Proposal for a $600 Million Community Renewal Scheme

Regen Era Design Studio has unveiled a $600 million policy proposal, Grow Small, Feed All: Tasmania Renewal, calling for a decade of public investment into the state’s small-scale market gardens.

The scheme aims to establish reliable pathways for local produce to reach schools, health services and community organisations by treating food as essential civic infrastructure. Regen Era Design Studio founder Emily Samuels-Ballantyne describes the plan as a practical and ethical way to regenerate the everyday food economy. Samuels-Ballantyne says the proposal provides a framework to support growers who already feed Tasmanian regions while building missing links to ensure nutritious food reaches those who need it most.

Media release – Regen Era Design Studio, 23 December 2025

GROW SMALL, FEED ALL – TASMANIA RENEWAL
A $600 MILLION COMMUNITY RENEWAL SCHEME TO STRENGTHEN TASMANIA’S EVERYDAY FOOD ECONOMY

Regen Era Design Studio has published a new policy proposal, Grow Small, Feed All – Tasmania Renewal, calling for long-term public investment to stabilise small-scale market gardens and build the local pathways Tasmania needs for reliable, year-round access to nutritious local vegetables and herbs.

The policy is an invitation to treat food as essential civic infrastructure, not an optional extra and to design procurement, planning and distribution systems that work for small and mixed farms, schools, health services and community organisations.

At the centre of the proposal is a 10-year Community Renewal Scheme totalling $600 million.

Seventy-five per cent ($450m) is directed to farms through long-term renewal grants, with 25 per cent ($150m) allocated to coordination and assurance, including regional coordinators, procurement capability and design, agronomist support, auditing and monitoring and evaluation.

“Grow Small, Feed All is a practical, ethical way to regenerate Tasmania’s everyday food economy,”

said Emily Samuels-Ballantyne, founder of Regen Era Design Studio.

“We back the growers who are already feeding our towns and regions, and we build the missing pathways that allow local food to move steadily into schools, health services, soup kitchens and community programs, with dignity, fair pricing and long-term stability.”

The policy proposes a simple reciprocal mechanism – farms receive stable public support, and in return supply increasing quantities of food into agreed community pathways as their capacity grows.

In years 1–3, farms return food equivalent to 20% of the retail value of their annual grant, increasing to 40% in years 4–6, and 50% in years 7–10. Community buyers purchase at wholesale pricing (approximately 30% below retail), ensuring farmers are not overburdened and that the system creates functioning markets rather than short-term donations.

The proposal also includes a Tasmanian Agricultural Mutual “resilience bank”, funded by a 1% member contribution from verified scheme sales, to support low-cost renewal loans, catastrophe buffering and group insurance buying power for growers.

At a glance (key scheme details)

• $600m over 10 years
• $33,000 per farm per year (10-year commitment; $330,000 per farm)
• 1,360 small market gardens supported across Tasmania over the life of the scheme
• Public procurement alignment across schools, hospitals, aged care, food prescriptions, soup kitchens and other institutions
• Planning reform for a consistent, low-impact pathway for micro-farms and market gardens, including fit-for-purpose approvals for small infrastructure, wash/pack, light processing and on-farm education
• Projected circulation of over $30 million per year worth of fresh local food into communities over the decade

The campaign also highlights immediate “quick win” actions that could stabilise growers while the longer scheme is developed, including a one-year small-farms stability buffer (to support winter-spring continuity) and practical planning fast-tracks to reduce unnecessary barriers for small growers.

Grow Small, Feed All is calling on the Hon. Julie Collins MP (Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry), Tasmanian decision-makers, councils, farmers and eaters to support the scheme and help build a statewide “mycelium network” of local food renewal, many local nodes connected through simple agreements, regional coordination and transparent public value.

How to get involved

Farmers, schools, health services, community organisations and community members are invited to register their interest and join the campaign. Weekly campaign working days are listed on the policy page.

Full policy: https://regeneradesign.org/grow-small-feed-all

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