A RENEWED focus on research, development and industry innovation has seen the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) create a new dedicated division.
Mark Sweetingham will head the new division as managing director for research, development and innovation which will control a number of programs looking to develop or improve market supply chains and to value add for the agriculture industry.
According to DPIRD, livestock director Bruce Mullan, grains director Kerry Regan, horticulture and irrigated crops director Rohan Prince and aquaculture director Greg Jenkins and their departments will come under Dr Sweetingham who has more than 34 years' experience at the former Department of Agriculture and Food, involved in the State and national grains industry.
DPIRD director general Ralph Addis announced creation of the research, development and innovation division last Friday when he opened the second day of the Grower Group Alliance (GGA) annual forum.
"DPIRD recognises the need for the agri-food sector to have a dynamic and vibrant research, development and innovation environment to protect its major position in the Western Australian economy and to capture growth opportunities," Mr Addis said.
"DPIRD is focused on research, development and innovation to boost the productivity, profitability and international competitiveness of our grains, livestock, horticulture and aquaculture industries.
"We will be collaborating with industry and other research organisations to build a dynamic agri-food science and innovation ecosystem which is responsive to both immediate and longer term whole-of-industry opportunities and risks."
Earlier, Mr Addis told the GGA forum the State government had a renewed focus on agriculture after 20 years of mining being the main focus.
"Agriculture is a terrific place to be right now," he said.
"You've got significant engagement at the highest level of government, in Alannah MacTiernan you've got a minister who is a very forceful advocate for our sector and a terrific asset for us to work with and in the recent State budget - coming off the back of 12 or13 years of pretty constant and harrowing decline - we've been successful in securing a flat forward budget.
"This means that for the first time we can start to lock in some services and get forward thinking as a department.
"As part of that we've started to reinvest in some research facilities.
"We're in the process of creating a dedicated division, research, development and industry innovation under Dr Sweetingham.
"It's sole focus will be the sorts of things you will be concerned with today," he told farm improvement and grower group members attending the forum."
Mr Addis said the new division would control a $22 million agribusiness innovations grants program and a $10m Asian markets success program, as well as a range of value-add programs looking at supply chain innovation and digital connectivity solutions "that otherwise may not be possible".
Dr Sweetingham has been recognised internationally for his work in crop protection, farming systems, crop genetics and plant biosecurity.
