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Program 3 Objective: To maximise the contribution of R&D to the profitability and sustainability of the established rural industries for which RIRDC provides R&D management services.Expenditure in 2000/2001: $8,984,659*
Compared with 1999/2000: $8,140,374**Includes the R&D program of the Dried Fruits R&D Council
Our R&D Plan which runs until 30 June 2002 has the following performance indicators for Program 3. Some key performance achievements in 2000/2001 were as follows:
Program 3
Established IndustriesWe measured our
success by:Performance in 2000/2001 Our establishment of R&D plans that address each industry’s agreed strategies and goals · All sub-programs have current Five Year R&D Plans that have been developed in close conjunction with the appropriate industries Industry funding support for the agreed plans through R&D levies or other dollar-for-dollar mechanisms · Five of the seven sub-programs have a statutory R&D levy-funding base. The other two, ‘Horse’ and ‘Fodder Crops’, have had proposals for a statutory R&D levy before the Government. The Horse Sub-program has a voluntary industry levy, which provides 50 per cent of the R&D funding. Recently the Fodder Industry agreed to a voluntary R&D levy of 50 cents per tonne on oaten hay exports. The adoption level of the results from our research projects within industry practice Examples of R&D outcomes with significant adoption during the year include: · Developed and published all modules of a complete set of distance learning materials for the meat chicken and egg industries. · Developed a national generic Quality Assurance Program covering food safety, bird welfare, farm biosecurity and labeling for the egg industry.
· Produced a new crop pollination and extension package CD to assist beekeepers to effectively manage and encourage a professional pollination service.
· Continued an extensive program of technology transfer via release of the annual RiceCheck production guidelines.
· Several new oaten hay varieties progressed to the release stage.
· Produced a more accurate screening test for monitoring Corynetoxin contamination of fodder so that the industry can integrate this into its quality assurance system.
· Finalised a new lucerne seed disease test and incorporation of these in international seed testing protocols.
· Released several new temperate pasture species that have enhanced exports and provided a range of new rotation and fodder production options for the domestic market.
Program 3
Established IndustriesWe measured our success by:
Performance in 2000/2001 Achievement of average benefit–cost ratio of 10 and/or internal rates of return of greater than 25 per cent on R&D projects · The Corporation conducts a rolling four year program of ex post project evaluations. Program 3 was examined in 1998/1999. This found rates of return ranging from 1 to 200 per cent, with most considerably greater than the Corporation’s target of 25 per cent. It also found benefit-cost ratios from 1 to 120 with all but two greater than the performance target of ten. Investment Objectives for Sub–programs of Program 3
Objective: To support increased sustainability and profitability in the chicken meat industry by focusing research and development on those areas which will enable the industry to become more efficient and globally competitive and which will assist in the development of good industry and product images.
Expenditure in 2000/2001: $1,629,546
Compared with 1999/2000: $1,535,608Some Key Performance Indicators
R&D Plan for the Chicken Meat Program 1998–2003. Adopted by Board Resolution No. 45-1998-15
- Time taken to regain accepted standards of health and productivity following disease outbreaks.
- Technical efficiency (in terms of feed conversion ratio).
- Total cost reductions achieved by improvements in the component costs in key performance areas.
- Per capita consumption of chicken meat products.
- Compliance with Codes of Practice.
Background
The Australian chicken meat industry currently produces approximately 593,000 tonnes of chicken meat annually with a retail value in excess of $2.5 billion.
Production has increased dramatically over the past thirty years, to the point where chicken meat is now Australian consumers’ second most popular meat. Annual growth in production of 4% to 5% has been experienced by the industry over the past few years and it is expected that production will continue to increase at similar rates over the coming two to three years.
Most production is consumed domestically. A substantial expansion into export markets which commenced in 1997 has been set back as a result of restrictions placed on imports of Australian poultry products by a number of countries as a result of several outbreaks of Newcastle disease in NSW from late 1998 to January 2000.
The industry is dominated by a number of quite large, vertically integrated companies. Each of these companies invests significant funds into in-house R&D, particularly in the areas of product development, processing technologies, quality control procedures, distribution and packaging and market research.
