Two of Australia’s key grains industry entities, Grains Australia, and the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) are joining forces to deliver more efficient and effective ‘industry good’ services for Australian grain growers.
The integration of activities and alignment between Grains Australia and AEGIC was announced in Perth by GRDC chair John Woods and Western Australian Minister for Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Small Business, Jackie Jarvis.
Mr Woods said the integration is designed to drive collaboration, improved co-ordination and streamline and deliver efficiencies across the key areas of classification; trade and market access; market information, education and customer insights; and innovation for the Australian grains sector.
Until now AEGIC and Grains Australia have operated as separate entities. AEGIC as an initiative of the Western Australian State Government (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development) and GRDC; and Grains Australia as an initiative of GRDC.
Mr Woods said AEGIC’s primary focus is to increase value in the Australian grains industry by ensuring Australian grain meets the needs of customers and end-users.
He said the integration of the two entities was a ‘natural alignment’ and would streamline activities and investment to maximise value to Australian grain growers and strengthen and build strategic market relationships.
“It makes sense to have these two very important agencies working together, effectively combining the work being done to explore and understand emerging and current market needs, with critical activities such as classification, market access and market information,” Mr Woods said.
“GRDC invests on behalf of Australian grain growers and supporting this integration is about ensuring they are getting the best return of investment for the dollars we spend.
“This integration does mean change. GRDC will step down from its direct membership role with AEGIC and our investment in that entity will now come through Grains Australia.
“But ultimately this will streamline activities and ensure operations are aligned, delivering a connected set of industry services through all parts of the grain supply chain for the benefit of Australian grain growers.”
Grains Australia chair Terry Enright welcomed the agreement and said he was looking forward to working even more closely with AEGIC under the new model.
“We are confident that it will lead to many efficiencies that deliver more value for the Australian grains industry,” Mr Enright said.
“Grains Australia’s role is to service the connection between what the market wants and what the industry provides, and under the new aligned operation with AEGIC we can generate more benefits to growers and meet the needs of end-users around the world.”
AEGIC chair, Ron Storey said he was delighted AEGIC’s 10-year partnership with the WA Government and GRDC was evolving into a broader set of industry services with Grains Australia.
“This is a logical, efficient move that will create a stronger national grains industry.”
Under this new structure, investment from GRDC will come through Grains Australia to AEGIC. While Grains Australia will use AEGIC’s offices where it presents efficiency, AEGIC’s Western Australia (Perth) and New South Wales (Sydney) technical capacity will be maintained and adapted to deliver on the strategic objectives of AEGIC and Grains Australia.
