SPENDING on agriculture took a hit in the state budget last week, falling to just 35 per cent of 2010-11 funding levels.
PIRSA's 2014-15 budget for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries is $59.8 million – down an estimated $26.5m from last financial year.
Biosecurity SA will lose 13 full-time employees, and its budget will decrease by about $5.5m after being cut by about $2.6m last financial year.
The reductions are largely a result of the completion of one-off programs, such as fruit fly eradication responses, feral camel, rabbit and weed control, and the transition from eradication to management of branched broomrape.
Thirteen full-time positions will be cut at SARDI, with the research institute's budget set to fall by about $3m, having already decreased by $1.4m last financial year.
A government spokesperson said he was expecting a smaller amount to be spent on voluntary severance packages at SARDI this coming financial year, with $600,000 allocated to this cost.
He said the reduced budget was mostly driven by the income SARDI received from external sources and job cuts would be reflected by project funding.
"Everyone's got their share of efficiencies to make so there's going to be reductions there," he said.
The Agriculture, Food and Wine program itself will receive a $0.8m boost to $10.6m.
The government stuck to its commitment to increase regional spending in the budget – made when Member for Frome Geoff Brock sided with Labor after the March state election – with an increase to its Regional Development Fund from $1.6m a year to $15m/yr.
A one-off $10m Jobs Accelerator Fund to create regional jobs has also been promised, and project funding for Regional Development Australia boards will double to $3m/yr for the next four years.
A four-year, $6m Agribusiness Accelerator Program will also be established, $6m will be spent to reduce electricity costs for households and businesses in remote areas, and $10.5m will be allocated to the establishment and ongoing operation of nine additional dialysis chairs at the Gawler Health Service.
The government will also spend $35.5m over four years on rural road safety measures, including improved signage and delineation, minor junction improvements, and overcoming roadside hazards.
"This government understands the importance the regions play in growing the prosperity of our state," Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis said in his budget speech.
"Regional SA accounts for 29 per cent of the state's population and produces nearly half of our merchandise exports and contributes around 25pc of gross state product.
"We are committed to growing the economic output of our regions and Labor is proud to partner with the Member for Frome to deliver an expansive regional package."
But Opposition regional development spokesperson Steven Griffiths said the state budget confirmed that the deal with Mr Brock, now Minister for Regional Development, was "a dud".
He said the budget had delivered a "litany" of funding reductions and job cuts that would affect regional SA, including at SARDI and Biosecurity SA.
* Full report in Stock Journal, June 26, 2014 issue.