Australian grain industries will benefit from a $3 million grant to create a new Crop Research Hub in Western Australia, charged with improving grain crop productivity and disease resistance Australia wide.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Barnaby Joyce, said Murdoch University had received a $3 million Grains Industry Infrastructure Grant to establish the WA Crop Research Hub under a collaboration between Murdoch University, Curtin University and the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD).
“The Coalition Government knows how critical research and development (R&D) is to productive and profitable industries and that’s why this government is investing unprecedented amounts under various programmes in to R&D,” Minister Joyce said.
“This innovative project will draw on the specialist research skills from each party to develop new research in crop pathology, plant physiology and genetic improvement.
“The outcomes of this research will be applied to improve crop productivity and resistance to disease, strengthening the national grain industry and profitability for Australian grain growers.
GRDC Chairman Mr John Woods said for the GRDC to deliver on its purpose of investing in RD&E to create enduring profitability for Australian grain growers it was essential for research partners to have the critical capacity they required.
“Our RD&E partners need good infrastructure and the right tools to deliver for the grains industry,” Mr Woods said.
“For the first time GRDC has gone out nationally to support our research partners in creating critical capacity and capability to deliver greater profitability for growers. This is essential to ensure a sustainable grains industry to underpin strong rural communities and a healthy economy.
Murdoch University’s $3 million grant will be coupled with a co-contribution of $2 million by the project partners.
This collaboration is part of the Grains Industry Infrastructure Grants programme, administered by the Grains Research and Development Corporation, with 15 recipients sharing in $15 million in competitive grants.