Grains Australia officially launched in late 2020 to deliver vital industry services and functions on behalf of the Australian grains supply chain.
Grains Australia’s role is to generate value for the Australian industry by working collaboratively to establish priorities across four key pillars including:
- Trade & Market Access
- Classification
- Market Insights
- Market Education
Background
Following marketing deregulation for barley and wheat during the 2000s and ongoing changes and growth in the Australian grain industry, organisations such as Wheat Quality Australia and groups like the Grains Industry Market Access Forum (GIMAF) were established to perform a range of industry good functions.
These organisations worked alongside existing organisations such as Pulse Australia, the Australian Oilseeds Federation and Barley Australia in delivering value and core industry functions.
Meeting the future needs of the industry
In 2017 the Australian Grains Industry Discussion Group (AGIDG), an informal network of national industry organisations, convened working groups to gather information and discuss the future needs of the Australian grains industry.
In 2017 the AGIDG included:
- Australian Grain Exporters Association (AGEA)
- Australian Oilseeds Federation (AOF)
- Grain Producers Australia (GPA)
- Grain Trade Australia (GTA)
- GrainGrowers Limited (GGL)
- Pulse Australia (PAL)
- Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC) (observer member)
One organisation to deliver key services
From the working groups, the Grains Industry Enhancement Strategy was developed and launched at the Australian Grains Industry Conference (AGIC) in August 2017. Central to this strategy was the establishment of an ‘Industry Good Company’ that would be a vehicle for sustainable industry funding and delivery of key services and functions.
The AGIDG determined that Initial funding for the ‘Industry Good Company’ would be from residual monies from the final period of regulated export marketing and held in the Wheat Industry Special Account – known as the ‘WISA’ funds and held for the industry by GRDC.
Grains Australia Limited
In 2019, the AGIDG formally asked GRDC to proceed with establishing one organisation to streamline the delivery of key services to the Australian grains industry. In late 2020 Grains Australia Limited was launched to manage trade and market access, classification, market insights and market education to enhance the industry’s competitiveness and profitability.