A $2.1 MILLION glasshouse precinct at Cowra is set to become the hub to research into new, resilient farming systems, which could boost the State's red meat industries by more than $1 billion a year and help manage the effects of a changing climate.
On Tuesday last week, Minister of Agriculture Adam Marshall and Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke, opened the state-of-the-art glasshouse and granary facilities at the NSW Department of Primary Industries Cowra Agricultural Research and Advisory Station.
Mr Marshall said the precinct would enable new science to help increase the productivity and profitability of agriculture.
"We know our farmers are the world's best, and by investing in research programs here in Cowra, we give them a platform to become even better," Mr Marshall said.
"Our primary industries sector faces significant challenges, including climate change, drought, fires, water scarcity, as well as pests and disease.
"This investment will enable our researchers to increase by three-fold the speed and capacity of their programs, which means we can deliver extra productivity gains and commercial opportunities to farmers even quicker than we could in the past."
READ MORE:
Ms Cooke said NSW DPI researchers at Cowra were world leaders in the new crop production area of perennial grains and had been conducting research there for nearly a decade.
She said the new facilities would enable this work to expand, potentially providing new crops and alternative markets for local producers.
"It will allow investigations into everything from tropical pasture grasses, which have the potential to significantly improve summer stock feed supply, to pasture legumes through experiments using the controlled climate capacity of the facility," Ms Cooke said.
"By improving legume content in medium to high rainfall pastures, we can increase livestock carrying capacity and reduce nitrogen-based fertiliser costs, potentially saving producers $150 million per annum.
"Even better is the fact the glasshouse was built by a Central West-based construction company."
Mr Marshall said the facilities formed part of a $100 million World Class Food and Fibre package funded by the State Government.
"At the moment we're in the process of investing just over $100 million in major upgrades across almost all of those (NSW) research facilities," Mr Marshall said.
"World-leading research underpins our successful agricultural industry, and this investment will only add to local graziers' arsenal of knowledge."
Love agricultural news? Sign up for The Land's free daily newsletter.