December 24, 2002

Australia’s grains industry can attribute much of its growth to research breakthroughs emanating from public sector institutions.

Supported by growers and the Federal Government via the Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC), they have used their research dollars effectively.

It is, however, apparent that while these institutions continue to have a key role in grains research, in order to increase the rate of innovation it is no longer appropriate for the GRDC to just rely principally on Australia’s public sector research to drive innovation.

The GRDC has, therefore, recently supported a series of business ventures which promise to further benefit the grains industry by embracing new initiatives and exploring commercial possibilities. They are diverse investments, occasionally carrying some risk, but are being carefully planned and implemented.

Examples include investments in the wheat breeding companies SunPrime Seeds Pty Ltd and Australian Grain Technologies Pty Ltd and in commercial wheat and canola breeding entities in Western Australia. In addition to these incorporated entities, the GRDC has joined with three State Departments of Agriculture to form an unincorporated joint venture, Enterprise Grains Australia*, to undertake national wheat breeding and commercialisation.

There are also the business ventures with specific technological applications e.g.

• The commercialisation of a new fumigant to replace methyl bromide, which is being phased out internationally due its impact on the ozone layer.

• The development of a meter to measure deep drainage which will assist growers in combating dryland salinity.
• An alliance between the GRDC, a research provider, a local seed company and an international lucerne breeding and seed production company, to develop new lucerne varieties suited to dryland areas.

These examples show that "Driving Innovation", the GRDC’s new five year plan, is aptly titled and functioning, so watch this space for more grains industry joint R&D ventures.

*a joint venture between the Department of Agriculture, WA; Agriculture New South Wales; Department of Primary Industries, Queensland; and the Grains Research and Development Corporation.