MINNIPA Agricultural Centre has come a long way in 100 years.
In 1915, it was chosen as the site for an experimental farm known as 'government farm'.
It kept that name until 1931 and has had a number of names since. Today, it is one of the few remaining low-rainfall broadacre farming research centres in Australia.
On September 2, more than 300 people from across SA and the country flocked to the northern Eyre Peninsula to celebrate the centre's centenary.
Coinciding with the launch was the release of new wheat variety Scepter.
Bred from Mace at the Australian Grain Technologies Roseworthy breeding centre in SA, Scepter offers higher yields and, importantly for growers, improved rust resistance compared with Mace.
AGT senior wheat breeder Haydn Kuchel said when Mace was released, it was a major step-up for the industry.
"Mace raised the bar significantly, so initially it was challenging to identify a successor, however, from early stages of trialling, Scepter stood head and shoulders above anything else," he said.
Dr Kuchel said three years of yield data across SA, Vic and WA had shown Scepter was, on average, 7 per cent higher-yielding than Mace.
Scepter is a cross between Mace and another higher yielding breeder's line but most of its features are similar to Mace.
EP Agricultural Research Foundation chairperson Simon Guerin said the centre was very important for the region.
"It helps bring the issues that farmers face to the scientists, and then asks the scientists how we can solve those problems," he said.
"It provides a strong focus of activity, with Minnipa we can target, focus and attract funding because we have a good track record and also the staff are very good at what they do here."
Agriculture Minister Leon Bignell unveiled a memorial plaque which recognised the centre's commitment to farming research in the past century.
"Minnipa's always been known for excellence in research for 100 years, people in the agricultural sector know it, people outside that know it," he said.
"It brings so much wealth and knowledge to the whole of the state, in fact to all of Australia and even internationally."
Mr Bignell said that for farmers to be able to see what was possible helped them and ultimately helped the whole state.
"People living in Adelaide benefit as much from Minnipa as anyone anywhere else in the state because of that trickle down effect of more money into the economy," he said.
"The more we can produce, the more we can export, the more dollars we get coming into our economy."