Programs and activities
This section includes major areas of activity where both the Department of Agriculture and external contributors assisted State, national, and international agriculture industries.
Examples of programs and activities conducted by both the Department and private interests include:
- pest and disease programs that reduced the impact on agricultural industries
- research and new technologies that improved agricultural productivity
- education and extension programs to help farming communities adopt new technologies
- economic and marketing activities to support farm and agricultural businesses
- rural financial support for farming communities during periods of drought and other disasters
- overseas projects that delivered Australian skills and knowledge of dryland farming systems to other countries
- international contribution towards developing soil and plant nutrition technologies.
Government programs
Prior to the creation of the Department of Agriculture, the South Australian Government relied on the Agricultural Bureaux movement (1888) and the research and teaching work at Roseworthy Agricultural College (1882) for informing people in the agricultural, livestock and horticultural industries.
Roseworthy Agricultural College was led by Professor J.D. Custance, appointed 1882, who taught the sciences of analytical chemistry, physiology and agriculture to help farmers overcome many problems they faced. The 1,000 acre model farm at Roseworthy Agricultural College was used for demonstrative lessons on soil, plants, trees, animals, manures and machinery.
The Department of Agriculture was established in 1902 to develop and introduce new farming technology and improve the welfare of rural communities. It played a key role in:
- sustainable resource management
- the economic competitiveness of agricultural industries.
The Department expanded the role of disseminating information through experiment farms, which developed agricultural technology for the South Australian farming community. Experimental farms and orchards were established in 1905 at Parafield, Murray Bridge, and Kybybolite (South East), then in 1908 at Turretfield (Barossa Valley), Hackney, Blackwood, Loxton and Veitch (northern Murray Mallee). Experimental farms were also set up at Struan, Berri, Loxton and Nuriootpa.
A network of offices was established in districts across the state, reaching a peak in the early 1980s. Staff delivered services such as:
- preventing or reducing spread of new pests and diseases
- providing technical, economic, marketing and home information to build more vibrant and successful farming communities
- registering fertilisers and agricultural chemicals
- administering Government assistance to farming communities recovering from drought, flood, storm, and other natural disasters.
Private contributions to primary industries
Over time, there have been contributions from areas outside of the Department, expanding the scope of the programs and activities that built profitable and sustainable agriculture in South Australia. These multidisciplinary programs are not linked to industry but provide support to many industries.
Funding reductions in the past 30 years have progressively affected the Department's capacity to deliver front line services. The traditional Government roles of the district agronomist, livestock officer or soil conservation officer have disappeared. These have been taken up by:
- private consultants
- large businesses that link service provision to sale of products
- farming systems organisations.