Projects recently announced by the Council of Grain Grower Organisations Ltd (COGGO) will provide a holistic look at the WA grains industry and extend into areas of markets and mental health, said its chairman Rhys Turton.
The COGGO Research Fund will support the following projects:
- Barley Council, Grain Industry Association of WA ($15,000 over one year) for the development of a business case that quantifies the need for research to establish appropriate receival standard(s) as a measure of malt barley storability.
- Farmanco ($65,000 over two years) to prepare its people for natural disaster mental health management.
- Stirlings to Coast Farmers ($103,852 over two years) to measure herbicide residue and the impact on subsequent grain crops under high rainfall conditions.
A fourth research project is under final negotiation before being announced.
"This year's projects address a growing need to acknowledge the administration of our grain enterprises as well as the growing of the crops themselves," Mr Turton said.
"It is critical that the health of both our farmers and our business practices match the health of our crops, and COGGO is pleased to be able to support these initiatives through targeted research over the next couple of years."
COGGO has a long history of providing catalytic funding for new research and development ideas and have seen many past recipients make a significant impact on returns for WA graingrowers.
"COGGO members voluntarily contribute 0.5 per cent of their net farmgate returns to the research fund, for which we are grateful and enables us to support new early-stage research," Mr Turton said.
"Thirty expressions of interest were received for the 2024 funding round, from a cross section of industry, government, grower groups, universities and research organisations, indicating the demand for funding of small stimulus R&D projects of relevance to grain growers in WA."
Established in 2000, the purpose of the research fund is to invest in innovative new research and development projects from across the whole supply chain, and that can demonstrate a direct benefit to WA graingrowers.
