Planning the next ag revolution
GRAINS Research and Development Corporation will invest more than a billion dollars over the next five years in research, development and extension in the grains industry. The announcement was made by federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries...
GRAINS Research and Development Corporation will invest more than a billion dollars over the next five years in research, development and extension in the grains industry.
The announcement was made by federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt when he officially launched GRDC’s Regional Development and Extension Plan 2023-28 at the Australian Grains Industry Conference in Melbourne recently.
Mr Watt said GRDC’s plan had been informed by extensive consultation with grains industry stakeholders and considered the needs and priorities of those set to benefit from ongoing RD&E investment.
“I am really pleased to officially launch this plan for GRDC,” he said.
“It is comprehensive and clear in its intent to challenge the status quo and stretch GRDC and the industry over the next five years to maximise the impact of research investments.
“This plan will help ensure Australian grain growers and the broader grains industry are strong, profitable and sustainable now and into the future.”
Through the plan, GRDC plans to harness existing potential by helping growers to hit yield and profit targets across every paddock, every season and reach new frontiers to deliver step changes in the
productivity of crops beyond what was previously thought possible.
It will also grow markets and capture value to ensure growers have access to a diversity of markets and get more for the crop and aim to ensure the industry is a global leader in sustainability, for people, the planet and long-term farming ability.
GRDC Board chairperson and Goondiwindi grain grower John Woods said the new plan had been informed by hundreds of conversations with growers, advisers, researchers and grains industry stakeholders, and the result was the organisation’s most ambitious approach to RD&E investment yet.
“According to the latest ABARES figures, the grains industry is now the largest single sector of Australian agriculture, with the 2021-22 harvest exceeding $28 billion in value,” Mr Woods said.
“An independent, international benchmarking study comparing 30 years of data showed, despite Australia’s public investment in grains RD&E being lower than the USA, India, Brazil and Canada, our grain growers had much higher total factor productivity.
“This is why the GRDC is important for Australian grain growers — not only are we the major investors in critical RD&E domestically, we are the front door for overseas investors.
“Our new five-year RD&E Plan is critical because it has been informed by growers and industry and it positions how and where GRDC will invest to really deliver for our sector going forward.
“We are investing in areas we have never done before and investing in ways we have never done before through industry initiatives such as Grains Australia and the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre.”
For more information, visit rdeplan.grdc.com.au/.
