03/12/2015
From soil productivity to Apps – research projects hope to offer solutions
December 3, 2015
Western Australian grain growers could be looking at significant productivity gains, potentially
adding close to a 100 million dollars to the value of annual grain crops, if the expected outcomes from 12 new projects announced today (Wednesday December 3) by the Council of Grain Growers Organisation (COGGO) are successfully demonstrated.
The 12 projects will receive over $600,000 in funding allocated by COGGO for 2016.
“COGGO is continuing to provide research funding to farmer groups, industry, government and academic R&D institutions that is positively impacting on the economic sustainability of grain growers in this State,” according to Chairman Chris Wilkins.
“I can’t think of a better model than farmers providing the funding and then directing it to research that directly benefits them and other grain growers,” he said.
The 2016 projects brings total funding by COGGO members to over $8 million since the
organisation began in 1997 and in excess of $2 million since 2013 when COGGO refocused to only provide funding for R&D.
“We work closely with other funding providers such as GRDC and make sure the projects we fund are not duplicating what is already being researched,” Mr Wilkins said.
“Our model also allows for research that is more narrowly focused, addressing issues relevant to different growing conditions across our grains belt.
“Other research bodies have in the past required any research to have relevance across the
industry and that was an issue to many local farmer groups that we have been able to overcome,” he said.
Media Contact:
COGGO
Chris Wilkins, Chair
COGGO Limited
Phone: 0427 940 925
Email: cwilkins@synergyco.com.au