Funding and grants

Help paying for your virtual fence

Grants, rebates, cost-share and loans that can go toward Gallagher eShepherd™, sorted by country. Each program shows what it pays, who qualifies, the first step to take, and the date we last checked it.

Last reviewed

Australia

Virtual fencing is legal in every state and the Northern Territory.

National government

Closes in 21 daysGrant or rebate

On Farm Connectivity Program Round 3

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Up to 50% of the eligible purchase cost, capped at $20,000 (GST excl.)

A rebate on connected agtech equipment from the program's Approved Supplier list, from a $10 million round. Gallagher eShepherd is an Approved Supplier product.

Who qualifies
Eligible primary producers. Priority goes to producers who did not get funding in an earlier round.
First step
Get a quote, then apply on business.gov.au before 15 October 2026.
Combining programs
Do not buy before your application is approved. A purchase made before approval is not eligible.
  • Names virtual fencing
  • Names eShepherd

Checked 24 September 2026

Apply any timeCarbon or biodiversity income

ACCU Scheme soil carbon method

Clean Energy Regulator

Earn carbon credits (ACCUs) for measured soil carbon gains, sold at market price

Grazing management that builds soil carbon can earn Australian Carbon Credit Units. It is income over time, not upfront money for equipment.

Who qualifies
Registered projects that measure soil carbon under the approved method.
First step
Read the soil carbon method on the Clean Energy Regulator website and talk to a carbon project developer.

Checked 24 September 2026

Apply any timeTax deduction

Instant asset write-off

Australian Taxation Office

Immediate tax deduction for plant and equipment, $20,000 per asset

Lets a small business deduct eligible assets in the year they are bought. The 12 May 2026 Budget made it permanent from 1 July 2026. How GPS neckbands are treated is not confirmed.

Who qualifies
Small businesses with an aggregated turnover under $10 million.
First step
Ask your accountant how a virtual fence purchase would be treated before you buy.

Checked 24 September 2026

Apply any timeCarbon or biodiversity income

Nature Repair Market

Clean Energy Regulator

Earn biodiversity certificates for restoring or protecting nature, sold at market price

A market for biodiversity projects. The first registered project is on a New South Wales cattle-grazing property.

Who qualifies
Eligible projects that restore or protect native habitat on the land.
First step
Read how the scheme works on the Clean Energy Regulator website before you plan a project.

Checked 24 September 2026

Apply any timeTax deduction

Primary producer fencing deduction

Australian Taxation Office

100% immediate deduction for fencing assets, no cap. Neckbands may not count as fencing.

Covers structural fences on the farm. The ATO has no ruling on GPS neckbands, which may fall under the instant asset write-off or normal depreciation instead.

Who qualifies
Primary producers carrying on a primary production business.
First step
Talk to your accountant before you claim a neckband purchase as fencing.

Checked 24 September 2026

Apply any timeLoan

RIC AgriStarter Loan

Regional Investment Corporation

Concessional loan up to the $2 million combined cap. A loan, not a grant.

Finance for buying a first farm or taking over the family farm through succession.

Who qualifies
First farmers and the next generation taking over a farm business.
First step
Check whether your plans fit the AgriStarter guidelines on the RIC website.

Checked 24 September 2026

Apply any timeLoan

RIC Drought Hardship Loan

Regional Investment Corporation

Concessional loan up to $250,000. A loan, not a grant.

For farm businesses under long-running drought pressure. Introduced in December 2025.

Who qualifies
Farm businesses affected by drought for 24 months or more.
First step
Check the hardship loan criteria on the RIC website and gather your recent financials.

Checked 24 September 2026

Apply any timeLoan

RIC Drought Loan

Regional Investment Corporation

Concessional loan up to $2 million (combined RIC cap). A loan, not a grant.

Concessional finance to help farm businesses prepare for, manage and recover from drought.