A major objective for the industry over the coming year will be to re-establish its Newcastle disease free status, thereby regaining its favourable international image in terms of disease status.
Over coming years the industry will need to address community concerns with respect to its environmental performance, particularly in terms of odour control. It must also continue to restructure its operations in order to improve its international competitiveness.
Food safety issues relevant to chicken meat products will remain a major focus for the industry over this period.
Strategies
This sub-program has its own five-year R&D plan, which is accessible in hardcopy and on the Internet at www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/chick5yr.htm
- Develop techniques to more effectively control poultry diseases, such as vaccines, diagnostic tests, epidemiological procedures, biosecurity measures and nutritional manipulations.
- Develop strategies for improving the quality and utilisation of feed through the development of rapid nutritional quality testing techniques, identifying nutritional interactions with disease and the environment, investigating new or alternative feed ingredients and developing technologies that improve the rate and efficiency of broiler growth.
- Establish critical control points and develop techniques for reducing contamination of live birds and poultry products with organisms of concern with respect to food safety.
- Identify impediments to achieving an internationally competitive industry and develop strategies for addressing these.
- Develop strategies to improve the image of the industry and its products in the eyes of the consumer.
- Facilitate the adoption of best practice standards in animal welfare for the chicken meat industry.
- Establish operational standards and develop strategies to improve the industry’s ability to successfully manage environmental issues.
- Facilitate industry awareness and rapid adoption of new and improved technologies.
Key outputs in 2000/2001
- In partnership with State and Commonwealth governments and industry, completed a national survey of Newcastle disease viruses in the Australian commercial poultry industries, upon which Australia’s case for freedom from virulent Newcastle disease will be based.
- Prepared a strategy document for the management of very virulent bursal disease virus, should it ever enter Australian poultry flocks.
- Developed final modules of a complete set of distance learning materials for the meat chicken industry.
- Optimised vaccination strategies developed to assist in the targeted use of vaccines for the control or eradication of Newcastle disease.
- Developed an improved understanding of the ecology and insecticide resistance profiles of poultry farm populations of the darkling beetle, a common pest in Australian poultry houses.
- Information gathered on the types and antibiotic resistance profiles of bacteria present in Australian chickens.
CHICKEN MEAT SUB-ACCOUNT ACTUAL 1999/2000($) 2000/2001 ($) Opening Balance Total Revenues Total Expenditure Surplus/(Deficit) Closing Balance Publications in 2000/2001
00/143 The new season grain phenomenon: the role of endogenous glycanases in the nutritive value of cereal grains in broiler chickens 98/124 A Comparison of Total and Digestible Amino Acids in Diets for Broilers and Layers 98/123 Increasing Efficiency of Lean Tissue Deposition in Broiler Chickens 00/98 Joint Chicken and Egg Research in Progress 2000 00/178 Improving Serological Diagnosis of Mycoplasma synoviae Research Manager: Dr Vivien Kite
Phone: (02) 9929 4077 Fax: (02) 9925 0627 Email: vivien.kite@chicken.org.au Objective: To support improved efficiency, sustainability, product quality, education and technology transfer in the Australian egg industry.
Expenditure in 2000/2001: $1,975,955
Compared with 1999/2000: $1,209,619Some Key Performance Indicators
R&D Plan for the Eggs Program 1998–2003. Adopted by Board Resolution No. 44-1998-7
- Research reports that identify the implications of policy reform and changes in the economic environment.
- Per capita egg consumption.
- Level of confidence of human nutrition advisers and consumers in eggs.
- Incidence of health-related problems.
- Feed cost per egg.
- Level of compliance of the industry with Codes of Practice.
- Acceptance of objective data on the environmental impact of the poultry industries.
- Knowledge base of industry personnel.
Background
The Australian egg industry comprises around 900 commercial producers, has an annual output of 220 million dozen eggs and a gross value of production of $340 million. Approximately 85 per cent of all eggs produced are sold in shell form, primarily through grocery chains. The balance is processed into liquid, frozen and dried egg products for use in the food service and processed food sectors.
