Scoping the viability, feasibility and capacity for a Northern beef centre of excellence

Summary

​Many years of under-resourcing and reduced capacity in whole of farm RDE&A expertise has led to a decline in evidence-based research activity. None of the current undergraduate courses available provide graduates with a ‘whole of farm’ evidence approach to providing the professional advice needed by industry. Coupled with minimal extension resources this has resulted in negatively impacting the productivity and profitability of the northern beef industry.

This report contains a Business Plan for the establishment of a Centre of Excellence (hereafter Northern Beef Hub) at James Cook University (JCU) with the aim to address “at risk” expertise and IP available to the beef industry for research and development, and extension and consultancy services relevant to northern Australia.

This Business Plan outlines how industry capability can be built through a focus on upskilling across the industry in line with imperatives outlined in the MISP 2020. This plan also addresses long-standing concerns around RDE & A in the north’s beef industry, provides for consistency of access to industry and career pathways across the north and shows how volunteer expert mentors can work with students and industry to improve on-farm adoption.

Extensive consultations with the pastoral industry, government agencies, CSIRO, retired beef industry academics (potential mentors) confirmed that industry and MLA concerns are widely held and need to be addressed urgently. The MISP 2020 key strategy of building industry capability in the northern Australia beef industry is being acted on through the MLA Edge program and other initiatives such as Producer Demonstration Sites (PDS) and Profitable Grazing Systems, but do necessarily target career development or long term goals that maintains human capacity in the industry. Therefore, there is a strong case to establish a Northern Beef Hub to provide the necessary impetus in the long term.

JCU has indicated strong support to establish a Northern Beef Hub subject to a clear understanding of industry needs, career pathways, defined competencies and assured funding. Other universities (University of Western Australia, Murdoch University, WA and Charles Darwin University, NT) will need to be involved in the Hub’s establishment to ensure maximum buy-in and support across the tropical north, potentially providing some financial contribution (that can be matched with MDC), potentially providing some financial contribution (that can be matched with MDC).