Minister for Agriculture Jaala Pulford, announced $250,000 will go towards developing a business case for a Networked Grains Centre of Excellence.

The Networked Grains Centre of Excellence will be a virtual centre with a focal point located at the Grains Innovation Park (GIP) in Horsham, Victoria.

Ms Pulford said the grains industry in the Wimmera Southern Mallee has a proud history of government and industry partnerships in grains innovation.

The GIP was established as a partnership between the Victorian Government and industry in 1960. It provides the local grains industry with access to technology and expertise to support innovation.

Enhancing the Centre’s strategic partnerships with a new business model will create an opportunity to attract innovative enterprises and investment into the grains sector, and grow the reputation of Horsham as an internationally recognised innovation centre.

The announcement today follows last week’s joint funding deal with the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and the Labor Government for a renewed five-year, $52 million research agreement.

Regional Development Victoria and Agriculture Victoria have worked closely with the Wimmera Southern Mallee Regional Partnership on the terms of reference for a working group to progress the project. The working group will convene in later this month.