Vol. 20 18 No. No. 29 27 Vol.
FREE FREE PUBLICATION PUBLICATION
Wednesday, Wednesday, January January 13, 31, 2016 2018
Project awaits R
BY DEAN LAWSON
egional leaders are waiting in anticipation of study results into a project designed to ramp up the region’s role in national agri-tech science and grains research, education and technology. Wimmera Southern Mallee Regional Partnership members are expecting details from a business case study into a proposed Networked Centre of Grains Excellence within weeks. The State Government, as part of its 201718 State Budget, announced $250,000 for a study into the concept, which involves developing an integrated system that draws on agricultural assets and knowhow from across the Wimmera and southern Mallee. The project’s overall aim, as part of a broad brief, is to use the region’s collective strength to enhance and develop industry opportunities and innovation. This would be based on turning science into economic benefit and regional prosperity. A more accurate description of the proposal might be ‘innovation cluster’, which has a physical anchor point at Horsham’s Grains Innovation Park. People attending the partnership’s inaugural regional assembly in Horsham in 2016 endorsed the concept, explored further during follow-up workshops. Partnership chairman David Jochinke said the hope was a final report into a business case revealed the potential for the concept to proceed to a planning stage. “Funding will be critical for this to work and we’re hoping the final report shows that we can make everything stack up to not only co-ordinate but fund such a bold initiative,” he said. “The more we can progress agriculture in our region the more it can continue as an
IN THIS ISSUE
“We want to be worldrecognised for our agricultural research, development and education – in essence, the centre of dryland innovation in the world”
– David Jochinke
economic driver in the region.” Mr Jochinke, also Victorian Farmers Federation president, said to establish the region as a centre of excellence would elevate the region’s already glowing reputation ‘to the next level’. “We want to be world-recognised for our agricultural research, development and education – in essence, the centre of dryland innovation in the world. “We can’t afford to rest on any assumptions that we do a great job and always will. We continually have to work on developing agriculture for here and today.” Mr Jochinke said the contractor responsible for the business case study would report back to a Grains Centre of Excellence working group, which included regional partnership members and key agricultural stakeholders. “The idea will be to receive and assess the report and if it passes the right criteria – which is hopefully favourable – develop a bid for further backing from the State Government,” he said. Mr Jochinke said ideally the centre of excellence would be highly adaptive and include working as a conduit in attracting scientific, business and education projects to the region. “It could be a lot of things and go well beyond being limited to what we know and grow in our region at the moment. It will be all about exploring opportunities.”
HOT FUN: Youngsters, from left, Jackson Notting, Eva Hurley and a delighted Kelsey Hurley cannot help but get into the spirit of a Great Western Cup meeting. Wimmera racing enthusiasts braved the heat on Sunday as part of the town’s Australia Day long-weekend celebrations. Austy Coffey’s six-year-old gelding Vianden, with Harry Coffey in the saddle and a dominating force on this season’s country cup circuit, won the feature event from five other runners. The victory was his sixth from eight starts. Despite the heat, the event attracted families and weekend holiday-makers. Story, page 53. More Australia Day coverage, pages 12 to 17. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
• Heat hammers water storages • Highway route concern • Cricket action
Phone: 03 5382 1351 Read it online: www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au
AUDITED: 22,601 COPIES
April 2017 to September 2017
Source: AMAA; CAB Total Distribution Audit for further information visit www.auditedmedia.org.au
MASSAGE – $50 40 minute neck, shoulder and back remedial massage Open 7 days
Remedial bookings required – ph. 5382 1218 Health insurance rebates available.
Subject to your personal health insurance policy.
KMART • NQR GROCERY CLEARANCE • SPOTLIGHT • REJECT SHOP • WIDE RANGE OF SPECIALTY STORES • WWW.HORSHAMPLAZA.COM.AU
DARLOT STREET