25/02/2015
Media Statement
SUCCESSFUL COGGO RESEARCH FUND PROJECTS ANNOUNCED
Embargoed to Wednesday 25th February 2015
The COGGO Board is pleased to announce $415,000 in COGGO Research Funds have been allocated for nine new projects commencing in 2015.
The purpose of the COGGO Research Fund is to invest in innovative new research and development projects across the whole supply chain that can demonstrate a direct benefit to Western Australian grain growers.
Successful projects scheduled to commence in 2015 are:
* Australian Grown Superfood’s project Taking Quinoa from a subsistence crop to a broad acre crop for the WA wheat belt, with funding of $27,500
* The Fitzgerald Biosphere Group (FBG)project Frost management options to increase wheat grain quality and yield and how these strategies impact on soil erosion along the south coast of WA, with funding of $ 41,400
* The West Midlands Group (WMG) project Using farmer strips and electronic sensors to diagnose crop growth limitations, with funding of $ 49,220
* South East Premium Wheat Growers Association (SEPWA) project Farm scale Wi-Fi - the future of data for WA grain farmers, with funding of $37,231
* Murdoch University, Refining remote sensing technologies to give real-time estimation of crop nitrogen status for application in precision agriculture, with funding of $95,000
* North East Farming Futures Group (NEFFG) project On farm pH adjustment trials in Zone 2, with funding of $49,450
* Facey Group (FG), Incorporating lime to depth on duplex wheatbelt soils, with funding of $35,000
* Mingenew Irwin Group (MIG), Measuring, monitoring and understanding soil water holding properties to increase risk management, grower confidence and grain yield improvement, resulting in increasing returns to grain growers, with funding of $49,775
* Coorow Seeds & Agrarian project Investigate the performance of an alternative oilseed crop, Camelina, in the Mid-West region. Assess the influences of environment and nutrition on the oil content, protein, oil quality and Omega 3 and erucic acid levels, with funding of $30,000
COGGO Chairman Mr Chris Wilkins said “The COGGO Board is pleased to be contributing over $400,000 to a range of projects from across the grain belt that will be of direct benefit to Western Australian growers”
He said “The COGGO Board was impressed with the high quality of the 30 proposals submitted for the 2015 funding round.” Mr Wilkins said “Many projects demonstrated a high level of innovation and there was very strong competition for the available funds.” He added that COGGO is proud to be continuing to support Grains industry research and development in Western Australia.
The COGGO Research Fund is financed through a voluntary levy collected, with the cooperation of grain acquisition and marketing companies, from Western Australian grain growers who are members of COGGO. COGGO members voluntarily contribute 0.5% of their net farm-gate returns for new research and development projects. All WA grain growers are eligible to become members of COGGO.
Since 2012, the COGGO Research Fund has assisted 28 projects for a total investment of over $1.4 million.
Media Contacts:
Chris Wilkins
Chair COGGO Limited
Phone: 0427 940 925
Email: cwilkins@synergyco.com.au
Hugh.Lennerts
Company Secretary COGGO Limited
Phone: (08) 9310 2636
Fax: (08) 6102 3757
Email: hugh.lennerts@coggo.net.au
PRESS NOTE:
The COGGO research fund targets Western Australian specific research gaps that may not be eligible for funding by the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia or the Grains Research and Development Corporation which are the major funders of grain industry research and development in Western Australia.
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COGGO Research Fund –
Investing in innovative research and development projects for the Western Australian grains industry.