The second round of the federal government's On Farm Connectivity Program has broken records, with applications opening and closing within a week, making short work of the $18 million on offer.

However, Parkes MP Mark Coulton has called the program "disingenuous", saying the "insincere application process for grants has created more frustration and heartache among the farming community."

The program had a total purse of $33 million with two rounds over two years to support primary producers in adopting connected machinery and sensor technology.

In this round rebates between $1000 and $30,000 were available to contribute up to 50 per cent of the cost of equipment, plus installation and training.

Eligible digital technologies included soil moisture probes, water flow and pressure monitors, livestock monitoring systems, pump controllers and security systems.

Notice of the opening of Round 2 of the On Farm Connectivity Program was posted on the government's online Business Grants Hub on Friday 8 November.

Government representatives could not say where else the opening had been announced, but advised that the department responsible had sent out communications to notify stakeholders of the opportunity.

By Friday 15 the website was displaying a notice that funding had been exhausted and the round had closed to new applicants.

Applications received are being assessed.

Member for Parkes Mark Coulton says he was very disappointed to hear that the program had closed so quickly.

"My office was not notified when applications opened on Friday 8 November, nor was there a media release from the Minister announcing the opening of applications," he said.

"There was communication from the Minister when Expressions of Interest opened for businesses interested in being approved suppliers for Round 2 back in August this year, so I don’t understand why it wasn’t publicised when the program opened this month."

"It’s baffling how $18 million worth of rebates can be exhausted in just one week when this opportunity wasn’t even publicised, especially when you consider that $15 million was available in Round 1 and it took roughly six months for that funding to be exhausted."

IMAGE: Ag Tech Finder

"Perhaps this is evidence of the popularity of the program, but I still can’t understand how so many people even knew to access these rebates when there was very little communication, unless eagle-eyed farmers were sitting on GrantConnect just waiting for it to open," Mr Coulton said.

A spokesperson from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts told the Coonamble Times "the Australian Government is supporting Australian farmers with the cost-of-living through its On Farm Connectivity Program (OFCP).

"The Government boosted the total funding available and expanded eligibility so more farmers could take advantage of the rebates to embrace ag-tech and on-farm connectivity solutions.

"Such was the demand for this highly successful program, within a week of opening OFCP Round 2 to applications the total funding allocation had been reached.

"Australian farmers and primary producers are innovators and adaptors.

"The Australian Government’s On Farm Connectivity Program is an investment in their future and the future of Australian farming and agriculture."

Mr Coulton says he is starting to receive feedback on the program.

“I’ve heard from a few suppliers in my electorate who have been frustrated by this process, which they said was time consuming and complicated. They were only notified of the opening of round two on the morning applications opened and then had to do a lot of work to help clients and customers apply.

“Suppliers have told me many growers missed out because it was too hard for them to apply, while others had spent all day filling out the application, only to discover by the time they completed it the website had shut down and the program had closed.

“This process needs to be reassessed to ensure it’s fair for everyone. I do hope that there were many farmers in my electorate who were successful, but there were certainly people who missed out.”