G/AG/N/AUS/110  
 
3 July 2017 
(17-3555) Page: 1/9 
Committee on Agriculture  Original: English  
 
 
NOTIFICATION  
The following submission, dated 27 June 2017 , is being circulated at the request of the Delegation 
of Australia . The notification concerns new or modified domestic support measures exempt from 
reduction ( Table DS:2 ). 
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 G/AG/N/AUS/110  
 
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  Table DS:2  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: AU STRALIA  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction  
(1) Full title of measure: Rural Research and Development (R&D) for Profit programme.  
(2) Domestic legislation: The legislative authority for the programme is covered in the 
Financial Framework  (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997 section 32B and Financial 
Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997  Regulations Schedule 1AB Item 27.  
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
This measure is exempt from reduction commitments consistent with Annex 2, 
paragraph  2(a) regarding research services.  
The Rural R&D for Profit programme provide s grants to the rural research and 
development corporations (RDCs) for collaborative research which enhances farm -gate 
profitability and supports the continued innovation of Australia’s primary industries.  
The objective of the programme is to realise signi ficant productivity and profitability 
improvements for primary producers through:  
• generating knowledge, technologies, products of processes that benefit primary 
producers ; 
• strengthening pathways to extend the results of rural R&D, including understandi ng 
the barriers to adoption ; 
• establishing and fostering industry and research collaborations that form the basis for  
ongoing innovation and growth of Australian agriculture.  
(4) Cost of measure:  2014-2015 expenditure $A 19.291  million . 
 Overall Budgeted cost $A 180.5 m illion over eight years 
 (2014 -2015 to 2021 -2022). 
(5) Date of entry into effect:  1 July 2014 . 
(6) Period of application: 30 June 2022 . 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual produc t(s): 
The programme funds research that will benefit Australia’s primary producers, including 
agriculture, fisheries and forestry.  G/AG/N/AUS/110  
 
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  Table DS:2  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: AU STRALIA  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measure s exempt from reduction  
(1) Full title of measure : Save the River Murray Fund – Almond Centre of Excellence.  
(2) Domestic legislation: Nil. 
(3) Detailed description of measure  with reference to criteria:   
This measure is exempt from reduction commitments con sistent wi th Annex 2, 
paragraph  2(a) regarding research services.  
The Almond Centre of excellence will address current production limitations and provide 
almond growers with the ability to maximise yields by working within new environmental 
constraints, rather than against them. The Centre will include a research and development 
component.   
(4) Cost of measure:   2014-2015 expenditure $A 1 million.  
Overall budgeted cost $A 4 million  over 4 years . 
(5) Date of entry into effect:  October 2013 . 
(6) Period of application:  1 July 2014 - 30 June 2017.  
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)): Almond products . G/AG/N/AUS/110  
 
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  Table DS:2  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: AU STRALIA  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from re duction  
(1) Full title of measure : Stronger Biosecurity and Quarantine Initiative (SBQI) . 
(2) Domestic legislation:  Nil. 
(3) Detailed description of measure  with reference to criteria:  
This measure is exempt from reduction commitments consistent with Annex 2, 
paragraph  2(b) regarding pest and disease control.  
The measure strengthens Australia’s biosecurity and quarantine capabilities. Its three 
elements provide resources to facilitate both rapid response and containment of pest and 
disease incursions and a focu s on import risk analysis (IRA) and quarantine arrangements 
that better integrate science to minimise the risk of exotic pest and disease incursions. The 
rapid response capability that the SBQI provides also assists to maintain Australia’s market 
access.  
(4) Cost of measure:   2014-2015 expenditure $A 2.5 million . 
 Overall budgeted cost $A 5.5 million . 
(5) Date of entry into effect:  1 July 2014 . 
(6) Period of application:  1 July 2014 to 30 June 2018.  
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):  G/AG/N/AUS/110  
 
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  Table DS:2  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: AU STRALIA  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction  
(1) Full title of measure: Surveillance and Emergency Response System (computer 
software) (also known as SERS).  
(2) Domestic legislation: Livestock Act 1997 (South Australia).  
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
This measure is exempt from reduction commitments con sistent with Annex 2, 
paragraph  2(b) regarding pest and disease control.  
The Australian Government is providing funding for SERS software, which will serve as a 
database for the recording of all disease investigations and has the capacity for 
epidemiological analysis of disease reports, and record all activities associated with di sease 
control/eradication efforts.  
(4) Cost of measure:  2014-2015 expenditure $A  290,000 . 
(5) Date of entry into effect:  1 July 2014 . 
(6) Period of application: Implemented from September 2015 for at least five years to 2020 . 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s):  
All livestock and livestock products, all horticulture and  grain husbandry and products.  G/AG/N/AUS/110  
 
