture trout.
“We try to focus on local stuff – produce from the Limestone Coast and South Australia,” she said.
“In terms of agriculture, if a farm is 10km out of Beachport, it does not matter, it’s still Beachport.”
For Ms Fryer and Ms Bong, Beachport’s proximity to both the rich soil of South Australia’s “green belt” and ocean gives the town an advantage as it already has a strong tourism industry that could be bolstered by winning the award.
At Bompas, as well as local and interstate visitors, many international visitors from China, Japan and Malaysia frequently visit in the summer months, with the Beachport Berkshire pork being a hit.
“I’ll have groups from Adelaide come here just to enquire about the pork,” Michelle said.
“It’s high quality and organic and I work closely with the Wheal family.”
Ms Fryer has observed the local farmers and fishers achieve their quotas early this year and believes Beachport’s primary industries deserve accolades.
“This award would be excellent for Beachport,” she said.
An independent panel assessment will choose five finalists to go forward and the Ag Town of the Year winner will be crowned at the SA Regional Showcase evening to be held in October.
In total, 43 towns were nominated for the inaugural award, with five of those towns within the Wattle Range district (Beachport, Millicent, Furner, Tantanoola, Kalangadoo).
The award was created by the State Government to celebrate the role of agriculture in regional South Australia.
