Utilisation and application of the research, commercialisation, links with users

The Rice CRC aims to have active involvement with all stakeholders in the rice industry to underpin the sustainability of the industry. This involvement is through an active research, technology transfer and education program and through involvement with policy development through provision of objective information. The mode of interaction varies depending on the stakeholders. An example of this interaction is illustrated in the following table.

Stakeholder	Information	Involvement
Rice producers (2,130 farms in NSW)	Production Sustainability (watertables, salinity, drainage water quality, pest control)	Extension Involvement as advisors at project, program and Board levels Cooperation
Rice organisations -Ricegrowers' Association of Australia -Rice Research & Development Committee	Production Processing Sustainability Policy Research programs	Advice Coordination Coordination
Processors (eg, Ricegrowers' Co-operative Ltd)	Processing Sustainability (pests) Quality Assurance New producers	Involvement in research
Irrigation corporations - Murrumbidgee Irrigation Limited - Coleambally Irrigation Corporation - Murray Irrigation Limited	Sustainability (watertables, salinity, drainage water quality)	Involvement as advisors Cooperation Rice CRC project participants and collaborators
Agribusiness Companies (chemical and fertiliser distributors)	Sustainability (pest control) Productivity (eg, fertilisers)	Extension Education Involvement in research
Land and Water Management Plan groups	Sustainability (watertables, salinity, drainage water quality) Productivity	Liaison Land and Water Management Plan project committees Education programs
Community	Sustainability Education	Implementation and education Policy involvement

In 1999/2000 rice was produced on 2,130 farms in NSW with around 10 producers in Victoria. The majority of these are small business units, although there are now increasing numbers of corporate farms producing rice. Transfer of production technology has always been a strong feature of the rice research and development program and this will continue to be true for outcomes from Rice CRC projects.

Rice growers are becoming increasingly aware and pro-active in their involvement in environmental management. It is the responsibility of this CRC to provide objective information to enable producers to meet this increasingly complex challenge. It is important, also, that the Rice CRC works with other organisations to ensure a uniform approach. These links are developing. Examples are:-

• Rice CRC researchers (eg - participants involved in irrigation corporation and Land and Water Management Plan committees;
• Irrigation corporation and Land and Water Management Plan members - participants in projects or on Rice CRC project steering committees; and
• Rice CRC researchers developing and teaching Land and Water Management Plan education modules (viz; Natural Resource Management).