Average cost per unit of research and development aimed at market development services. Average cost per activity focussed on market development, policy and advice. Per unit $120,000 $21,000 Average cost per activity focussed on legislation, regulation and policy development. Per unit $120,000 $21,000 Average cost per regulatory activity processed. Per unit $400 $236 Cost per freight consignment inspected (not all consignments inspected). Per unit $40 $24 Cost per diagnostic sample. Per unit $200 $164 Service 5: Community and Environmental Risk Management: Reduced incidence and impact of environmental and community based risks. Key effectiveness indicators: Percentage of potentially susceptible area infested by starlings. % 0.5% 0.014% Percentage of potentially susceptible area infested by European House Borer. % 0.12% 0.158% Key efficiency indicators: Average cost per activity focussed on community and environmental risk management services. Per unit $131,000 $30,000 Average cost per diagnostic sample related to pests and diseases. Per unit $200 $240
Resource Monitoring n=249 n=224 2009-2010 n=291 Internal Target at 30/06/11 2010-2011 Actual n=228 Regular soil testing for nutrient levels (Identified as the lead management practice for group (target identified in 2010-2011 Budget Statement)) 72% 74% 75% 78% 80% Regular soil testing for pH 0% 75% 76% 78% 79% Regular soil testing for compaction 12% 17% 18% 13% 14% Regular monitoring of the water table 29% 38% (increase) 36% 33% 37% Regular monitoring of pasture/vegetation cover on sandy/light soils 54% 59% 61% 54% 61% Note: The word “increase” after a figure denotes a statistical increase at 95% confidence level; the word “decrease” after a figure denotes a statistical decrease at 95% confidence level. The letter “n” refers to the number of respondents. Surface Water Management n=249 n=224 2009-2010 n=291 Internal Target at 30/06/11 2010-2011 Actual n=228 Water on sloping land (for example grade banks) (Identified as the lead management practice for group (target identified in 2010-2011 Budget Statement)) 61% 63% 59% 52% 64% Water on the valley floors using 40% (increase) 37% 36% 32% 22% (decrease) Water on the valley floors using deep drains 23% 26% 24% 21% 36% (increase) 2008 2008 2009 2009 2011 2011
Table 3: Percentage of WA primary producers in the rangelands using selected sustainable land management practices. (Source: NRM Survey) [Accessibility note: In the following table, the word “increase” after a figure denotes a statistical increase at 95% confidence level; the word “decrease” after a figure denotes a statistical decrease at 95% confidence level. The letter “n” refers to the number of respondents.] Pastoral 2008 (n=104) 2009 (n=96) 2010 (n=80) 2011 (n=87) Permanent control methods on stock water supplies 52% (decrease) 52% 62% 60% Rotational pasture spelling during plant growth season 44% 50% 42% 36% Fencing to land systems 55% 50% 56% 61% Conduct a prescribed burn for management purposes 35% 41% 31% 32% Preserve or enhanced areas of conservation value 58% 50% 58% 52% Excluded stock from areas impacted by land degradation 48% (decrease) 43% 58% (increase) 61% Protected river or creek frontages from grazing animals 34% 27% 23% 25% Formal monitoring of vegetation/pasture conditions 63% (decrease) 58% 65% 68% Specifically spelled pasture for subsequent use by export cattle 28% 25% 16% 30% (increase)
Noodle research The department’s Peter Marrett and Japanese noodle expert Yosuke Shinkai, from Nippon Flour Mills, cook ramen noodles for evaluation. It’s a soup, it’s ramen noodles, and it’s the best value you’ll ever find in Japanese grocery stores. The department has been working with Japanese flour mills to cultivate a market for Western Australian wheat in making ramen noodles. These noodles represent about 35% of all noodles manufactured in Japan and are consumed as a soup base by the population of around 130 million. In a market worth $500 million annually, this represents an enormous opportunity for the state’s wheat industry. For the past two years, the department has been working with the Nisshin and Nippon Flour Mills—Japan’s two biggest operators—to determine the suitability of current and emerging Western Australian wheat varieties for ramen noodle production. Fieldwork and sensory evaluation trials involving an expert tasting panel and visiting Japanese experts suggest some advanced breeding lines show potential. The department was instrumental in encouraging recent changes to classifications, which will open the way for suitable hard wheat varieties to be sold for the ramen noodle market. We are now focused on establishing price premiums for the market to help the Western Australian grains industry capitalise on this new, high value market.
