Cunderdin graingrower David Fulwood is the Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC) supported 2005 Nuffield scholar for Western Australia.

He will use his scholarship next year to explore the value-adding potential of providing fully traceable grain products.

Mr Fulwood’s agricultural interest and experience goes beyond the farmgate, having worked in wheat trading for AgraCorp, as a regional representative for AWB Ltd and in grain purchasing for Goodman Fielder.

He is currently involved with COGGO Seeds, is a member of the WA No Till Farmers Association and has been involved with the Australian Grains Institute, Flour Millers Association and the Stock Feed Manufacturers’ Association.

“Traceability lets consumers trace products back to the grain production source and reassures them of a product’s quality integrity and origin. The level of information required and the impact of traceability on demand would need to be explored,” Mr Fulwood said. 

While abroad on his Nuffield scholarship, he hopes to develop a better understanding of how to increase the value of homogenous grain and grain products.

“Grain is generally sold from the farmgate as a non-processed, homogenous product, which limits the ability for Australian grain producers to market their produce as branded and traceable,” he said. 

Mr Fulwood believes opportunities for adding value to Australian grain by branding the unprocessed grain or end products for niche markets would enable producers to retain greater ownership of the product along the supply chain. 

“Mad cow disease, genetically modified foods, country of origin labelling, growth hormones, organic food and avian influenza have made food safety a topic of popular discussion, in recent times.

“I believe it is important that growers recognise that they play a crucial part in the food production industry,” Mr Fulwood said.

As a 2005 Nuffield scholarship winner, he joins an elite group of about 1300 scholars from around the world. His GRDC-supported scholarship is valued at $23,000.

He departs in February 2006 to join other scholars from Australia and the rest of the world in the Global Focus Program, which runs for six weeks in Australasia, North America and Europe.