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  Table DS:2  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: AU STRALIA  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modifi ed domestic support measures exempt from reduction  
(1) Full title of measure : Regional Co -Innovation Clusters program.    
(2) Domestic legislation:  Nil.  
(3) Detailed description of measure  with reference to criteria:  
This measure is exempt from reduction commitments consistent with Annex 2, 
paragraph  2(d) regarding extension and advisory services . 
The Regional Co -Innovation Clusters program is a networking and cluster awareness 
program me to assist project participants get the optimum benefits from enhanced 
collaborati on. This program me consists of a series of workshops focusing on leadership, 
collaboration, networking and divergent thinking.  
(4) Cost of measure:   2014-2015 actual expenditure $A  456,450 . 
2015-2016 budget $A  551,000 . 
Overall budgeted cost $A  2.425  million . 
(5) Date of  entry into effect : 1 July 2014.  
(6) Period of application:  1 July 2014 - 30 June 2018.  
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):   G/AG/N/AUS/110  
 
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  Table DS:2  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: AU STRALIA  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction  
(1) Full title of measure : The Management and Protection of Land . 
(2) Domestic  legislation: Natural Resources Management (NRM) Act  2004. 
(3) Detailed  description of measure  with reference to criteria:  
This measu re is exempt from reduction commitments con sistent with Annex 2, 
paragraph  2(d) regarding extension and advisory services.  
Responsibilities of this measure include making a determination on whether land 
management practices or activities could result in or  could reasonably be expected to 
result in unreasonable degradation of land or an unreasonabl e risk of degradation of land.  
Key roles include consulting with land owners and offering advice on land degradation 
issues, providing landowners with technical ad vice to manage areas at reasonable risk of 
land degradation or areas of unreasonable risk of degradation of land and working with the 
Agricultural industry groups and individual farmers to obtain local knowledge and 
information.  
(4) Cost of measure :  2014-2015 expenditure $A  140,000 . 
Overall budgeted cost $A  143,000 . 
(5) Date  of entry into effect:  1 July 2014.  
(6) Period  of application:  1 July 2014 – 30 June 2018 . 
(7) Products  to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):  G/AG/N/AUS/110  
 
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  Table DS:2  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: AU STRALIA  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction  
(1) Full title of measure : Trade Services and Market Access .  
(2) Domestic legislation: Nil. 
(3) Detailed description of measure  with reference to criter ia:  
This measure is exempt from reduction commitments con sistent with Annex 2, 
paragraph  2(d) regarding extension and advisory services . 
This measure provides extension and advisory services to assist Victoria 's agriculture and 
food industries capitalise on Asia's increasing demand for food.  The Victorian Department 
of Environment and Primary Industries is implementing projects across  research, 
develop ment, extension, regulation and marketing areas.   
(4) Cost of mea sure:   2014-2015 expenditure $A 6.7 million . 
2015-2016  expenditure $A  9.0 million . 
Overall budgeted cost is $ A 5.9 million ongoing from 2018 . 
(5) Date of entry into effect:  1 July 2014 . 
(6) Period of application:  1 July 2014 – 30 June 2018 . 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):  G/AG/N/AUS/110  
 
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  Table DS:2  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: AU STRALIA  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction  
(1) Full title of measure : Farm Exit Supp ort Grant . 
(2) Domestic legislation:  Rural Business Development Corporation Act 2000 . 
(3) Detailed description of measure  with reference to criteria:  
This measure is exempt from reduction commitments con sistent with Annex 2, 
paragraph  9 regarding producer retireme nt programmes . 
The Farm Exit Support Grant was a  Western Australian  State Government initiative that 
provided a grant of $ A 20,000 to farm businesses who made the decision to exit farming. 
The scheme was available to farmers who had sold their farm business. The grant was 
provided for living and transitional costs for the farm family. The grant was paid after the 
settlement from the sale of the farm business.  
(4) Cost of measure:   2014-2015 expenditure $A 100,000 . 
(5) Date of entry into effect:  22 April 2013 . 
(6) Period of application:  1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015 . 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):  
 
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