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May 14, 2003
 The Managing Director of
The Grains Research &
Development Corporation, Professor John Lovett, is to step down from
the position in December.
Accordingly the GRDC, which annually invests about $100 million
in grains R&D on behalf of growers and the Federal Government,
is seeking expressions of interest for his successor.
Professor Lovett was appointed deputy chairman of the GRDC in
1990, the year the corporation was formed, and remained on the
Board until 1993. From 1993 to 1994 he was the corporationıs
Operations Manager and became Managing Director in September
1994. He said it had been a very rewarding experience to be
involved in the GRDC for the past 13 years a period when
grains industry productivity had been increasing by more than 3
per cent a year with R&D as a prime driver of this.
"We have seen existing industries expand and new ones become
established," he said. "Thirteen years ago for instance, the
canola industry barely existed in Australia today it is a
major component of cropping programs in four States.
"Less than eight years ago, there wasnıt a lentil industry in
this country. However, on the back of new and improved
varieties, good agronomic practices and very innovative
marketing processes, production has grown rapidly. We have also
seen farming systems change with renewed emphasis on achieving
real gains, both in economic and environmental terms. The GRDC
now supports more than 30 farming systems projects across
Australia."
Professor Lovett said another major change had been increased
investments by the GRDC in biotechnology with potential benefits
including improved yield and quality of grain, benefits to human
health and nutrition, and better management of crop pests,
diseases and weeds.
"In its new five-year plan, 'Driving Innovation', the GRDC has
announced its intention to further develop relationships between
private and public sectors the formation of new wheat breeding
consortia being a good example of this," Professor Lovett said.
"The GRDC will also be operating globally where domestic
stakeholder benefit can be demonstrated."
Expressions of interest for the Managing Director position
should be emailed to
sydres@ozemail.com.au
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