Bright future for agriculture with world-class complex

Agriculture has a ‘white-hot’ future ahead as a result of an enormous investment into a state of the art research centre at the University of Sydney’s Plant Breeding Institute.

The new facility, the International Centre of Crop and Digital Farming, will provide a big boost to digital agriculture, heat-tolerant crops and robotic farming.

Employment onsite will double from 40 staff to 80 and the complex is expected to attract post-graduate students and researchers from around the world.

The almost $12 million complex will include genetic and agronomy laboratories alongside digital and robotic workplaces and meeting space to support research and industry engagement. The state government will fund $9.45 million while the University of Sydney with the Wheat Research Foundation will invest $1.5 million and another $1 million will come from the Grains Research Development Corporation.

Director of the Sydney Institute of Agriculture professor Alex McBratney said the new facility would bring new crops, new businesses and scintillating new ag tech.

“It will help regenerate rural communities and landscapes and provide the consumer in Australia and overseas with safer and more nutritious food,” he said.

“The University of Sydney has 60 years of scientific effort at Narrabri. The new International Crop and Digital Agricultural Research Centre will ensure a strong and lasting future for cutting-edge agricultural research and industry outreach.”

“A new building replete with cutting-edge scientific instrumentation, and enthusiastic researchers with the freshest ideas, located strategically at the vital centre of the agricultural heartland promises a white-hot future for agriculture and those engaged in it.”

Professor McBratney was joined by Deputy Premier John Barilaro, Grains Research Development Corporation chair John Woods, director of Northern Region Agriculture associate professor Guy Roth and chair of the Wheat Research Foundation Rob Long for the ground-breaking announcement.

Mr Long outlined the history of the WRF and its initial creation in 1958 by a band of forward-thinking farmers who primarily sought to promote and encourage wheat research in the state.

“It essentially is owned by the farmers of New South Wales with the purpose of doing research for the farmers of New South Wales, and the region, and Australia,” he said.

“It is owned solely by NSW wheat farmers and we as the WRF are trustees for that.”

University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor and Principal Dr Michael Spence welcomed the state government’s investment in the project.

“This investment from the NSW government and industry will ensure our 60-year tradition of world-class research will continue through the century,” he said.

“Global food security and the future of agriculture in NSW and Australia rely on the sort of research done by our scientists in Narrabri.”

Mr Woods said the GRDC had a great opportunity to participate in the new complex with the other partners.

“This will be an international centre of excellence,” he said of the world-class facility.

“It will continue to grow and be seen as such.”