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Highlights

Operational developments

• the Corporation completed major strategic and structural change reflected in our new Portfolio and Program areas
• industry requested levy increases in the rice and honey industries and increases in the voluntary levies in the fodder and horse industries
• the conduct of a major survey to exclude H5N1 avian influenza in the Australian chicken meat industry
• managing agent for the Rural Research and Development Council of Chairs
• strengthened partnerships with industries and research providers
• development of a new Investment Framework based on funded industry five-year plans
• RIRDC Quality Management Systems has ISO9001:2000 Quality Assurance accreditation from SGS International Certification Services Pty Ltd
• there were 259 new projects in 2005–06 in a portfolio of 574
• details on individual projects finalised during 2005–06 are published in our Research in Progress documents and on our website www.rirdc.gov.au
• total project expenditure in 2005–06 was $16,257,205.
• new investment framework and adoption principles have been formulated for operation in 2006–07.
• more than 158 new publications were added to RIRDC’s library of over 1,500 research reports.
• use of our website www.rirdc.gov.au continues to grow with one million hits a month.
• a mail-based survey of a random sample of customers showed that 84% rated RIRDC’s service as satisfactory to excellent

New Industries
Better croc skins
RIRDC’sresearchhas improved growing facilities of captive crocodiles resulting inimprovedgrading of skins bringing higher returns for Australian producers and exporters.

New oilseed
Plant Rights
taken out on a selection of mustard (Brassica juncea). This plant adapts well to dry areas and does not require windrowing prior to harvest, as

Naming Asian vegetables
RIRDC brokered a partnership with HAL Ltd and the NSW Department of Primary Industries to standardise names of Asian vegetables in Australia. This campaign is supported by major retailers and marketers.

Established Industries
Purple clover – breakthrough
74 lines of purple clover with resistance to clover scorch disease were identified. This is the first record of resistance to the disease and is a major breakthrough in the development of purple clover as a species for use in agriculture.

Better chicken farms
EMS manuals and training materials have been developed enabling accreditation of the first meat chicken farms under the national environment management system program – meat chicken EMS. Now there is better management of environmental issues on farms and impacts on neighbours, and improved relationships with the community.

Honey research
Research on the small hive beetle using insecticidal treatment can potentially reduce 86-93% of beetles in hives. Small hive beetle damages wax comb, which spoils stored honey, pollen and brood and causes bees to abscond from infested hives.

Master TreeGrowers – supports a “tree change” – working with farmers to diagnose, design and evaluate the role of trees on their farms, and to make better decisions. The 75 courses held between 1996 and 2005 have been attended by over 1350 participants. They have planted farm forests, advised local government and planners, and acted as extension advisers for new industry participants.

Rural Industry Adjustment to Trade Related Policy Reform
Investigates industry experiences of adjustment to policy reform in four industries – dairy, citrus fruit, pig meat and rock lobsters. (Pub. No. 05/173)

Growing wasabi in Tasmania
Demand for new flavours and increasingly cosmopolitan attitudes towards cuisine have created valuable new markets for products such as wasabi. RIRDC has completed research on how traditional Japanese cultivation systems for wasabi have been adapted to suit Tasmanian conditions. (Pub No. 06/085)
 

 

 

 

 
 

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