We had significant influence on the state’s wheat yields through developing and promoting the adoption of higher yielding varieties and sustainable farming systems that suit local conditions. Historically, the department has been the main provider of new varieties of dominant export crops. If Western Australian farmers were using the same cropping varieties and technology today, as they were 40 years ago, it is estimated that the state’s crop production would be about a quarter of today’s average yields. Figure 7 shows that there has been a decrease in the rate of crop yield improvement and this is attributed to the very poor 2010 season. It is considered that our long term capacity to increase crop yields is not coping with the climate change observed over the last decade (Figure 8). To remain competitive and improve long term profitability of the sector more research and development is required. Figure 7: Average wheat yields in Western Australia (2007 to 2010) [Accessibility note: The department is aware that image below is not accessible to a screen reader, although descriptive alternative text has been provided for users of assistive technologies. Should you require further information, please contact us via telephone 61 8 9368 3333.] Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and
We undertook a $539,130 AusAID-funded Leadership Award program for veterinarians from Botswana and Kenya aimed at underpinning food security in those countries. As part of the AusAID-sponsored Iraq Partnership Facility, Coffey International Development sub-contracted AGWEST International to bring 19 senior managers from Iraq to Perth to gain skills in targeting, planning and delivering agricultural services. The value of the contract was $310,956. Twelve Western Australian companies exhibited and 13 participants attended the International Food and Drink Exhibition in New Delhi, India. About 2500 unique trade visitors attended the conference. ASEAN The Chairman of the Malaysian Federal Land Development Authority accepted a ministerial invitation to visit Perth to consider trade and investment opportunities in beef, dairy and fodder industries in October 2010. Trade outcomes to date include an order for 10,000 lambs. We continued to develop a relationship with a leading Singaporean supermarket retailer, has resulted in long-term supply contracts with a range of Western Australian fresh produce exporters. In association with WATO Malaysia, we organised a delegation of fresh producers to attend a Singapore–WA Horticulture Business Seminar in December 2010. The aim of the mission was to strengthen business relationships with major importers/retailers and increase the profile of Western Australian produce in Singapore. With WATO Indonesia, we continue to work closely with industry and major wheat importers to increase the profile and market share of Western Australian wheat in Indonesia. An Indonesian delegation visited Perth in 2010 to investigate Australian export wheat grades and quality characteristics; and to learn how to satisfy the state’s wheat can meet Indonesian requirements for baked bread products and noodle markets. We worked with WATO Indonesia to help lupin exporters promote lupins in the Indonesian food staple, tempe. The first shipment of de-hulled split lupin kernels arrived in Surabaya in October 2010; and the first commercial product of 100% lupin tempe and tempe lupin chips reached Indonesian markets in March 2011. Also with WATO Indonesia, we promoted a range of fresh Western Australian produce to various Indonesian importers, leading to the export of 20 tonnes of Red Globe grapes to Jakarta in February 2011. We have also been working closely with industry and importers to promote Western Australian strawberries into the Thailand market, leading to a 50% increase in strawberry exports to Thailand over the previous year.
