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RIRDC’s research provides options for producers and communities to increase their profitability and to diversify, by identifying opportunities and helping to manage change. We have a proven track record in fostering innovation. From our early work on canola it has gone on to become a crop of up to 2.4 million tonnes a year. RIRDC supported the coffee industry to develop a mechanical harvester, enabling Australian growers to compete with handpicked coffee from other countries. RIRDC’s tea tree oil breeding program has produced new varieties with an 80% increase in yield. Research for the tropical fruit industry has seen it expand to more than 400 Australian commercial growers.
RIRDC also provides research and development for established industries. Our R&D has helped improve rice yields by 87% per megalitre while reducing water use by 45%. RIRDC’s chicken meat research led to a new live MG vaccine which holds 40% of that global market and has significantly reduced losses in the industry. RIRDC research has developed three new oaten hay varieties – Wintaroo, Brusher and Kangaroo – which are contributing to an export hay market that has grown by 200% over ten years. RIRDC research and development helps keep these industries at the leading edge of competitiveness and profitability.
The quality of RIRDC’s investment decisions is underpinned by the expertise and advice of our advisory committees and panels. These bodies help RIRDC to shape the Five-Year Research and Development Plan that is the template for our investments. They also provide experienced, expert advice on which research proposals will best deliver the outputs we seek. Their efforts ensure that the Board is provided with expert, industry-relevant advice.
This plan also describes
how RIRDC is implementing the Australian Government’s National and Rural
Research Priorities.
| Ms Mary Boydell
Chairperson May 2005 |
Dr Peter O’Brien
Managing Director May 2005 |
Key
Elements of the 2005–06 Annual Operational Plan
Annually RIRDC is working towards
the achievement of multiple benefits for the rural sector through the development
of:
Another key priority for the forthcoming year is to consolidate the program changes RIRDC introduced in 2004–05 to better address the Government’s National and Rural Research Priorities. Within RIRDC’s Sustainable Industries Program new projects will be initiated in the areas of agroforestry, farm management and environment, rangelands and wildlife and organic systems, food integrity and biodiversity.
Some industries in the RIRDC portfolio have been severely affected by drought, which has impacted on the funds available for research.
RIRDC is giving high priority to improving the adoption of the research it supports, including the commercialisation of research results. Assessments of the commercial potential of cocoa and paprika technology have been undertaken and there is the prospect of commercial development of a cocoa industry in Australia. RIRDC will continue to work with commercial private sector partners, since a commercial partner as co-investor helps ensure a vested interest in developing the new technology.
RIRDC gives high priority to communications as part of adoption for many of its projects. These communication activities are funded as part of the R&D projects.
Budgeted revenue is $21.9 million, which includes $12.8 million allocated by the Australian Government. The Australian Government is expected to provide a further $2.1 million to match outlays from statutory levies. Significant non-statutory revenue is budgeted for Agroforestry and joint ventures in Capacity Building for Innovation in Rural Industries and on Farm Health and Safety. Voluntary contributions from both the fodder and horse industries are also important budget revenue considerations.
Budgeted expenditure is $23.0 million for 2005–06. This expenditure is in the five key program areas and includes all corporate, communication and administration costs. These outlays will fund existing and new research projects to meet the strategies and goals of RIRDC’s research and development plans.
The Corporation is budgeting for a deficit of $1.1 million in 2005–06. Most of this deficit will be funded by reducing the reserves of RIRDC’s industry sub accounts. This drawdown from sub-accounts will total $1.4 million and in part represents the lagged effect of the drought on industry production levels and levy contributions. On RIRDC core, a net surplus of $206,000 is anticipated in the plan.
