A NEW five-year bilateral agreement announced today will see research and development in the Victorian grains industry receive a shot in the arm.
It will see the Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC) and the State government’s Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) work together.
Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce and Victorian Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh made the joint announcement.
Minister Joyce said the agreement heralds cooperation that would ensure maximum returns from the $60 million in investments made by the two organisations.
“Research is a priority for me – we know there is a strong link between R&D and agricultural productivity growth, and recognise research is a key driver to industry and farmgate profitability,” Minister Joyce said in a statement.
“The grains industry is one of Australia’s most important agricultural sectors, with our wheat exports in 2012–13 worth around $6.7 billion, canola exports in 2012–13 worth around $2 billion and barley exports in the same year worth around $1.6 billion.”
Mr Walsh said at $2.2 billion, the grains industry was Victoria’s most valuable agricultural export earner for 2012–13 but there was capacity to grow value and volume.
He said the State government had set a target of doubling agricultural production across Victoria by 2030 which it believed was achievable if it worked in partnership with industry on targeted R&D.
“Our partnership with GRDC is a significant commitment to a range of research programmes that align to Victoria’s leadership role in the Grain Industry National Research, Development and Extension Strategy,” Mr Walsh said in a statement.
The programmes include research into improving pulse quality, pre-breeding and agronomy, crop pathology and biosecurity, improved cropping systems for high rainfall zone and climate adaptation, and the Australian Grains Genebank at Horsham.
Each year, the GRDC, which is an Australian government statutory corporation, coordinates and invests a grower levy and federal government funding in research and development.
