Crops

The department provides advice to the Australian Government on cropping industries, including wheat and other grains, oilseeds, pulses, rice, sugar, cotton and seeds to support their continued development and growth. This involves liaison with industry, community and government, particularly through representative organisations and agencies.

It monitors delivery of crops research and development by the Grains, Cotton, Sugar and Rural Industries Research and Development Corporations which are accountable to the Australian Parliament through the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, who is responsible for all Research and Development Corporations. The department works with these organisations to ensure that they meet government financial and accountability standards, including performance reporting.

The department also manages the government’s relationship with Wheat Exports Australia, (which is responsible for the operation of the Wheat Export Accreditation Scheme which regulates the export of bulk wheat), administers the Wheat Export Technical Market Support Grants program and oversights delivery of the wheat market information project by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and ABARES.

It also works with industry and other government agencies to improve market access and trade conditions for Australian exporters as well as managing Australia’s membership of the International Grains Council, the International Sugar Organisation and the International Cotton Advisory Committee.