The Corporation's Expenditure for 2005–06
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| New and Emerging Industries |
4.21
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4.14
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4.35
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18.9
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| Established Industries |
7.57
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7.94
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6.65
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28.9
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| Sustainable Industries |
3.38
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3.04
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3.53
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15.3
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| Capacity Building & Competitiveness |
3.03
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3.11
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3.27
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14.2
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| Program Development |
0.12
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0.65
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0.25
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1.1
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| Research Coordination & Management |
1.72
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1.72
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1.93
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8.4
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| R&D Communications |
0.45
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0.36
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0.38
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1.7
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| Functional Support Areas | ||||
| Corporate |
0.69
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0.70
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0.81
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3.5
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| Communications |
0.51
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0.45
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0.46
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2.0
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| Administration |
1.17
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1.00
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1.37
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6.0
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22.85
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23.11
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23.00
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100.0
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Examples of Key Projects
Program 1: New & Emerging Industries
New Plant Products
Establishing the compliance of all
olive cultivars grown under Australian conditions to the limits of the
standards set by the International Olive Oil Council. This is a high priority
as olive growers begin to export their product.
Asian Foods
Researching methods of marketing and
promotion to expand the market for Asian vegetables.
Essential Oils and Plant Extracts
Improving the yield of lavender varieties
by manipulation of chromosome number.
Rare Natural Animal Fibres
Identification of superior angora
goat genotypes for fibre characteristics to encourage mohair producers
to select sires which will increase fleece yield and fineness, thereby
increasing international competitiveness.
Tea Tree Oil
Pilot study of tea tree oil in the
decolonisation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ("Golden
Staph") positive wounds.
New Animal Products
Commercialisation of a farmed rabbit
project after obtaining genetic improvement in reproduction, and liveweight
gain, and initiating genetic responses in selection for disease resistance.
Program 2: Established Industries
Chicken Meat
Development of a Campylobacter
jejuni typing system capable of differentiating strains that of human
health concern from those which pose little or no risk to humans
Honeybee
Further investigation of the antimicrobial
properties of honey.
Rice
Incorporation of recent developments
in cold tolerance research into the rice breeding program.
Horse
The development of equine stem cell
will be an exciting area of future research that has the potential to open
up a number of new technologies and therapies for horses with considerable
commercial potential.
Fodder Crops
The evaluation of best practice super
conditioning to produce quality export oaten hay.
Pasture Seeds
The development of new technologies
to support seed certification for mixed varieties of sub clover.
Deer
Investigation of strategies for supply
chain management with a view to fostering alliances between producers and
processors.
Buffalo
Analysis of production performance
of swamp buffalo based on records collected over the past ten years. This
will help to assess improved genetic gain based on selection of production
traits thereby providing the basis of selecting superior genotypes for
crossing with riverine buffalo.
Program 3: Sustainable Systems
Agroforestry and Farm Forestry
The FloraSearch project has evaluated
140 Australian native woody perennial species from southeastern Australia
for product potential and suitability for commercial development in low
to medium rainfall zones. A shortlist of target species is now under more
detailed evaluation.
Environment and Farm Management
Developing techniques for growing
high-value eating seaweed and aquarium feeds (artemia) in inland saline
water.
Rangeland and Wildlife Systems
Establishing trials of commercial
utilisation of free-ranging wild animals, plants and wildlife- based tourism.
Organic Systems
World class organic production systems
for new Australian apple varieties – new Australian apple varieties were
developed in a grower-funded HAL project where they demonstrated black
spot disease resistance. RIRDC will be involved in the organic component
of the production technology and management packages.
Program 4: Capacity building and Competitiveness
Global Competitiveness
A report highlighting the need for
increased transparency in WTO policy.
Food Integrity and Biosecurity
RIRDC's contribution to the CRC for
National Plant Biosecurity to meet biosecurity needs of RIRDC's small,
new and emerging, plant based industries.
Human Capital, Communications and
Information Systems
Development of a management system
to maximise the effectiveness of agribusiness in communicating research
results (from RDCs and others) to farmers.
Overall the corporation will fund around 400 projects in 2005–06 of which around 100 will be new ones.
