Research Reports

Publication Date	Project Title & Abstract	Purchase
May 2011	Private Sector Investment in Agricultural R and D in Australia There is wide recognition that for Australian agriculture to remain internationally competitive and to be able to take advantage of emerging international opportunities, sustained productivity growth will be required. While the agriculture sector has one of the best records of any sector of the Australian economy in achieving productivity gains over the past three decades, all the evidence available at present indicates that the productivity surge that commenced in the 1970s appears to be tapering off, and increased efforts will be required to restore previous productivity growth rates. A key driver of agricultural productivity growth is agricultural research and development (R&D) investment, but trends over recent decades indicate that public agricultural R&D investment levels are declining in real terms. There has been some suggestion that the private sector will increase agricultural R&D investment and become more important as a driver of agricultural productivity, but surprisingly little is known about private sector agricultural R&D investment trends, especially in a country such as Australia which has a relatively small and somewhat unique agricultural sector. The aim of the research reported here is to investigate these issues through desktop research and an industry survey. By talking directly to major private sector organisations about their involvement in agricultural R&D, their relationships with public-sector R&D providers, and their perceptions of likely future developments, decisions about future levels of public-sector investment in Australia can be much more soundly based.	Buy Now
October 2010	The Implications of Greenhouse Mitigation Policies on the Demand for Agricultural Land is a compelling review of the existing researchs and results regarding the possible impacts of carbon sink forestry. The topics covered are: Current scale and rate of land use change Models of potential agricultural land use changes arising from greenhouse mitigation policies Potential impacts of carbon sink plantation developments Carbon sink plantation approval processes This report constitutes a needed reference for any further research on the topic and outlines the need of consistent policies and approval processes.	Buy Now
June 2010	Towards a Better Understanding of Current and Future Human Resource Needs of Australian Agriculture aims to shed light on the labour situation in Australian agriculture and to identify actions that could be taken to improve it. The research, jointly funded by Horticulture Australia Limited, AgriFood Skills Australia and the Institute, involved a detailed examination of labour demand and supply statistics for the agriculture sector, an industry survey, and the development of future labour and demand supply scenarios over the next decade.	Buy now
June 2010	Making decisions about environmental water allocations There are major changes underway in the management of water in Australia, with one of the most significant being the ownership of water entitlements by the environment. When announced water buyback programs are completed and promised water infrastructure investments are implemented, the environment will be the sole largest holder of water entitlements in Australia. This research was initiated by the Australian Farm Institute to identify and discuss some preferred options for the future management of environmental water in Australia.	Buy now
December 2009	Agriculture, Greenhouse and Emissions Trading Conference, 6 & 7 May 2009: Proceedings The 2009 AGET conference took place on the 6th & 7th of May 2009 in Maroochydore, thanks to the sponsorship of the National Climate Change Research Strategy for Primary Industry (CCRSPI). This report includes the speaker's presentations and panel discussion transcripts. It covers the topics related to climate change and agriculture especially in Australia after the publication of the White Paper of the CPRS in December 2008.	Buy now
November 2009	Essential Services in Urban and Regional Australia – a Quantitative Comparison This research has for the first time quantified the extra costs faced by Australia’s non-metropolitan residents in accessing essential government services, and highlighted the need to find better ways to deliver essential services in regional Australia. The research, commissioned by the Australian Farm Institute and carried out by the National Institute of Industry and Economic Research (NIEIR), used census and other objective data to calculate the costs faced by all Australian residents in accessing essential services such as doctors, hospitals, schools, TAFE colleges and universities. These costs were then compared between metropolitan, urban and rural residents.	Buy now
Setpember 2009	The Australian Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme – an introduction for farmers and agribusiness The Australian Government is currently in the process of enacting legislation to introduce a greenhouse emissions trading scheme for Australia. The scheme, named the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) will have important implications for farmers and agribusiness; in fact much more important implications than climate change itself over the next few decades. This guide provides an easy to understand explanation of how emissions trading works, and what it means for agriculture.	Buy Now
February 2009	Some Impacts on Agriculture of an Australian Emissions Trading Scheme Under current Kyoto Protocol accounting conventions, agriculture is a major greenhouse gas emitter. If covered by an ETS, agriculture will face a significant cost impost through the need to purchase permits corresponding to its emissions. Agriculture will be affected both indirectly – through its use of energy based inputs – and directly through the possibility that it will be covered by the scheme. For these reasons, this research report provides critical and timely information that will assist the farm sector and policy-makers in future decision-making processes relating to this most challenging issue.	Buy Now
