TASMÂNIA: TFGA welcomes irrigation research funding
FÓRUM AGRICULTURA IRRIGADA
TFGA welcomes irrigation research funding
Tasmanian farmers today welcomed additional state government funding to the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) that will see a new Centre for Irrigation drawing together developmental and market research for food produced on the island.
Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association chief executive Jan Davis said today that farmers in particular and the state economy in general had to maximise the potential of the state’s irrigation roll-out, which she described as Tasmania’s key current infrastructure initiative.
“The research centre will focus on the optimum use of irrigation in each farm context, its environmental sustainability and the broader question of what we can do with the food we produce to maximise our production and our returns.
“To do that, this $120,000 seed funding announced today has to attract million of dollars in additional research funds from both the public and private sectors. The TFGA encourages private enterprise to back the program.
“Agriculture is one of the key underpinnings of the Tasmanian economy. Our soil, climate and water represent one of the few c