The Seeds to Growth program, delivered as a joint venture between the Wimmera Development Association and Food Innovation Australia, provided budding producer businesses in the region with classes and skill development sessions.

The program had previously been delivered in other parts of regional Australia, with its inaugural year in the Wimmera hosted online due to COVID-restrictions.

Program participant Jenny Matthews operates an artisan food business from her brother's Rupanyup-based grain company, The Wimmera Grain Store.

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She said the program gave her clarity of focus and recommended any other small business owner to register.

"Fabulous, I could not recommend it highly enough," she said.

"They take you through how to develop your ideas from concept to implementation. They show you case studies of other businesses, and they get you to test your own ideas with customers.

"Programs like this show you have to do the customer research, they teach you how to structure your ideas, and how to structure your pitch right through to sales channels and distribution opportunities - and of course revenue streams as well."

Innovation agency Beanstalk Agtech delivered the program, with participation fees subsidised by the organisers and the Wimmera's councils.

Beanstalk Agtech project leader Phoebe Norman said the group was excited to deliver the program in the Wimmera and was satisfied with the outcomes participants achieved.

"Watching the growth from the first week, some are really at that start-up stage and others are more established," she said.

"Just watching the growth in their own journeys, from the business ideas and right through. And it was so diverse in terms of the capabilities of the region.

"I think it has been really interesting watching the COVID situation how businesses have to pivot in terms of those who existed last year.

"How they have used that information and that challenge to use these 12 weeks to change the direction of their business, whether that be online or farm gate."

Before the pandemic, the program was delivered face-to-face across a shortened intensive period.

Ms Norman said the 12 weeks of online courses was beneficial for participants and looked to incorporate remote learning into the program moving forward.

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"Checking in weekly for 12 weeks made managing the different modules throughout the week more achievable for the cohort. I think they all enjoyed having that weekly connection and seeing what they developed from week one right through to week 12.

"We would love to do some more face-to-face. We don't want to lose that face-to-face connection, but having that ability for them to do a weekly class when they have all got their own jobs has been really positive, and I suspect we will do it again."

Shawna Dominelli of Grampians Ale Works, Anita Evans of Five Ducks Farm and Richard Inglis of RichMarket Garden will participate in the next phase of the program 'Actioning Innovation', including three months of high-level and bespoke support.

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