A NEW report has found that for every dollar invested by Australia’s rural research and development corporations, almost $8 is returned to primary producers over 10 years.
The inaugural Collective Re-search and Innovation Outcomes 2024 report, prepared by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, examined the contributions of all 15 RDCs across research, development, extension, adoption and commercialisation.
Council of Rural RDCs chair Troy Setter said the report focused on government priority areas including climate and sustainability, biosecurity, trade, First Nations engagement, workforce and digital innovation.
Tackling climate and sustainability
Since 2022, there have been 320 projects worth $384 million, many targeting emissions reduction.
Focus areas include reducing methane from livestock, cutting fertiliser-related nitrous oxide emissions, improving energy efficiency, and developing renewable energy and natural capital initiatives.
The Grains Research and Development Corporation has $150 million in co-investments with research partners, including a new $38M project to help growers monitor, manage and report on-farm greenhouse gas emissions.
The RDCs are also supporting recycling and re-use initiatives to reduce waste and strengthen circular economy practices.
World-first weather system
One highlight is the Weather and Networked Data system, developed by the Cotton RDC and GRDC in partnership with Goanna Ag.
The network of more than 100 automatic weather stations across Queensland and New South Wales provides real-time data to growers and spray operators about hazardous temperature inversions.
“Before WAND, there was no way to distinguish a hazardous inversion from a non-hazardous inversion,” Mr Setter said.
Biosecurity innovation
The report emphasises the crucial role of biosecurity in protecting Australia’s $75.6 billion agricultural, fisheries and forestry exports.
About 70 per cent of production is exported each year.
Farmers currently spend $3.8B annually on vertebrate pest control and lose $1.5B to weeds.
RDCs are investing in advanced surveillance, diagnostics and forecasting systems to manage these threats and maintain Australia’s clean reputation in global markets.
The GRDC’s $26.7M investment in the National Grains Diagnostic and Surveillance Initiative will expand diagnostic capacity, employ more biosecurity specialists and modernise pest detection.
Digital innovation in meat processing
The Australian Meat Processor Corporation, and Meat and Livestock Australia are leading the LEAP4Beef program, which is developing the world’s first fully automated beef boning system.
A pre-production demonstration of a striploin cutting module will be held in 2025 at JBS Australia’s Brooklyn facility in Victoria.
The program builds on earlier success in lamb automation and aims to deliver large-scale, high-throughput precision processing.
Training for the wool industry
Australian Wool Innovation has delivered a shearer and wool handler training program, estimated to have generated a benefit-cost ratio of $6.05.
For every $1 invested, the return was more than $6, with net benefits of $14.7M.
The full report is available at www.ruralrdc.com.au/resources.