GIWA may ‘align’ with Grains Australia but won’t be amalgamated

A mass amalgamation of national industry organisations won’t include the Perth-based Grains Industry Association of WA, which will continue to “stand alone” for the foreseeable future. Grains Australia has been powering on with its plans to bring together fragmented parts of the nation’s grains “good functions” groups during the past two and a half years, with three groups already integrated and discussions about a fourth now under way. The organisation, funded by Grains Research Development Corporation to the tune of about $19 million so far, was set up to amalgamate groups responsible for trade reform, market access, receival standards, variety classification and policy. During a flying visit to Perth last week, GRDC chair John Woods said GIWA would remain a “standalone organisation” and was a “strong strategic partner”. “We will align wherever we possibly can, and an organisation like GIWA has a specific object and position in the market,” he said. “We actually believe they will be quite complementary to this integration but don’t see them being part of this integration. “GIWA will remain a standalone organisation. “It is a strong strategic partner for GRDC in its own right, and for the WA Government.” GIWA was set up when the Australian wheat market was deregulated in 2008 and is well-known in WA for its monthly harvest and seeding crop reports, setting WA coarse grain standards for harvest and delivering the grains research updates. It has been headed by executive officer Peter Nash since December 2021, after Larissa Taylor resigned after nearly seven years. The non-profit group is funded through service agreements with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the CBH Group, membership revenue and through delivery of grain industry projects. GIWA’s membership includes representatives from across the entire grain value chain. GIWA also has five commodity councils made up of volunteers from across the grains supply chain and focused on barley, oat, oilseeds, pulse and wheat. Grains Australia funder GRDC announced on April 19 that WA-headquartered Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre would also continue to operate as a standalone organisation but would work closely with Grains Australia to avoid duplication. The arrangement will enable AEGIC to continue to focus on overseas market development and research, including trade analysis and intelligence, understanding customer requirements and developing new products and value-adding. Grains Australia will continue to focus on grain classification, trade and market access and information. Its creation was heralded the biggest industry shake-up since the deregulation of Australia’s wheat market in 2008. At that time, trade standards were handed to Grain Trade Australia, malt accreditation to Barley Australia, and wheat classification to Wheat Quality Australia. So far, Wheat Quality Australia, Grain Market Access Forum and Barley Australia have been amalgamated, with discussions under way with Pulse Australia and Australian Oilseeds Federation.