Rice Extension
Rice Extension is funded by rice growers and the Australian Government through AgriFutures Australia. Rice Extension supports the adoption of innovation and research and development outcomes in the Australian rice industry.
Read moreThe Australian rice industry is a global leader in water use efficiency. The continued success of the Australian rice industry will be driven by increased yield, a higher average price per tonne and decreased water use.
The AgriFutures Rice Program invests in research, development and extension (RD&E) to maintain the industry’s competitiveness and improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of the Australian rice industry.
With the support of the Australian rice industry, the Program drives RD&E focused on the production of new rice varieties compatible with a water productivity target of 1.5t/ML by 2026. This is coupled with targeted agronomy and farming system focused activities, extension activities focused on increasing adoption and uptake of technology, and innovation in partnership with industry.
RD&E Plan
The AgriFutures Rice Program Strategic RD&E Plan (2021-2026) has been developed in consultation with industry to outline the AgriFutures Rice Program priorities and objectives for RD&E.
The Australian rice industry has long been recognised as a world leader in production efficiency, however increasing pressures on water resource availability have raised challenges in relation to the industry’s ongoing profitability, productivity and sustainability. In response to these challenges, the Australian rice industry has clearly expressed that a transformational increase in water productivity is required within the next five years to ensure its future viability.
The Plan is based on an overarching Program goal of increasing the Australian rice industry’s water productivity to an average of 1.5 t/ML by 2026. The target is ambitious and will rely on whole-of-industry collaboration and increased investment to achieve it.
The Plan identifies four RD&E priorities:
- Optimised genetic improvement.
- Agronomy and farming systems.
- Coordinated industry extension.
- Strengthened industry capacity.
Program news
Contact
Lucinda Staley-McCrohon
Senior Manager, Levied Industries (Rice)
02 69 236 914 |0448 401 717
Lucinda.Staley@agrifutures.com.au
Industry Association
About your levy
Australian primary industries that choose to invest in the levies system prescribe the amount of levy or charge applied to a commodity under the Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Act 1999, Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Act 1999, National Residue Survey (Customs) Levy Act 1998 and the National Residue Survey (Excise) Levy Act 1998.
Levy and charge revenue can be directed to biosecurity preparedness and emergency plant pest and animal disease responses, residue testing, marketing and research and development. It is the decision of a primary industry to determine the proportion of how a levy or charge is directed to each of these activities.
The Levy is collected and distributed via the Department of Agriculture. For more information, visit the Department of Agriculture Water and the Environment website. AgriFutures Australia receives the research and development (R&D) levy allocation to invest in line with the industry objectives of the respective program’s Strategic Plan.
AgriFutures Australia also receives Commonwealth matching funding based on 0.5% of the aggregate GVP of all AgriFutures Australia’s levied industries (Arena 3) or half of AgriFutures Australia’s eligible expenditure – whichever is the lesser. This includes expenditure in non-levied industries Arenas 1, 2 and 4 irrespective of their funding source.
AgriFutures Australia’s Board allocates the Commonwealth matching funding to each levied industry program. The respective programs will receive 50c per dollar of eligible expenditure (subject to availability of Commonwealth matching funding).
The total program budget comprises of the R&D levy allocation, Commonwealth matching funding (allocated by the AgriFutures Australia Board) and third party contributions (where appropriate).
View the AgriFutures Rice Program income and expenditure for 2020-21 statement.
