Message from the Chairperson

MESSAGE FROM THE

CHAIRPERSON

Since becoming Chairperson of SRA at the 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM), it has been my great pleasure to again be a part of the Australian sugarcane industry. On behalf of the SRA Board, welcome to the Sugar Research Australia Annual Report 2021/22.

I have been privileged during my eight months as Chairperson of SRA to see many familiar faces from my previous roles as Sugar Industry Commissioner and with the Sugar Authority and Queensland Sugar Corporation. There have also been new connections made during engagement sessions across our sugarcane growing districts and I have valued the considered and honest feedback received from individuals and organisations about expectations and priorities for our industry. During 2021/22, SRA commenced implementing its 20212026 strategic plan. Engagement was an important focus in co-developing the strategy with industry and it has remained central to how SRA is delivering on the objectives outlined in the plan, with regular engagement events and sessions conducted across our districts.

Working in partnership and collaboration with growers, millers and services providers to strengthen the industry, the past year has seen a heightened focus on addressing the most pressing challenges and constraints facing the industry, both at the local level and across the whole industry. There has been much work undertaken to develop a foundational research investment plan aligned to the new strategy. This has also involved direct input from industry representatives to ensure research and innovation investment targets what matters most to industry. Within SRA, our team continued work to stabilise SRA’s financial position and positively delivered a net surplus for the past financial year. The year has not been without challenge for our industry with pressures from rising input costs and floods which damaged crops and mills in northern New South Wales. Unseasonal rain has also brought delays to the harvest across multiple districts. Yet, our growers and millers have shown great resilience and I have heard much optimism for the future. As a research organisation, it is important that SRA addresses the needs of today, while keeping an eye on the future. An important research initiative was undertaken over the past year, culminating in the release of a shared vision and roadmap for the industry, Sugar Plus – Fuelling the Future of Food, Energy and Fabrication. Prior to the roadmap’s release, I joined directors and leaders of industry representative organisations and funding partners at a sugar industry leaders’ forum. It was encouraging to hear the strong commitment to the vision of becoming ‘a vibrant, transforming industry, sustainably producing sugar and bioproducts’. The roadmap sets out measures to strengthen and build the industry, while charting a path to a bigger, bolder future with actions focused on better business-as-usual, adding value to operations and unlocking the opportunities presented by the bioeconomy. As the specialist research and development corporation (RDC) for the sugarcane industry, SRA works closely with the Council of Rural Research and Development Corporations to ensure sugar is well represented in policy discussions in Canberra. During the year, we met with funding providers and the Commonwealth, and worked to build SRA’s profile and brand in the research community. The Federal Government has outlined priority focus areas for biosecurity, exports and climate, along with transformation of the RDC sector, something SRA is well positioned for.

Rowena McNally

The roadmap sets out measures to strengthen and build the industry, while charting a path to a bigger, bolder future with actions focused on better business-as-usual, adding value to operations and unlocking the opportunities presented by the bioeconomy.

The SRA Board met in Mackay in April and travelled to Far North Queensland in June to meet with local growers and mill representatives (pictured).

SRA has signed a new 10-year Statutory Funding Contract with the Federal Government for 20212031. The agreement includes new performance principles, which reflect a greater need to demonstrate outcomes and outputs from research, along with new guidelines for funding agreements, knowledge transfer and commercialisation, and stakeholder engagement. I’ve been pleased to see the work happening internally for SRA to meet these expectations of government and industry. At our upcoming AGM, SRA will seek some minor administrative corrections and enhancements to its Constitution resulting from recent changes to the Corporations Act regarding electronic meetings and procedures. Consultation has also commenced on proposed constitutional changes relating to our research program strategy and project selection. These proposals involve changes to the current Research Funding Panel and consultation on these matters will continue during 2023. SRA’s work is built on partnerships and collaboration, and we could not operate without the support of many individuals and organisations: ƒ growers and millers – who are the primary investors in SRA through the joint 70 cents per tonne levy ƒ industry organisations – the

Australian Sugar Industry Alliance,

CANEGROWERS, the Australian

Sugar Milling Council, Australian

Cane Farmers Association, and

AgForce, as well productivity services groups, and extension providers ƒ the Commonwealth and

Queensland Governments, who provide co-investment into SRA ƒ external research providers and investors

ƒ members of the Research Funding

Panel

ƒ SRA’s employees, who deliver on our values of teamwork, investor satisfaction, accountability, and innovation

ƒ our Chief Executive Officer Roslyn

Baker, who continues to provide energy and strong leadership for

SRA and the industry ƒ my fellow SRA Board directors for their contribution and support. The past financial year has seen several changes at the Board level, including the retirement of our previous long-serving Chair Dr Ron Swindells and the departures of Dr Guy Roth and Lee Blackburn. We were joined by Mark Day who is experienced in the sugar industry and Rowley Winten, an international marketing professional experienced in agriculture. In closing, I want to acknowledge the service of two SRA directors who will not seek re-election at our upcoming AGM. Lindy Hyam has served SRA since October 2016 and Dr Jeremy Burdon since October 2019. We have been stronger for their contribution, and I, along with their fellow directors, thank them for their commitment.

I look forward to continuing to work with members of the industry, research and funding providers, the SRA team and my fellow directors to drive positive outcomes for the sugarcane industry.