Economics and marketing

Before an economist was appointed to the SA Department of Agriculture, several staff members at Roseworthy College pioneered the study and application of economic principles to the State's agricultural production. These people and others were the forerunners of professional economists and farm business management specialists in the SA Government.

Professor A J Perkins, whilst Principal of Roseworthy Agricultural College, presented detailed papers on wheat cost of production and crop responses to fertiliser, at annual conferences of the Agricultural Bureau. One paper presented in 1913 at Cowell, reported the economic results of fertiliser experiments at Roseworthy College.

In 1933, as Director of Agriculture, Professor Perkins provided 'itemised statements of Costs of Production of wheat at Turretfield and in the Mallee', as evidence given in Adelaide before the Commonwealth Grants Commission.

In 1939, the Principal of Roseworthy, Allan Callaghan, wrote of the need for trained agricultural economists. Later, as Director of Agriculture, he sought to appoint an economist and introduce economic thinking into extension and advisory work.

D B [Don] Williams, who later became Director of Roseworthy Agricultural College, was the first rural economist to be appointed. He wrote an article on farm records in the Journal of Agriculture, in September 1948, stating: 'In recent years, the attention of farmers has been forced upon the business aspects of farming by the rapid movements in costs and prices ... For this reason, farmers think of their farm as a business as well as a home, and realise that business methods must be combined with scientific methods and skilled craftsmanship'.