Proceedings of the Foundation Meeting of the Annual Ryegrass Toxicity National Coordination and Advisory Team

Summary

Research to better understand and minimise the impact of annual ryegrass toxicity has been the subject of investments by MLA and AWI for more than 25 years and by the GRDC and RIRDC for nearly 10 years. GRDC alone has invested several million dollars in ARGT research. While a huge amount of information has been collected and considerable progress has been made in managing ARGT and related issues, a number of important livestock toxicity, food safety and trade issues remain.

Following the Page review commissioned in late 2003 by MLA, the affected research and development corporations (MLA, AWI, GRDC and RIRDC) have agreed to take a joint approach to ARGT and related issues, and have identified the importance of whole-of-industry stakeholder consultation and communication. Focused interaction with stakeholders will allow a better understanding of the issues and the development and initiation of coordinated joint and complementary approaches to ARGT management. The vehicle through which stakeholders may be heard is the ARGT National Coordination and Advisory Team (NatCAT).

The ARGT NatCAT reports to and makes recommendations to the National ARGT Management Group (senior managers within MLA, AWI, GRDC and RIRDC/AFIA) who will ultimately decide what investments or other actions will be taken.

The ARGT NatCAT has been formed to provide information and recommendations concerning issues considered important by the Management Group, including (but not limited to) the following:

o Assessment of the ongoing impact of corynetoxins on livestock, grain and fodder production and trade.

o Development of recommendations for the ARGT Management Group describing strategies that will mitigate this impact.

o Identification of gaps and deficiencies in current knowledge.

o Ranking of the priorities of ARGT research.

o Recommendations on the implementation of research outcomes to ensure rapid and effective adoption by affected parties.

o Assessment of the benefits in ARGT mitigation provided by adoption of research outcomes.

o Recommendations to the ARGT Management Group as to who is best able to undertake priority research programs.

o Critical evaluation of new and ongoing research proposals and recommendations for support or amendment.

In addition, the ARGT NatCAT is encouraged to bring new and emerging significant issues to the attention of the Management Group.

The inaugural meeting of the ARGT NatCAT was held at Urrbrae House on the campus of the University of Adelaide on 31st March 2004 and was attended by 13 participants (representing MLA, AWI, GRDC, RIRDC, AFIA, ARGT Action Committee, WADA, SARDI, University of Adelaide and CSIRO) with apologies from the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).