Who qualifies
Drought-affected farm businesses. The $2 million cap is combined across RIC loans.
First step
Check the drought loan criteria on the RIC website and gather your recent financials.

Checked 24 September 2026

Apply any timeLoan

RIC Farm Investment Loan

Regional Investment Corporation

Concessional loan for farm investment, up to $2 million combined cap. A loan, not a grant.

Low-interest finance for general farm investment, including equipment. The loan pool was boosted by $1 billion from 1 July 2026.

Who qualifies
Australian farm businesses. The $2 million cap is combined across RIC loans.
First step
Read the eligibility guidelines on the RIC website, then talk to RIC about an application.

Checked 24 September 2026

State, provincial and regional

Open nowGrant or rebate

Drought Preparedness Grants

Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA) · Queensland

Up to 25% of the cost, cumulative cap $50,000

Pays toward permanent capital infrastructure such as water, fodder storage and feeding equipment. Virtual fencing is not named, so confirm eligibility with QRIDA.

Who qualifies
Queensland primary producers with a Farm Business Resilience Plan.
First step
Ask QRIDA whether a virtual fence counts as eligible infrastructure before you apply.

Checked 24 September 2026

ClosedGrant or rebate

On-farm Drought Infrastructure Rebate Scheme

Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) · South Australia

Tier 1: 75% rebate up to $5,000. Tier 2: 50% rebate up to $20,000.

Rebated fencing to reduce grazing pressure, plus water, fodder storage and containment areas. Whether virtual fencing qualified was not confirmed.

Who qualifies
South Australian primary producers.
First step
Watch the PIRSA funding page for any new round.

eShepherd approval pending in South Australia

Virtual fencing is legal in SA. eShepherd's approval is in progress.

Checked 24 September 2026

How to apply in Australia

  1. Check the program's approved supplier or product list before you choose a system.
  2. Apply and wait for approval before you buy. Purchases made before approval are usually not eligible.
  3. Keep your quote and your invoice. You will need both to claim.

United States

Funding comes in three layers: federal programs, state and regional programs, and conservation groups. Start with your local NRCS office and conservation district. You can find both with the USDA service center locator on farmers.gov.

National government

Apply any timeCost-share

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

Cost-share up to 75%, or up to 90% for historically underserved producers

Funds virtual fence hardware under Practice 382 (Fence) and the subscription in years 2 to 5 under Practice 528 (Grazing Management). Payment rates follow your state's schedule.

Who qualifies
Agricultural producers. Beginning, veteran, limited-resource and socially disadvantaged producers get the higher rate and can ask for an advance payment of about 50%.
First step
Book a visit with your local NRCS field office and ask about the next ranking deadline in your state.
Combining programs
Can combine with the Heartland Virtual Fence Project. Sign the NRCS contract before the Heartland agreement and before you buy collars.
  • Names virtual fencing

Checked 24 September 2026

Apply any timeCost-share

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

Payments set by your contract for conservation you keep and add. Ask NRCS for rates.

Pays producers who already manage land well to maintain and expand conservation, including grazing practices.

Who qualifies
Agricultural producers with land in production. Your NRCS office confirms eligibility.
First step
Ask your local NRCS field office whether a virtual fence fits a CSP enhancement on your operation.

Checked 24 September 2026

Apply any timeCost-share

Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)

USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)

Cost-share for disaster recovery work, now including virtual fencing (FSA Notice ECP-105)

Helps producers repair farmland after natural disasters. FSA added virtual fencing as an eligible practice.

Who qualifies
Producers whose interior fencing (or existing virtual fence) was damaged by a qualifying disaster in fiscal year 2025 or later, with at least 125 head. Producers who have already installed permanent interior fencing cannot switch to virtual fence.
First step
Contact your county FSA office soon after the disaster to ask whether ECP signup is open.
  • Names virtual fencing

Checked 24 September 2026

Apply any timeCost-share

Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP)

USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)

Cost-share for restoring private forest land after disasters, now including virtual fencing

Helps owners of private forest land recover after natural disasters. FSA Notice EFRP-12 added virtual fencing.