The industry continues to undergo significant structural development due to deregulation in a number of States. In general, individual enterprises are becoming fewer in number and larger in size and there is a trend for increasing vertical integration along the production chain. Increasing globalisation of markets and freeing of world trade is pressuring the industry to improve its international competitiveness.
The industry is also becoming more sensitive to the requirements of their customers while consumers are becoming more demanding. This has led to the development of an increasingly diverse range of product lines. Public perceptions and opinions have also brought issues such as food safety, animal welfare and environmental impact into the forefront. Animal welfare concerns have led to increasing markets for eggs from alternative housing systems, although the market share is still small with free range eggs commanding an estimated 5.5 per cent of the market and barn laid eggs a further 2.5 per cent.
A recent review called by government into layer hen housing has resulted in a stronger emphasis on research into alternative egg production systems in Australia. An additional outcome of this review is the call from government for the industry to take a more active role in self-regulation of management quality standards. RIRDC is assisting the industry in answering this call by developing a national generic quality assurance program that addresses food safety, bird welfare, biosecurity and labelling.
Research into disease management has re-emerged as a high priority following recent outbreaks of a virulent Australian strain of Newcastle disease virus in NSW. Eradication of the virulent virus is essential if Australia is to maintain its current health status. A technical subcommittee has been formed by the RIRDC Chicken Meat and Egg Programs to expedite R&D funding decisions in relation to Newcastle disease.
Strategies
This sub-program has its own five-year R&D plan, which is accessible in hardcopy and on the Internet at www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/egg5year.htm
- Analyse the impact of economic and policy reforms on the Australian egg industry.
- Develop and satisfy the market for eggs and egg products.
- Safeguard public health.
- Minimise the effects of disease in layer flock health.
- Improve the efficiency of egg production through improved understanding of nutrition, physiology and husbandry.
- Improve bird welfare and bird performance.
- Optimise the environmental and social impact of egg production.
- Facilitate the training of researchers, producers and their support staff.
Key outputs in 2000/2001
- Publication of an industry Biosecurity Code of Practice.
- Development of a Quality Assurance Code of Practice and development of a national generic Quality Assurance Program covering food safety, bird welfare, farm biosecurity and labelling.
- In partnership with State, Territory and Commonwealth Governments and industry completed a national survey of Newcastle disease virus in the Australian commercial poultry industries, upon which Australia’s case for freedom from virulent Newcastle disease is based.
- Optimised vaccination strategies developed to assist in the targeted use of vaccines for the control or eradication of Newcastle disease.
- Publication of a review of beak trimming methods.
- Publication of information on the energy and amino acid requirements of imported layer strains.
- Publication of a review of Salmonella Enteritidis epidemiology and control policies.
- Publication of an annual statistical report for the egg industry.
- Publication of a detailed report and a short "plain English" report on land use conflict in relation to poultry industries.
- Development of a non-invasive test of stress in laying hens.
- Prepared a strategy document for management of very virulent IBDV, should it enter Australian poultry flocks.
- Completion of a distance learning training course for layer farm managers.
- Developed an improved understanding of the ecology and insecticide resistance profiles of poultry farm populations of Alphitobius diaperinus (darkling beetle), a common pest in Australian poultry houses.
EGGS SUB-ACCOUNT ACTUAL 1999/2000($) 2000/2001 ($) Opening Balance Total Revenues Total Expenditure Surplus/(Deficit) Closing Balance
EGG INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT FUND SUB-ACCOUNT ACTUAL 1999/2000($) 2000/2001 ($) Opening Balance Total Revenues Total Expenditure Surplus/(Deficit) Closing Balance
Publications in 2000/2001
01/18 Interdependence and integration of the egg, processed food and food service industries 00/174 Urban fringe land-use conflict – 2 poultry case studies 00/144 Alternative protein sources for laying hens 00/158 Australian Egg Industry Association annual statistical publication 1999 00/145 International review of salmonella enteritidis (SE) epidemiology and control policies 00/179 Amino acid and energy requirements of imported brown layer strains 00/73 National Industry Databases 00/72 Review of Beak Trimming Methods 00/98 Joint Chicken and Egg Research in Progress 2000 S00/094 Urban land Use Conflict Research Manager: Dr Irene Gorman
Phone: (02) 9570 9222 Fax: (02) 9570 9763 Email: irene@aeia.org
HoneybeeObjective: To improve the productivity and profitability of the Australian beekeeping industry.
