1966–1980

Highlights

Future Directions-Government

• 1966: Possible move of Department of Agriculture Head Office to Northfield abandoned
• 1973: Possible move of Department of Agriculture Head Office to Monarto abandoned

Main aspects of the era

• Expansion via Rural Industry Research Funds and Commonwealth Extension Services Grants
  • Research into wheat, barley, meat and dairy industries.
• Major investment in research
  • Northfield facilities
• The Monarto episode
• New technologies lead to rapid productivity gains
• Introduction of agricultural chemical herbicides
• Wheat quotas
• Intensive livestock industries replace mixed farm production
• Agricultural economics services
• Animal health eradication programs begun nationally
  • Contagious bovine pleuro-pneumonia
  • Bovine brucellosis and tuberculosis
• Export of agricultural technologies and services
• Reorganisation of the Department
• The age of computers commences
• Media changes with the television replacing radio for information