Summary

Prior to the 2016 federal election, the Minister for Agriculture announced that the government would contribute $4m for research, development and extension on rice growing in Northern Australia, via the Rural R&D for Profit program.
This is funding is intended to be provided in $1m instalments over four years, commencing in the current financial year (2016/17).
RIRDC have approached Progressive Agriculture to undertake the work necessary to finalise the schedule to the contract as flagged above.
1. Facilitate a consensus industry position on the objectives, outcomes and outputs from the proposed investment.
2. Facilitate a separate agreement about which providers will provide services under the project, the funding breakdown between these providers, and related governance arrangements.
3. Generate a commitment from industry for contributing funding and the terms on which this will occur.
4. Develop these agreed positions into a project outline (in a format to be determined by RIRDC), which will form a schedule to the contract between the Department of Agriculture and RIRDC.
Completing this task will require Progressive Agriculture to consult with the rice industry through various meetings and workshops, including the RIRDC rice R&D committee meeting in November.
Input from RIRDC about desirable project objectives, outcomes and outputs, as well as on the issue of an industry co-contribution, have been provided to Progressive Agriculture and will be reflected in the consultation process.

Program

Northern Rice

Research Organisation

Progressive Agriculture

Objective Summary

1. Facilitate a consensus industry position on the objectives, outcomes and outputs from the proposed investment.
2. Facilitate a separate agreement about which providers will provide services under the project, the funding breakdown between these providers, and related governance arrangements.
3. Generate a commitment from industry for contributing funding and the terms on which this will occur.
4. Develop these agreed positions into a project outline (in a format to be determined by RIRDC), which will form a schedule to the contract between the Department of Agriculture and RIRDC.