Expenditure in 2000/2001: $362,180
Compared with 1999/2000: $424,905Some Key Performance Indicators
- Reduction in production losses caused by diseases.
- Maintenance of access to melliferous resources on public lands.
- Pollination information disseminated widely for both beekeepers and growers.
- Data on effect of collection, bulk handling, storage and processing on honey quality and purity available.
- Level of research uptake by industry.
R&D Plan for the Honeybee Program 1996–2001. Adopted by Board Resolution No. 36-1996-9Background
Australian honey has the reputation in the world market of being a premium quality product. It is produced over a large geographical area from a wide variety of flowering plants which, because of fluctuating rainfall patterns and the extended budding cycles of much of the honey producing flora, tend to flower spasmodically.
About 70–80 per cent of honey produced is from native flora, especially eucalypts growing on public, Crown leasehold and freehold land. The flora are diverse, growing as heathland and mallee eucalypts on coastal plains and in semi-arid regions of Australia, through medium rainfall to subalpine regions and rainforests of Tasmania, northern New South Wales and Queensland.
Australia produces about 31,000 tonnes of honey a year with an estimated gross value of production of about $49 million. Domestic consumption is approximately 15,000 tonnes a year and the remainder is exported in pre-bulk form, making Australia the world’s fourth largest exporter of honey. It is estimated that the gross value of production, including queen and package bees, beeswax, pollen and pollination, was $65 million. In addition, the value of pollination to the Australian economy has been estimated at between $600 million and $1.2 billion per year.
Strategies
This sub-program has its own five-year R&D plan, which is accessible in hardcopy and on the Internet at www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/honeybee.html
- Increase profitability by improving hive husbandry and management practices.
- Continue honeybee access and research into melliferous resources on both public and freehold land.
- Develop agricultural and horticultural crop pollination and biological controls using honeybees.
- Improve methods of extracting, storing and transporting honey.
- Increase the use of honey in the food industry.
- Determine therapeutic values of specific floral species.
- Improve communications between the R&D sector, the honey industry and associated industries.
Key outputs in 2000/2001
- Development of improved methods for the use of liquid honey in food manufacturing.
- Guidelines for improved methods for introduction of queen bees and improved early performance.
- Improved techniques for control of American foulbrood disease.
- Production of a range of publications on improved honeybee nutrition in Australia.
- Production of several reports on the floral resources in various States and the value of these for honey production.
- Production of a new crop pollination and extension package CD to assist beekeepers to effectively manage and encourage a professional pollination service.
- Production of a CD of all past R&D for the honeybee industry.
- Development of a new R&D Newsletter for the program and distribution of this to industry.
HONEYBEE SUB-ACCOUNT ACTUAL 1999/2000($) 2000/2001 ($) Opening Balance Total Revenues Total Expenditure Surplus/(Deficit) Closing Balance Publications in 2000/2001
CD01/01 Pollination Manual 2000 01/75 Honeybee Research in Progress 2001 01/48 Controlling American Foulbrood – Assessing effectiveness of shaking bees and antibiotic therapy strategies 01/047 Nutritional Value of Bee Collected Pollen 01/051 Hot Wax Dipping of Beehive Components 01/050 Beekeepers use of honey and pollen flora resource in Victoria 01/052 Honeybee Disease Barrier Management Systems 01/053 Pollen analysis of Eucalypts in Western Australia 01/046 Nosema Disease in Honeybees 01/049 A Quality survey of Australian Honeys Research Manager: Dr Jeff Davis
Phone: (02) 6272 4152 Fax: (02) 6272 5877 Email: jeffd@rirdc.gov.au
 
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Last updated: 5 October
2001
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