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| Agriculture Victoria | |
|---|---|
| Name | Agriculture Victoria |
| Formed | 2013 (as a brand), antecedents date to 19th century |
| Predecessor | Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources; Department of Primary Industries; Department of Agriculture |
| Jurisdiction | State of Victoria, Australia |
| Headquarters | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Employees | thousands (varied across divisions) |
| Minister | Minister for Agriculture |
| Chief1 name | Chief Executive or Secretary (varies) |
| Parent agency | Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (administrative arrangements vary) |
| Website | (official website) |
Agriculture Victoria Agriculture Victoria is the principal statutory agency and operational service for primary industries in the State of Victoria, Australia. It delivers research and advisory services to support production in sectors such as wool, beef cattle, dairy farming, horticulture, viticulture, poultry, and apiculture. The agency operates alongside institutions like the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, universities such as the University of Melbourne and La Trobe University, and local industry bodies including Goulburn Valley Rural Finance and the Victorian Farmers Federation.
Agricultural administration in Victoria traces back to colonial agencies such as the Board of Agriculture and later colonial departments in the 19th century, interacting with entities like the Victorian Botanic Gardens and research initiatives linked to the Royal Society of Victoria. Post‑Federation arrangements led to the development of a state Department of Agriculture which worked with federal agencies including the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (Australia). Over the 20th century the department collaborated with institutes like the Victorian Department of Primary Industries and scientific organisations such as the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics. Structural reforms in the 21st century merged functions with economic portfolios, aligning with ministries represented by figures from the Parliament of Victoria and adjusting reporting to the Premier of Victoria. The modern Agriculture Victoria identity consolidated services previously delivered by the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources and the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, and has been shaped by crises including outbreaks of Foot-and-mouth disease (hypothetical planning), incursions of varroa destructor concerns, biosecurity events like the equine influenza outbreak (nationally coordinated), and responses to extreme events such as the Black Saturday bushfires and 2019–20 Australian bushfire season.
The agency operates under ministerial oversight in the Parliament of Victoria and is administered through a secretary or chief executive reporting to the Premier of Victoria. Governance includes statutory advisory panels, boards drawn from stakeholders such as the Victorian Farmers Federation, industry peak bodies like Australian Pork Limited, and research partners including the CSIRO. Internal divisions reflect portfolios for animal health (liaising with the World Organisation for Animal Health standards), plant biosecurity (aligned with the International Plant Protection Convention), market development (engaging with trade missions to markets such as China and Japan), and research coordination with universities like the University of Melbourne, Deakin University, and La Trobe University. Legislative frameworks include state statutes administered through the Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents and policy coordination with Commonwealth law such as the Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth).
Agriculture Victoria conducts applied research across cropping, livestock and horticulture, partnering with research institutes like AgriFutures Australia, Grains Research and Development Corporation, Meat & Livestock Australia, Dairy Australia, and the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation (Wine Australia partnerships). Programs focus on soil science linking to the Australian Soil and Land Survey Field Handbook practices, irrigation research relevant to the Murray–Darling Basin and the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, and climate adaptation studies interacting with the Bureau of Meteorology and the Australian Antarctic Division for modelling. Technology adoption initiatives incorporate precision agriculture with companies and research groups associated with CSIRO Data61, remote sensing vendors, and universities such as Monash University and Swinburne University of Technology.
Biosecurity responsibilities cover exotic pest response, emergency animal disease contingency planning, and control programs for endemic pests. The agency coordinates with national bodies like the National Farmers' Federation, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia), and international frameworks including the World Organisation for Animal Health and the International Plant Protection Convention. Notable pest and disease programs address threats such as Myxomatosis in lagomorphs (historical context), management of prickly pear historically linked to the Cactoblastis cactorum biological control story, and vertebrate pest initiatives similar to interventions by the Invasive Species Council. Surveillance and response utilize laboratories working to standards comparable with the Australian Animal Health Laboratory at CSIRO and diagnostic partnerships with university pathology facilities.
Extension and advisory delivery draws on a network of field officers, demonstration farms, and extension specialists who work with organisations such as the Victorian Farmers Federation, Agricultural Societies Council of Victoria, and regional development authorities like the Goulburn Murray Regional Partnership. Services include on-farm demonstration programs, nutrient management guidance linked to guidelines such as those used by Dairy Australia, biosecurity education aligned with the Australian Veterinary Association, and market development support interacting with export regulators including Australian Trade and Investment Commission. Training collaborations involve vocational institutions like TAFE providers and higher education partners such as Federation University Australia.
Funding and partnerships span state budget appropriations from the Victorian Budget process, competitive grants from bodies such as the Grains Research and Development Corporation, and levy-funded projects driven by industry RDCs including Meat & Livestock Australia and Hort Innovation. Collaborative agreements exist with international research organisations such as the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and domestic collaborators like CSIRO and the University of Melbourne. Cooperative programs leverage philanthropic and NGO partners including the Crawford Fund and regional development agencies like the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority.
Operations are supported by research stations and laboratories across Victoria, including field sites in regions such as the Goulburn Valley, Mallee, Wimmera, and Gippsland. Facilities collaborate with institutions like the Australian Plant Phenomics Facility and university experimental farms at University of Melbourne's Dookie campus and La Trobe University's Shepparton campus. Key publications include technical manuals, agronomic guides, pest and disease fact sheets, and peer-reviewed reports produced in partnership with journals and bodies such as the Australian Journal of Agricultural Research and the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation outputs. Outreach materials are disseminated through extension networks, conferences including the Victorian Agricultural Shows, and industry forums like the Ausveg National Horticulture Convention.
Category:Agriculture in Victoria (state) Category:Government agencies of Victoria (state)