$6.1 Million in Annual Value: Report Highlights Big Impact for Southern Forests Region

New Report Confirms Southern Forests Food Council Delivers Millions in Economic Value and Strong Return on State Investment

A new independent economic assessment has confirmed the Southern Forests Food Council (SFFC) is a major economic driver for Western Australia’s Southern Forests region, generating more than $6.1 million in direct economic value in 2023–24 alone through its branding, marketing, industry development and grower support initiatives.

Commissioned by the SFFC and undertaken by Lucid Economics, the report highlights the organisation’s critical role in supporting one of WA’s most productive and diverse agricultural regions – an industry worth $750 million annually across the Shires of Manjimup, Bridgetown-Greenbushes, and Nannup.

Despite being a small, efficient and results-driven team, the SFFC continues to deliver outsized impact across multiple sectors of regional agriculture.

The SFFC acknowledges the State Government for its crucial support, with a $725,000 investment over two and a half years announced back in October 2023. This funding has been vital in enabling the SFFC to continue delivering programs that strengthen local growers, enhance the Genuinely Southern Forests brand, and build a more resilient and sustainable future for the region.

The assessment demonstrates that the SFFC delivers a significant return on investment (ROI) for the Western Australian Government. Through increased productivity, market premiums and new revenue across the region, the SFFC’s activities generate several multiples of the State’s annual financial contribution, delivering tangible, measurable value back into regional communities, farms and businesses.

“This report confirms that even with a small and highly efficient team, the SFFC continues to deliver substantial value for growers and for Western Australia. Our carbon pilot demonstrates real on-farm benefits, and our new Southern Forests Young Growers network ensures the next generation is equipped to lead with confidence, innovation and resilience,” said Dr Arthur Wilson, Chair of the Southern Forests Food Council.

“Our collaborative approach means growers can compete with confidence, adopt new technologies, diversify their businesses and build long-term sustainability for the region.”

Emerging Leaders Strengthening the Region

The SFFC has recently established the Southern Forests Young Growers network, designed to strengthen the future of the region’s food and agricultural industries. The initiative provides young growers and emerging leaders with a structured platform for training, peer support, industry exposure and leadership development. Its purpose is to build a new generation of skilled, connected, and confident contributors to the region’s continued economic and social resilience.

Successful Carbon Pilot Demonstrates Clear Benefits for Producers

The report also acknowledges the momentum generated by the SFFC’s carbon pilot program, which recently concluded with strong engagement from growers and early evidence of improved readiness for carbon reporting and market expectations. The pilot demonstrated that even small adjustments in farm practice and measurement can lead to productivity gains, reduced costs, and retained market opportunities for producers seeking to future-proof their businesses in a rapidly evolving regulatory environment. Growers participating in the pilot are already reporting increased confidence in managing emissions and identifying opportunities for on-farm improvements.

Premium Branding Driving Higher Prices for WA Produce

The Genuinely Southern Forests (GSF) brand remains one of the region’s strongest economic assets, generating $3.23 million in premium value for growers in 2023–24.Complementary digital marketing and editorial exposure generated an additional $128,000 in earned media value, further strengthening the region’s reputation for premium produce.

Innovation, New Products and Agritourism Building Regional GrowthThe report identifies several major areas of economic uplift driven by SFFC activities, including:

• $1.63 million in productivity gains through improved water management and precision farming technologies.

• $459,507 in new revenue from value-added processing and new crop establishment.

• $153,452 in agritourism revenue, with growing demand for farm experiences and culinary tourism.

• $501,419 in resilience and human-capacity benefits, including drought-hub workshops, mental-health programs and grower training.

A Critical Enabler for a High-Value Agricultural Region

The Southern Forests region produced 109,000 tonnes of fruit and vegetables worth $233 million in 2023–24, including almost all of WA’s truffles, 86% of avocados, 55% of apples and 37% of potatoes.

With agriculture and food manufacturing accounting for 21.6% of all regional economic output and supporting 1,441 local jobs, SFFC’s coordinating role is essential to the ongoing competitiveness and resilience of the sector.

Looking ahead, Lucid Economics forecasts that continued investment in SFFC activities will deliver $5.3-6 million in economic value per year over the next three years. Projected growth in branding, technology uptake, value-added processing, workforce development, and the emerging benefits of carbon preparedness, are expected to further increase this contribution.

Contact:  Laura Bolitho Southern Forests Food Council  laura@southernforestsfood.com  Website: http://www.southernforestsfood.com Facebook: Genuinely Southern Forests Instagram: @genuinelysouthernforests LinkedIn: Southern Forests Food Council

Genuinely Southern Forests cherry season is looking good in time for the Manjimup Cherry Harmony Festival.