Who qualifies
Owners of non-industrial private forest land grazed by livestock, hit by a qualifying disaster in fiscal year 2025 or later, with at least 125 head. Virtual fence must be the least-cost option. Collar lease and data subscription fees are not eligible.
First step
Contact your county FSA office to ask whether EFRP signup is open for your disaster.
  • Names virtual fencing

Checked 24 September 2026

Apply any timeLoan

FSA Microloans

USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)

Farm operating and farm ownership microloans, up to $50,000 each. Loans, not grants.

Small, simpler loans that can cover equipment and operating costs.

Who qualifies
Family-sized farm operations. Popular with beginning and small producers.
First step
Talk to your county FSA office about a microloan application.

Checked 24 September 2026

Apply any timeInsurance or income support

Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP)

USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)

Payments for grazing losses, capped at $125,000 a year. Not for equipment.

Pays for grazing lost to drought or fire. It does not buy equipment, but it can ease cash flow while you rebuild.

Who qualifies
Livestock producers with grazing losses in a qualifying county.
First step
Apply at your county FSA office within 30 days after the end of the calendar year of the loss.

Checked 24 September 2026

State, provincial and regional

ClosedGrant or rebate

Heartland Virtual Fence Project

University of Missouri Center for Regenerative Agriculture, with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln · Missouri and Nebraska

$100 per collar (25 to 500 collars), plus up to $1,500 of technical help

Supports beef producers adopting virtual fence and adaptive grazing. Cultivo adds a $2,500 enrollment payment and $2 per enrolled acre a year for reporting, for up to 5 years. Amounts depend on available funding.

Who qualifies
Beef producers in Missouri and Nebraska. Collars already bought are not reimbursed, and enrolled acres cannot be in another credit program.
First step
Email heartland@missouri.edu to be told when applications reopen.
Combining programs
Can combine with NRCS EQIP. Sign the NRCS contract before the Heartland agreement and before you buy collars.
  • Names virtual fencing
  • Names eShepherd

Checked 24 September 2026

Conservation groups and foundations

ClosedGrant or rebate

PERC Virtual Fence Conservation Fund

PERC (Property and Environment Research Center)

Grants of $10,000 to $75,000 from a $250,000 fund

Funds virtual fence projects with a clear conservation benefit, plus guidance on putting them in place.

Who qualifies
Ranchers, landowners, conservation groups and Indigenous communities with a monitoring plan and a long-term use plan.
First step
Watch the PERC fund page for a new round.
  • Names virtual fencing

Checked 24 September 2026

ClosedCost-share

Virtual Fence Conservation Partnership

Ricketts Conservation Foundation · Greater Yellowstone

100% of base stations (up to $50,000) and 50% of collars (up to $100,000) over four years

Cost-share for working ranches in the Yellowstone ecosystem. In April 2026 the foundation and PERC funded eight Wyoming and Idaho ranches through the Yellowstone Ecosystem Virtual Fence Collaborative.

Who qualifies
Working ranches in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem.
First step
Watch the Ricketts Conservation Foundation site for the next application window.
  • Names virtual fencing

Checked 24 September 2026

How to apply in United States

  1. Visit your local NRCS field office and talk through your plans for the land. Technical help is free.
  2. Complete form AD-1026 and the other eligibility certifications, then the program application, form CPA-1200.
  3. Bring a tax ID (SSN or EIN), a deed or lease showing you control the land, and a farm tract number. FSA can issue a tract number if you do not have one.
  4. Ask your district conservationist for the ranking deadline. Applications are taken all year but funded in ranking periods.
  5. If you are selected, sign the contract, install the practice to NRCS standards, and get paid at the contracted rate after inspection.
  6. Using the Heartland Virtual Fence Project as well? Sign your EQIP contract before the Heartland agreement and before you buy collars.

