AEGIC’s future safe as Perth-based research centre ‘joins forces’ with new funding stream Grains Australia

Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre will continue to stand on its own two feet but will “join forces” with — and be funded by — national body Grains Australia as a way to avoid duplication and improve efficiency. The two key grains entities inked an agreement at on April 19 to deliver “more efficient and effective” industry services for the nation’s farmers, with AEGIC chair Ron Storey saying until now, the two groups had operated as separate entities. Representatives from Grains Australia and Grains Research Development Corporation attended the Perth-based signing celebration at the AEGIC headquarters, where GRDC chair John Woods told crowds it was a “natural alignment”. He said AEGIC would remain its own entity but “share back office functions” with Grains Australia — including administration and finances, in a bid to maximise value to farmers, strengthen and build market relationships, and avoid duplication. “It makes sense to have these two agencies working together, combining the work to explore and understand emerging and current market needs, with critical ‘industry good’ activities such as classification, market access and market information,” Mr Woods said. “GRDC invests on behalf of Australian grain growers and supporting this integration is about ensuring they are getting the best return of investment for the dollars we spend in this space. “This integration does mean change. GRDC will step down from our direct membership role with AEGIC and our investment in that entity will now come through Grains Australia.” AEGIC — an initiative of the WA Government and GRDC — is the nation’s leading organisation for market insight, innovation and technical solutions for the grains industry. Its primary focus is to increase value in the grains industry by ensuring the nation’s grain meets the needs of customers and end-users. Separately, Grains Australia was set up by GRDC two years ago to deliver ‘industry good’ activities, including classification, market access, market information and education to bolster the grain industry’s competitiveness and profitability. The group has so far amalgamated three smaller industry groups, with its sights now set on Pulse Australia. Grains Australia chair — WA-based Terry Enright — welcomed the agreement and said he looked forward to working more closely with AEGIC under the new model. “We are confident that it will lead to many efficiencies that deliver more value for the Australian grains industry,” Mr Enright said. “Grains Australia’s role is to service the connection between what the market wants and what industry provides... under the new aligned operation with AEGIC we can generate more benefits to growers and meet the needs of our end-users around the world.” The arrangement will enable AEGIC to continue to focus on overseas market development and research, including trade analysis and intelligence, understanding customer requirements, and developing new products and value-adding. Grains Australia will continue to focus on grain classification, trade and market access, and market access and information. Mr Storey said it was a “logical, efficient move” that would create a stronger national grains industry. “We are confident it will lead to many efficiencies that deliver more value for the Australian grains industry,” Mr Enright said. While Grains Australia will use AEGIC’s offices where it presents efficiency, AEGIC’s Perth and Sydney technical capacity will be maintained and adapted to deliver on the strategic objectives of AEGIC and Grains Australia. WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis said the partnership would deliver a “united voice” for industry. “The move puts our grains industry in a strong position to navigate increasingly volatile and complex global market forces and adapt to changing customer demands for premium, safe and sustainably-produced food” she said. “This new alliance highlights the benefits of joint Government investment in targeted initiatives that help our primary industries remain internationally competitive and profitable.” GrainGrowers chair Rhys Turton said the move would ultimately help to break down areas of duplication and ensure industry-focused outcomes were delivered in the most efficient manner possible. GRDC is one of 15 Rural Research and Development Corporations responsible for planning, investing in and overseeing research, development and extension for 25 leviable grain crops. Also during the announcement, GRDC announced the first of its national infrastructure investment, awarding the WA-headquartered Australian Grains Export Innovation Centre more than $500,000 to buy new equipment to support pulse protein research. Mr Woods said the money would be used to buy and install machine to process pulse proteins, which are extracted into both human and animal products for feed — with global consumers increasingly choosing plant protein. The machine will be used for the “dry fractionation” of the pulse protein at the AEGIC laboratories in Sydney, where it has other milling staff and capacity. The State Government and GRDC in June tipped in $6 million for four years of funding to secure AEGIC’s future. AEGIC and InterGrain are expected to move to Murdoch University by 2027 after the State announced $320 million last year.