4.8 Cost per diagnostic sample A suite of activities are provided to protect our state’s border protection and minimise the risk of introducing new pests and diseases and to maintain market access enjoyed by our state’s agriculture and food industries. The average cost per diagnostic sample processed increased slightly from last year. The measure looks at the number of batches of plant and animal diagnostic samples (41,217). An average cost for the year is obtained by dividing the total number of batches into the total cost of delivering this service. It is thought that this year’s dry season impacted on the number of batches. Last year, the number of batches was 47,200. We consider that the department met this performance indicator. 10: Market development – efficiency indicators Key indicators of efficiency 2008-09 Actual 2009-10 Actual Target Actual Average cost per unit of research and development aimed at market development services (Subsequent to the target being announced in the 2010-2011 Budget Statement the budgeted project allocations have been better aligned with targeted outcomes and weightings applied resulting in a shift in dollar averages) $45,817 $48,301 $451,000 $91,304 Average cost per activity focussed on market development, policy and advice (Subsequent to the target being announced in the 2010-2011 Budget Statement the budgeted project allocations have been better aligned with targeted outcomes and weightings applied resulting in a shift in dollar averages) $24,064 $25,369 $120,000 $20,683 Average cost per activity focussed on legislation, regulation and policy development (Subsequent to the target being announced in the 2010-2011 Budget Statement the budgeted project allocations have been better aligned with targeted outcomes and weightings applied resulting in a shift in dollar averages) $24,064 $25,369 $120,000 $20,683 Average cost per regulatory activity processed $265 $297 $400 $236 Cost per freight consignment inspected (not all consignments inspected) (Subsequent to the target being announced in the 2010-2011 Budget Statement the budgeted project allocations have been better aligned with targeted outcomes and weightings applied resulting in a shift in dollar averages) $31 $31 $40 $24 Cost per diagnostic sample $210 $170 $200 $164 Source: Note: This is a new measure and comparison to previous years will be difficult until a series of trend data is gathered. 2011 2011
5. Reduced incidence and impact of environmental and community risks We provide a range of services that reduce the incidence and impact of pests and diseases that do not directly affect Western Australian agriculture but have significant community or environmental impacts. The ‘community and environment risk management’ service we delivered directly supports the achievement of this agency-level outcome. Activities include: managing biosecurity risks of importance to the community or environment assessing and prioritising risks extending management strategies and tools ensuring appropriate community and regional engagement and investment. Environmental and community-based risks — such as European house borer (EHB), starlings, European wasps, red imported fire ants and rainbow lorikeets — have the potential to become a pest of the environment and public amenity enjoyed by Western Australians. We have a range of specialised expertise that enables us to respond rapidly to incursions and outbreaks of community-based risks, and to monitor and evaluate our delivery of community and environmental benefits-based outcomes. In March 2011 the Australian horse industry signed the Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement (EADRA). In signing EADRA, the horse industry is committed to taking steps to minimise the risk of entry and spread of significant diseases of horses. The biosecurity package ‘Horse Alert WA’ has been developed, in conjunction with representatives from major horse organisations. It will be distributed in July 2011 to WA horse industry members. This year, our EHB response team hosted a two day workshop for entomologists from around Australia. The workshop is one of a number of EHB-related activities being rolled out nationally as part of the transition from an EHB eradication approach to a management approach. An EHB course was developed for pest controllers, which is proposed to be delivered nationally, as part of their pest control training curriculum. The focus of the EHB transition is also to make industries aware of the proposed interstate regulations for the movement of pinewood products - such as pallets and packaging - from Western Australia. These regulations, imposed by other states and territories, are expected to have a significant impact on many industries. Effectiveness indicators 5.1 Activity on the management of community and environmental risks Starlings and EHB are two examples of invasive that have the potential to rapidly expand to other parts of the state. Should they become established in areas like the South West Land Division it is considered that there would be a serious impact on community infrastructure, lifestyle and the environment.
() () Community and Environmental Risk Management 34.5 () $13,769,000 $15,528,000 -$1,759,000 34.12 () $15,528,000 $12,666,000 $2,862,000 Total Cost of Services No note $281,627,000 $217,823,000 $63,804,000 No note $217,823,000 $219,637,000 -$1,814,000 Less income 34.6 () $115,010,000 $54,322,000 $60,688,000 34.13 () $54,322,000 $66,801,000 -$12,479,000 Net Cost of Services No note $166,617,000 $163,501,000 $3,116,000 No note $163,501,000 $152,836,000 $10,665,000 Adjustments (i) No note -$8,456,000 -$6,292,000 -$2,164,000 No note -$6,292,000 -$5,414,000 -$878,000 appropriations provided to deliver services No note $158,161,000 $157,209,000 $952,000 No note $157,209,000 $147,422,000 $9,787,000 Capital Item 143 – Capital Contribution Capital Expenditure Purchase of physical assets No note $22,558,000 $10,511,000 $12,047,000 No note 10,869,000 7,703,000 $3,796,000 Adjustment for other funding sources No note -$3,500,000 -$4,356,000 $856,000 No note -$4,714,000 -$3,015,000 -$1,699,000 Capital Contribution (appropriation) 34.7 () $19,058,000 $6,155,000 $12,903,000 34.14 () $6,155,000 $4,058,000 $2,097,000 Administered Transactions Item 39 – Amount provided for Administered Grants, Subsidies No note $0 $0 $0 No note $0 $400,000 -$400,000