Canada

National government

Opens laterCost-share

On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF), Rotational Grazing

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, delivered by the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association (CFGA) · Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec and Saskatchewan

70% of eligible costs (up to 85% with a CFGA mentor), up to $100,000 per producer

Virtual fencing collars and equipment are listed as an eligible cost. Grazing plan development is covered up to $1,500.

Who qualifies
Producers in Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec and Saskatchewan with a grazing plan.
First step
Contact the CFGA and start your grazing plan. Plan applications are taken year-round.
  • Names virtual fencing

Checked 24 September 2026

State, provincial and regional

ClosedGrant or rebate

Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program (RALP)

Government of Alberta, delivered by RDAR · Alberta

Up to $150,000 for producers and $300,000 for grazing associations

Funded fencing and off-site watering, including cross-fencing. It closed to new applications after it was oversubscribed.

Who qualifies
Alberta producers and grazing associations.
First step
Watch the Alberta program page for a new intake.

Checked 24 September 2026

How to apply in Canada

  1. Contact the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association (CFGA) to confirm your province is covered.
  2. Build a grazing plan with a CFGA mentor. Plan applications are taken year-round.
  3. Apply for implementation funding in the February intake.

New Zealand

Regional council grants for stock exclusion fund physical fences. Ask your council whether a virtual fence qualifies as stock exclusion before you count on one of these grants.

Chile

No program names virtual fencing yet. These lines may cover it as productive equipment; confirm with the agency.

Open nowGrant or rebate

Programa de Desarrollo de Inversiones (PDI)

INDAP (Instituto de Desarrollo Agropecuario)

Up to 70% of the investment, or up to 90% for sustainability, youth or women's projects

Non-reimbursable co-funding for productive infrastructure and equipment. GPS collars are not named, but may be eligible as productive equipment.

Who qualifies
INDAP users. Calls open region by region.
First step
Ask your local INDAP office whether virtual fencing fits the current PDI call in your region.

Checked 24 September 2026

Open nowGrant or rebate

SIRSD-S (soil sustainability incentives)

INDAP (Instituto de Desarrollo Agropecuario)

Up to 90% of the cost of approved practices

Pays for pasture establishment, pasture regeneration and soil recovery. Virtual fencing is not named, but may be eligible as productive equipment where it supports these practices.

Who qualifies
INDAP users. Early 2026 calls ran in Los Ríos, Los Lagos, Aysén and La Araucanía.
First step
Ask your local INDAP office when the next SIRSD-S call opens in your region.

Checked 24 September 2026

Brazil

No program names virtual fencing yet. These lines may cover it as productive equipment; confirm with the agency.

Apply any timeLoan

BNDES Finame

BNDES (Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social)

Equipment finance from TR + 2.7% a year, up to 10 years with up to 2 years' grace

Finance for machinery and equipment, extended to sustainable intensification and methane-reduction equipment. Virtual fencing is not named, but may be eligible as productive equipment.

Who qualifies
Rural producers and businesses, through a BNDES-accredited bank.
First step
Ask a BNDES-accredited bank whether a virtual fence qualifies for Finame.

Checked 24 September 2026

Apply any timeLoan

RenovAgro (pasture recovery)

MAPA (Ministério da Agricultura e Pecuária), Plano Safra and Plano ABC+

Credit at 8.5% a year for pasture recovery (Plano Safra 2025/26). A loan, not a grant.

A R$2.1 billion credit line for recovering degraded pasture. Virtual fencing is not named, but may be eligible as productive equipment within a pasture recovery project.

Who qualifies
Rural producers with a pasture recovery project accepted by their bank.
First step
Ask your bank's rural credit team whether a virtual fence can be included in a RenovAgro project.

Checked 24 September 2026

Programs, amounts and dates change. Tax and carbon information is general. Talk to your accountant or adviser before you rely on it. We check every program page on the date shown on its card.

Ready to put numbers on it?