PIRD Strategic Review Producer Initiated Research and Development

Summary

Since 1993, the MRC/MLA Producer Initiated Research & Development Project has resulted in 125 completed PIRDs, 56 active and 51 new applications for 2001 - indicating an ongoing producer group interest. However, the pathway to a successful PIRD can be challenging, with a number not starting or being cancelled along the way. An estimated 20,000 producers connected to Groups have had close or some contact with the meat PIRD scheme. Adding those who have observed PIRD progress and results at field days would expand this number to some 30,000. The application, interaction and approval process has been progressively refined by the Co-ordinator and PIRD Evaluation Committee, assisted by feedback from stakeholders and by independent evaluation of projects. In this overall Project Review, MLA sought a broader understanding of flow-on changes arising from PIRDs and various returns on the PIRD investment - for groups and producers involved, for other producers and stakeholders, for MLA and the industry. The strategic review has been undertaken by:

Developing an appreciation of the width and depth of PIRDs and their operation, and PIRD successes or difficulties from various angles, through review of reports, and records, and discussion with participants and stakeholders.

Independent analysis of a range of investment, worthwhile and return measures.

These elements have been identified from the original objectives of PIRDs and of MLA's R&D investment, from various stakeholder assessments on outcomes of a cross-section of projects and flow-on effects, and from the existing sets of PIRD evaluation reports.