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'Aussie Rules': farmers pump dollars into research, target Canada

Australian grain producers have their game face on when it comes to research funding, and they're openly gunning for Canada, says a Canadian grain quality expert who recently spent a year Down Under.

Through the Grains Research Development Corporation (GRDC) levy, Australian grain growers pour more dollars into research than any other grain group in the world - over $120 million annually - and they're happy to do it, says Dr. Michael Edney of the Canadian Grain Commission. Australian producers view their research levy not as a tax, but as a high-return investment that can catapult their country ahead of Canada and other key competitors in the global grains trade.

"Australians in general are very competitive - it comes through in their sports, but it's not just their sports, it's everything," says Edney. "You see this competitiveness in the attitude and approach of the Australian grain growers when it comes to research funding.

"As a malting barley quality specialist, most of what I observed was on the malting barley side, and there was lots of talk about beating Canadians. We kicked them off the top years ago beginning with Harrington, and they talk a lot about getting back to the top where they feel they belong."

Edney offers more observations on Australia's approach to farmer research funding in the July edition of Western Grains Research Magazine, available on the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) Web site: www.westerngrains.com. Western Canadian wheat and barley growers are major investors in wheat and barley breeding research through the Wheat and Barley Check-off Funds, administered by WGRF. The Research Magazine offers "Ideas and issues for farmer research investors."

Australian grain farmers approach research funding in the same way their countrymen approach the nation's top sport - Australian Rules football - full throttle, aggressive, unrelenting and part of a strong team focus.

Despite the GRDC's large budget and competitive approach, in the case of wheat and barley research, Canada has proven itself just as good, if not better at the final product - which is putting out improved varieties, he says. "It's hard to pinpoint why that is, but a few reasons are likely our breeding programs are more mature, we have very good collaboration among our breeders and we've had some good people in place for a long time."

That said, the weight of funding and research power on Australia's side may make it only a matter of time before the country gains a distinct advantage in variety superiority, he says. "Eventually, if things continue the way they are, the Australians are going to have a great opportunity to leapfrog past us."

The July edition of Western Grains Research Magazine also includes a feature article that updates Canada's effort toward higher strength durum wheat. A new Canadian durum variety has set a new standard for what qualifies in Canada as the new "extra strong" class of durum. The variety shows strength that places it on equal footing in the international marketplace with the high gluten strength "desert durums" from the United States and Australian.

"Extra strong durum is a niche crop in many respects," says Graham Worden of the Canadian Wheat Board. "But now with improved varieties coming along, we could see demand for Canadian extra strong durum increase from about 180,000 tonnes per year to about 325,000 tonnes over the next few years."

Western Grains Research Foundation is funded and directed by Western crop producers, and allocates approximately $4 to $5 million annually to research through the Wheat and Barley Check-off Funds and a separate $9 million Endowment Fund. For more information, visit the WGRF Web site: www.westerngrains.com

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