Three finalist towns announced for 2026 Ag Town of the Year
The three finalists for this year’s award are recognised for their innovation, drive and community spirit. See which towns are vying for the top prize.
Burra, Cummins and Waikerie have been named the top three contenders for South Australia’s 2026 Agricultural Town of the Year Award, recognising the communities’ outstanding contributions to the state’s agriculture, food and wine industries.
Burra (2024) and Waikerie (2022) are previous award finalists, while Cummins made the Top 10 in in 2024 and 2025.
“It’s wonderful to see Burra, Cummins and Waikerie have each made it to the final three in this year’s Ag Town of the Year competition, and I congratulate each on making it this far,” Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister Clare Scriven said.
“The Ag Town of the Year Award is all about celebrating the country towns that demonstrate strength, innovation and leadership. These three towns are outstanding examples of rural communities that are vibrant, hard-working, and fantastic places to live.”
The announcement comes as regional communities continue to navigate intensifying climate and water pressures. Despite these pressures, Burra, Cummins and Waikerie have demonstrated the innovation, drive and community spirit that define South Australia’s agricultural sector.
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Each town has earned its place in the final three through its commitment to supporting local producers, strengthening regional economies and fostering collaboration between industry, businesses, councils and community organisations.
Burra, in the state’s Mid North, has built a reputation for its rich agricultural heritage and strong farming community. Alongside its broadacre cropping and livestock industries, the town continues to embrace opportunities that support agricultural innovation while celebrating its regional identity and encouraging sustainable growth.
On the Eyre Peninsula, Cummins is recognised as a thriving agricultural hub with deep connections to grain production and farming innovation. The town’s strong community partnerships, commitment to agricultural excellence and focus on supporting local businesses have helped cement its place as one of the state’s leading regional centres.
Situated on the banks of the Murray River, Waikerie combines a proud horticultural tradition with a diverse agricultural economy. Renowned for its citrus, wine grapes and irrigated agriculture, the Riverland town continues to adapt to changing conditions while investing in sustainable practices and community-led initiatives that support long-term regional prosperity.
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Over the coming weeks, each of the three towns will host an independent judging panel for their town visits, where they will be assessed against key criteria including agricultural innovation, economic contribution, sustainability and community collaboration.
“I look forward to seeing which town comes out on top and joins this growing network of Ag Town of the Year Award recipients,” Scriven said.
Introduced in 2019, the Agricultural Town of the Year Award celebrates South Australian towns that demonstrate excellence in supporting their local agriculture, food and wine industries through outstanding collaboration between community, business, industry and local government.
The award recognises communities that go beyond agricultural production to create vibrant regional economies, encourage innovation, support future generations of producers and strengthen the social fabric of their towns.
This year’s finalists represent the diversity of South Australia’s agricultural landscape, from the broadacre farming districts of the Mid North and Eyre Peninsula to the horticultural heart of the Riverland. While each town has its own unique strengths, they share a common commitment to building strong communities and ensuring agriculture continues to thrive.
The judging process considers not only agricultural achievement but also the ways communities work together to overcome challenges, embrace new opportunities and create places where businesses and families can prosper.
This year, dozens of towns from across South Australia were nominated for the award, reflecting the depth and diversity of the state’s regional communities and the vital role agriculture continues to play in the state’s economy.
The Agricultural Town of the Year Award is an initiative of the Department of Primary Industries and Regions and is delivered in partnership with InDaily.
The overall winner will be announced at the Regional Showcase Awards Celebration Evening on November 5, where regional South Australia’s achievements, innovation and community leadership will be recognised and celebrated.
View South Australia’s Agricultural Town of the Year’s previous finalist towns and award winners and discover the communities that have earned this prestigious recognition over the years.
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