Department of Agriculture strategic documents

These are historical documents therefore they are only supplied in PDF format. If you require a text version, please email us: PIRSA.Digital@sa.gov.au.

Objectives of the Department of Agriculture

One of the early strategic reviews of the Department of Agriculture was prepared by Marshall Irving, the then head of the Department. The request came from the Premier for the Director of Agriculture to provide Cabinet with a clear statement of the aims and objectives of his department.

'The Objectives of the Department of Agriculture' was submitted to the Government at the end of 1971, per below:

The Callaghan Report

The Callaghan Report, which led to the implementation of the regionalisation concept from the mid 1970s, was prepared by Sir Allan Callaghan, a former Director of Agriculture.

A review of the Department of Agriculture in the Light of Changed and Changing Needs (divided into 3 parts due to file size):

Reported by: Sir Allan R. Callaghan, C.M.G. Adelaide, December 1973.

Department of Agriculture corporate plans

Department of Agriculture booklet

Department of Agriculture – Serving South Australians (PDF 7.2 MB)September 1985

Review of Department of Agriculture

In 1991–92, primarily responding to the impacts on SA of the collapse of the State Bank of SA consulting firm, McKinsey and Company were commissioned to undertake a review of the Department of Agriculture's activities and strategies. Summary of findings and recommendations from this 5-month review:

Plotting a Course for Agriculture in South Australia (PDF 1.7 MB) – McKinsey and Company, November 1992.

Major technical reports

The Agriculture Technical Report Series spanned 1982 to 1992.

All volumes of the series are available from the Waite Library. Some of the more significant reports are available below:

State drought response report

This report documents the arrangements and achievements of the SA Government’s State Drought Response Program.

It was initiated by the lowest on record seasonal conditions of 2006 and conducted through to 2011. The report sets out the national and state policy context for government intervention. It describes the programs that were put in place to mitigate the impacts of droughts upon:

  • farm businesses
  • families
  • rural communities.

State Drought Response 2006–2011 (PDF 3.5 MB) – Greg Cock, Evelyn Poole and Martin Carter (PIRSA) 2011.

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