NSW Department of Primary Industries | CSU Homepage
10 February 2006
Graham Centre board of management and industry advisory committee reaffirm strength of DPI and CSU alliance
The E H Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation aims to develop technologies to drive profitable and sustainable mixed farming systems through excellent, multi-disciplined research and extension. The Centre Board of Management (BOM) and Industry Advisory Committee (IAC) both convened on 7-8 February to review progress made over the first nine months of the Centre’s operations. The BOM welcomed a new member, Dr Nick Austin, Deputy Director General, Science & Research, NSW Department of Primary Industries.
The IAC meeting provided an opportunity to plan the strategic direction of the Centre for the next 1-5 years. Its newest member, David Sackett, an agricultural consultant based in Wagga Wagga, has extensive experience in farm business planning and assessing farm performance.
The BOM and IAC strongly endorsed progress made by the Graham Centre. Particularly impressive was the Centre’s successful competition for research grant funding. The IAC noted the broad capacity for research, extension and training in the Graham Centre. It was acknowledged that the Centre has a considerable and unique capacity in Australia to conduct research on both whole-farm crop and livestock production systems. The IAC also recognised that while production issues are critical, all projects should aim to measure sustainability benchmarks.
E H Graham Centre Industry Advisory Committee members (left to right) Ben Russell, Greg Fraser, Centre Director Deirdre Lemerle, Derek Ingold and David Wolfenden.
(Absent from photograph: David Sackett, Alison Bowman, Peter Cregan.)
Photo: Michel Dignand