The Australian Government's Innovation Report

• improving the management of natural resources, including water, soils and native vegetation;
• improving storage and transport management of crops from harvesting to processing;
• advancing quality testing and certification for export markets;
• finding new markets and product uses and responding to consumer preferences;
• improving the skills and qualifications of people at all levels of the industry; and
• developing a culture of continual improvement within industries.
A research paper by the Productivity Commission, Trends in Australian Agriculture (July 2005), found that adoption
of technological advances and innovation was a key driver in the productivity growth that has enabled farmers
to increase their output in the past 30 years and offset the declining terms of trade to maintain their global
competitiveness. Total agricultural output during the period 1974-75 to 2003-04 increased at an average rate of
2.4%, which was considerably stronger than most other industry sectors.
More information about the Rural R&D Corporations and Companies can be found at:
www.ruralrdc.com.au
Protecting cotton naturally
The cotton industry has reduced its use of insecticides by 85%
through biotechnology and integrated pest manage ment to control
leaf feeding caterpillars. The approach is providing benefits to the
cotton growers, local communities and the environment, and the
reduction in the use of applied insecticides has also removed
adventitious control of a suite of insect pests.
Photo credits: Cotton Research and Development Corporation
The Cotton R&D Corporation is protecting the gains made
through research to control caterpillars by developing methods to
control these other pests. The key is the accurate identification of
pests and predators that control them so that integrated pest
management systems that minimise insecticide use can be applied
in cotton crops.
Food Centres of Excellence
The Food Centres of Excellence programme is an Australian Government funded initiative under the National
Food Industry Strategy (NFIS). The programme is delivered by National Food Industry Strategy Ltd (NFIS Ltd)
under contract to the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry.
The programme will help establish Australia as an international centre of excellence in food industry innovation
by attracting and developing world-class people and capabilities in Australian food R&D centres. It aims to:
• lead commercialisation of R&D and achieve follow-through food industry investment and
employment;
• provide Australian based food processors with access to world-class R&D expertise;
• develop food industry R&D capability in areas of national priority;
• encourage further rationalisation of Australia’s food R&D infrastructure and lead the integration of
company R&D with centres of excellence to achieve the critical mass necessary to attract and support
world-class food science and technology capability; and
• promote food science and technology as a career of choice by developing a high profile career path through
links between centres of excellence and education organisations that deliver programmes in food
science and technology.
46 Backing Australia’s Ability