GRDC's Managing Director Dr Steve Jefferies
Event Details
- Date:
- Tuesday, 20 June 2017 - Tuesday, 20 June 2017
- Time:
- 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
- Room:
- Auditorium, Level 3, Queensland Biosciences Precinct, St Lucia
- UQ Location:
- Queensland Bioscience Precinct (St Lucia)
- URL:
- https://qaafi.uq.edu.au/events
- Event category(s):
Event Contact
- Name:
- Miss Hannah Hardy
- Phone:
- 3346 2092
- Email:
- h.hardy@uq.edu.au
- Org. Unit:
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation
Event Description
- Full Description:
- GRDC Managing Director, Dr Steve Jefferies will present a QAAFI Science Seminar on 'The Future of Grain R&D in Australia'.
The Grains Industry is a major and integral component of Australian agriculture and contributes substantially to the Australian economy. However, there are continuing pressures on growers to retain competitiveness in domestic and global markets. Ensuring sustainable profitability for growers requires on-going attention to enhanced productivity, product quality and marketing, and efficient, cost-effective use of inputs. All this while maintaining the resource base and keeping biotic threats at bay.
Grains R&D in Australia has contributed significantly to total factor productivity increase in the past, but what of the future? Will Australia be able to take advantage of increasing global demand for grain? What approach to Grains R&D is needed to support the future growth and positioning of the Australian Grains Industries?
In this presentation I will present a broad-based discussion around these questions and outline the approach being adopted by The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).
Dr Steve Jefferies
Dr Steve Jefferies was appointed Managing Director of the Grains Research Development Corporation in March 2016. Prior to this appointment Dr Jefferies was the Chief Executive Officer of the Adelaide-based Australian Grain Technologies.
Dr Jefferies is regarded as a trailblazer in the transition of wheat breeding from the public to private sector, and took AGT from a four-person start-up to Australia’s largest plant breeding and variety commercialisation company – and one of the world’s largest.
Since 2014, more than half of the Australian wheat crop was planted using varieties developed by AGT. The experience Dr Jefferies has gained in engaging with research partners and international companies is invaluable to the Australian grains industries. The AGT-developed wheat varieties of Mace and Suntop have helped farmers benefit from yield increases that may not otherwise have been realised.
In his new role with GRDC, Steve plays a key role in in advancing the interests of Australia’s grains industry. The research, development and extension commissioned by GRDC has a key role to play in harnessing the opportunities presented by growing global demand for grain and new digital technologies.
Directions to UQ
- Google Map:
-
- Directions:
- St Lucia Campus | Gatton campus.
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