Various cotton industry programs over recent years have placed more focus on alternative aspects of the traditional extension model such as skill development, knowledge management and capacity building. Indeed the cotton industry extension system has undergone substantial reform over the last decade. Inherent in this reform has been a greater recognition of the role of the agribusiness sector in contributing to adoption, particularly given the extensive nature of the advisory sector within the industry. However, some individual projects have also highlighted difficulties in integrating the advisory and extension systems.

Similar processes have been underway in many agricultural industries across Australia, which would suggest that there is much to be learnt from how other industries have addressed similar issues. This report presents case studies from three of these industries. The first case study takes an industry wide view, studying the activities of a number of projects and organisations within the dairy industry. The second case study looks at a specific program in the Sugar industry which engages growers to undertake on-farm research. The third case study looks at a specific organisation, the Future Farm Industries CRC (FFICRC), which overtly targets agribusiness as an R&D delivery mechanism, with a formal partnership with a major Australian agribusiness as part of their engagement strategy.

The dairy industry case study demonstrates an advisory sector which is well integrated with the industry RD&E network. Advisors frequently deliver not only industry messages but also industry extension programs. Many advisors derive some or all of their income from industry programs and have a vested interest in ensuring their success. Advisors are widely employed in the dairy industry, at rates commensurate with their earning capacity within their businesses, for project management, regional coordination, development of materials and training delivery. Countdown MAX was an attempt to develop new commercial services, but was limited by the ability for individuals to integrate the services into an existing business, which requires allocation of time, commitment of resources and support from all members of the business.

The sugar industry case study focuses on the Grower Group Innovation Projects (GGIP) initiative, an on-farm grower led research program which provides substantial opportunities to improve grower knowledge and the adoption of new practices. This program is also an opportunity to integrate advisors with on-farm research and to utilise this integration to improve scientific rigour and adoption of industry messages. The GGIP program is successful at improving on-farm links with research and extension personnel whilst project evaluation has suggested that adoption of GGIP research is more rapid than in other RD&E systems. The grower networks inherent to GGIPs provide improved project evaluation opportunities with regard to demonstrating practice adoption. As well as the potential to integrate advisors into on-farm research projects, project management has also been outsourced to an independent advisory group, with the intent that this arrangement would become self sufficient.

The FFICRC has a commercially focussed plan for encouraging adoption of their perennial plant research programs which includes a core partnership with national agribusiness Landmark. Unfortunately, most FFICRC projects are still at the awareness raising level, thus the commercially focussed adoption strategy has not been fully developed and tested. However the approach does suggest that whilst some specific technologies will naturally lend themselves to exclusive commercialisation pathways, it is also possible to engage with agribusiness in a mutually beneficial yet non-exclusive basis. Forward thinking businesses, such as Landmark, see this as an opportunity ‘to be ahead of the curve’ to retain or increase market share, rather than as a new revenue stream. From these case studies, a number of strategies have been developed to improve engagement with agribusiness within the cotton industry’s adoption system.