September 2008	Preliminary Modelling of the Farm-Level Impacts of the Australian Greenhouse Emissions Trading Scheme One of the biggest challenges in making decisions about future climate change policies for agriculture is the great uncertainty surrounding future technological developments to mitigate greenhouse emissions. Will new technologies suddenly emerge that dramatically reduce agricultures emission profile? Will new clean energy sources quickly develop? To what extent will the unleashing of market forces (via an Emissions Trading Scheme) accelerate these changes? The answers to these questions will become evident at some stage in the future, but cannot be predicted or modelled with any certainty.	Buy Now
September 2008	Preliminary Modelling of the Farm-Level Impacts of the Australian Greenhouse Emissions Trading Scheme One of the biggest challenges in making decisions about future climate change policies for agriculture is the great uncertainty surrounding future technological developments to mitigate greenhouse emissions. Will new technologies suddenly emerge that dramatically reduce agricultures emission profile? Will new clean energy sources quickly develop? To what extent will the unleashing of market forces (via an Emissions Trading Scheme) accelerate these changes? The answers to these questions will become evident at some stage in the future, but cannot be predicted or modelled with any certainty.	Buy Now
July 2008	Estimating the Value of Environmental Services Provided by Australian Farmers For some time the Australian agricultural sector has been subject to considerable public criticism about the impact of some industry practices on the environment. Issues of concern have included loss of biodiversity, diminishing water quality, reduced water availability, and increased soil erosion and salinisation.	Buy Now
October 2007	The Implications for Australian Agriculture of Changing Demand for Animal Protein in Asia The Australian Farm Institute, in conjunction with the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (RIRDC), carried out research to gain a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities arising from changing diets in Asia.	Buy Now
July 2007	Developing a Good Regulatory Practice Model for Environmental Regulations Impacting on Farmers For Australian farmers, who are increasingly operating in global markets where competitor products are always less than 24 hours away, the need to retain competitiveness is acute, and the impact on competitiveness of poorly designed and implemented regulatory measures can mean the difference between success and failure.	Buy Now
June 2007	The New Challenge for Australian Agriculture: How do you muster a paddock of carbon? National and international policy responses to human-induced climate change present Australian agriculture with both threats and opportunities. The future success of agriculture in Australia will depend very much on how adequately the sector positions itself in responding to this issue.	Buy Now
March 2007	Productivity Growth in Australian Agriculture: Trends, Sources, Performance Productivity growth has long been recognised as a very important factor in the continuing ability of Australian farmers to remain profitable and competitive, in spite of the long-term decline in real returns for agricultural products. Yet, despite strong recognition of its importance, the factors that contribute to increased rates of productivity growth are not well understood, nor are they easily quantified.	Buy Now
October 2006	Enhancing the Customer Focus of Australian Agriculture Two significant trends are evident in global agricultural markets. The first is the steadily increasing agricultural output of developing nations around the world. A second trend is the rapid growth that has occurred in sales of higher value produce, especially in wealthy markets.	Buy Now
April 2006	Vertical Contracting and Australian Agriculture: Implications for Farmers and Policy-Makers Marketing systems for agricultural produce have historically been the subject of a great deal of analysis and policy intervention. The current debate about the merits and shortcomings of vertical contract marketing systems for Australian farmers suggests that the issue is by no means settled.	Buy Now
October 2005	Agricultural Development in Argentina and Brazil: Emerging trends and implications for Australian Agriculture Australian agriculture has traditionally had a relatively high level of reliance on export markets, and the emergence of Argentina and Brazil as substantial and competing agricultural exporters over the past decade is a significant development that requires careful analysis.	Buy Now
August 2005	The Australian Farm Sector: Analysis of Current Demographic Trends and Future Farm Policy Implications The Australian farm sector is becoming more diversified, Australian farm businesses are steadily increasing in size and decreasing in number, and in future the sector will rely on more efficient use of land, water and human resources, and on finding ways to enhance the value of farm outputs, to achieve real growth in profitability.	Buy Now
March 2005	Australia's Farm-Dependent Economy: Analysis of the Role of Agriculture in the Australian Economy In 2003-04 the Agricultural Sector accounted for 3.2% of GDP in Australia, based on the farmgate value of farm produce. However, the economic contribution that agriculture makes in the Australian economy extends well beyond the farmgate value.	Buy Now

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Food, fuel, climate change mitigation: how can agriculture do it all?

2011 November Farm Institute Insights