RIRDC's
Reporting Framework for 2005–06
RIRDC’s Research Program Responsibilities
| Research program | Manager | Phone Number | Program Coordinator | Phone Number | Chair, Advisory Committee | Phone Number | Links to Program Websites and R&D Business Plans |
| Program 1: New and Emerging Industries | Dr Peter O’Brien | 02 6272 4819 | |||||
| New Plant Products | Mr Max Bourke | 02 6247 4630 | Jada Abbey | 02 6272 3207 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/npp.html | ||
| New Animal Products | Dr Peter McInnes | 08 8556 7331 | June Murphy | 02 6272 4029 | Kangaroo
Mr Brian Topper |
02 9261 1900 | www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/newanimals3yr.htm |
| Asian Foods | Mr Tony Byrne | 02 6272 5472 | Anna Ferguson | 02 6272 4205 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/af.html | ||
| Essential Oils and Plant Extracts | Mr Tony Byrne | 02 6272 5472 | Anna Ferguson | 02 6272 4205 | www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/essentoi.html | ||
| Rare and Natural Animal Fibres | Dr Peter McInnes | 08 8556 7331 | June Murphy | 02 6272 4029 | Dr Carol Mathew | 03 5429 1316 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/rnf.html |
| Tea Tree Oil | Dr Roslyn Prinsley | 02 6272 5227 | Anne Marie Ribas | 02 6272 4005 | Ms Pat Bolster | 02 6674 2991 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/tto.html |
| Wildflowers and Native Plants | Mr Max Bourke | 02 6247 4630 | Jada Abbey | 02 6272 3207 | Mr Geoff Sullivan | 07 4668 6118 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/wnp.html |
| Program 2: Established Industries | Dr Jeff Davis | 02 6272 4152 | |||||
| Chicken Meat | Dr Vivien Kite | 02 9929 4077 | Vicki Byrne | 02 6271 6398 | Mr Barry Shay | 07 3398 1766 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/cm.html |
| Honeybee | Dr Jeff Davis | 02 6272 4152 | Vicki Byrne | 02 6271 6398 | Mr Keith McIlvride | 02 4684 2605 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/hb.html |
| Rice | Dr Jeff Davis | 02 6272 4152 | Vickie Byrne | 02 6271 6398 | Mr Daryl Gibbs | 02 6993 1511 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/rice.html |
| Horse | Dr John Freestone | 02 6576 4200 | June Murphy | 02 6272 4029 | Ms Jane Vincent | 02 4849 4551 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/hor.html |
| Fodder Crops | Dr Jeff Davis | 02 6272 4152 | Anna Ferguson | 02 6272 4205 | Mr Don Law | 07 4637 9960 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/fca.html |
| Pasture Seeds | Dr Jeff Davis | 02 6272 4152 | Anna Ferguson | 02 6272 4205 | Mrs Penny Hendy | 03 5865 8312 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/ps.html |
| Deer | Dr Laurence Denholm | 02 6365 5482 | June Murphy | 02 6272 4029 | Ms Nola Anderson | 03 5626 7013 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/deer.html |
| Buffalo | Dr Peter McInnes | 08 8556 7331 | June Murphy | 02 6272 4029 | Mr Douglas Robertson | 02 6848 5315 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/buffalo.html |
| Program 3: Sustainable Systems | Dr Caroline Lemerle | 02 6272 4033 | |||||
| Agroforestry and Farm Forestry | Dr Rosemary Lott | 02 6271 6671 | Marcela Rosselli | 02 6272 3736 | Mr Andrew Campbell | 02 6257 3379 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/aft.html |
| Environment and Farm Management | Dr George Wilson | 02 6281 2160 | Marcela Rosselli | 02 6272 3736 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/efm.html | ||
| Rangeland and Wildlife Systems | Dr George Wilson | 02 6281 2160 | Marcela Rosselli | 02 6272 3736 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/rws.html | ||
| Organic Systems | Ms Denise Millar | 03 9882 5910 | Jada Abbey | 02 6272 3207 | Mr Don Fraser | 03 9841 7794 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/org.html |
| Program 4: Capacity Building and Competitiveness | Dr Roslyn Prinsley | 02 6272 5227 | |||||
| Global Competitiveness | Dr Jeff Davis | 02 6272 4152 | June Murphy | 02 6272 4029 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/global.html | ||
| Food Integrity and Biosecurity | Dr Roslyn Prinsley | 02 6272 5227 | Anne Marie Ribas | 02 6272 4005 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/fib.html | ||
| Human Capital, Communications and Information Systems | Dr Roslyn Prinsley | 02 6272 5227 | Anne Marie Ribas | 02 6272 4005 | www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/humcap.html |
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