BRS SEMINAR SERIES PRESENTS: Friday 10 February The Ceaseless Search for the New Max Bourke — RIRDC In farming businesses, whether it be family farmers of industrial scale or tree changers, there is a relentless pursuit of new crops to meet the needs for food and fibre fashions, new medicinals and neutraceuticals, and new approaches to softer farming technologies. For nearly 20 years Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) has been investing in research and development to meet these needs. Some of the crops supported like canola and lupins are now mainstream, while others that seem old have only recently reached economic maturity like olives and coffee. On the near horizon are crops as diverse as truffles, capers, industrial hemp, noog, guayule and Chilean guavas or Red Bay Berries. This presentation will explore the establishment and planning of the New Plants, Wildflowers and Native Plants Programs of Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.
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BRS SEMINAR SERIES PRESENTS:Friday 10 February
The Ceaseless Search for the New
Max Bourke — RIRDC
In farming businesses, whether it be family farmers of industrial scale or tree changers, there is a relentless pursuit of new crops to meet the needs for food and fibre fashions, new medicinals and neutraceuticals, and new approaches to softer farming technologies. For nearly 20 years Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) has been investing in research and development to meet these needs. Some of the crops supported like canola and lupins are now mainstream, while others that seem old have only recently reached economic maturity like olives andcoffee. On the near horizon are crops as diverse as truffles, capers, industrial hemp, noog, guayule and Chilean guavas or Red Bay Berries. This presentation will explore the establishment and planning of the New Plants, Wildflowers and Native Plants Programs of Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.
THE CEASELESS SEARCH FOR THE NEW
RURAL INDUSTRIES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: NEW PLANT PRODUCTS
• GLOBAL: basic demand from population growth, out of season, novel commodities
• DIRECT CONTRACTING TO WHOLESALE/RETAIL INC FOOD SERVICE.
• FARMERS’ MARKETS back to the future?
KEY POINTS FROM RECENT STUDIES
“There has been a steady rise in the average size of farming operations and amount of capital invested…the number of farm businesses fell by 29 per cent
over the period 1983-84 to 2003-04…Over the same period, average area cropped per farm rose by 30 per cent…”
“The processed food and beverage industry is Australia’s largest manufacturing industry…”
“…10 per cent of Australian farm businesses account for over 50 per cent of farm output…the production of farms in the largest economic size category increased
by…almost three times the increase in the share of farms in this category…”
“The trend towards more intensive farming has resulted in higher output despite less land being used for agriculture….”
“A key source of productivity growth in agriculture has been the generation of new knowledge or technology…”there is a growing agreement that R&D is a crucial
determinant of agricultural productivity”.
NEW PLANTS AND WILDFLOWERS
• Native plant crops• Culinary herbs, spices and beverages• Extractive and fibre crops• Prospective fruit fibre, vegetable and nut
crops• Prospective grain and pulse crops• Miscellaneous crops and activities• WILDFLOWERS AND NATIVE PLANTS
SOME CROPS SUPPORTED OVER 20 YRS• SUGAR• CANOLA• LUPINS• MUSHROOMS• CASHEWS • WALNUTS• DRIED FRUITS• LYCHEES• BUCKWHEAT• ADZUKI/KINTOKI• JOJOBA
• MUNTHARIES• NATIVE LIMES• OLIVES• CAPERS• TRUFFLES• COCOA• COFFEE• TEA• TAZZIBERRIES• OIL SEEDS FOR HEALTH
AND INDUSTRIAL USE• HEMP• GUAR• GUAYULE
Caper bush
Coffee harvesting
Native Citrus Glace
Eucalypts for floricultureTruffles
Novel oil seeds for health and industry
Boab tubers for roots and tops
Cocoa growing and processing
Australian grown teaDiverse minor tropical fruits
Native red flower for Chinese New Year
References to Programs and Evaluations
• New Plant Crops: http://www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/npp.html
• Current research in progress:• http://www.rirdc.gov.au/comp05/npp1.html• Evaluation: