Farms, food processors and manufacturing plants provide 60 per cent of the region’s income and one in five jobs. 

And a newly unveiled action plan aims to continue the boom and cement our position as an “agricultural powerhouse”, according to Great South Coast Food and Fibre Council executive officer Antony Ford.

“We have a broad spectrum of industries, from red meat, beef and sheep as well as wool and dairy," he said.

“Our region is close to (being) the biggest exporter of primary products in Australia. We have built the plan over five years. We are better to do things together as a region than as an individual sector or shire.”

Mr Ford said the plan’s eight platforms include building careers, realising the “water opportunity”, growing agri-tourism and advocating to governments. 

“We have to attract young people into the industry and give them the skills and pathways,” he said.

“We also have a massive amount of water resources along the south-west coast. We can unlock the latent potential of better using irrigation. Only 34 per cent of water licenses are used in the region. If we increased that to 44 per cent, it would create farm gate production worth over $55 million to the region.”  

Implementation funding has been obtained from Regional Development Victoria and the industry.