GRAINGROWERS are yet to be convinced of the benefits of moving the Grains Research & Development Corporation from its home in Canberra.
But SA Agriculture Minister Leon Bignell and Opposition agriculture spokesperson David Ridgway are lobbying hard to make its new address the Waite campus if plans to relocate three federally-funded research and development corporations proceed.
Last week, federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce announced his intention to relocate the GRDC, Fisheries Research & Development Corporation, and Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation to three regional communities, which would contribute $13 million a year to the local economies which host them.
But graingrowers are particularly concerned that much-needed research dollars may be used to pay the GRDC's relocation costs, estimated at $30m, and that the organisation may lose some staff unwilling to move.
Mr Ridgway acknowledged Adelaide did not fit the regional-location criteria but he was undeterred, saying the GRDC would be the perfect addition to the University of Adelaide's world-renowned Waite campus.
Since advocating the relocation of the GRDC to Adelaide, and the FRDC to Port Lincoln, which has the biggest fishing fleet in the southern hemisphere, he has received only positive feedback.
Yesterday afternoon he met Mr Joyce in Canberra to discuss an opportunity to develop and present a business plan.
Mr Ridgway said he was pleased that Mr Bignell had given bipartisan support, and he hoped to obtain the details of PIRSA's groundwork.
"It is too important if there is any chance of relocating the GRDC to Adelaide and FRDC to Port Lincoln, and millions of dollars in economic growth and further job creation, not to work together on this," he said. "If they have done work on this as they say, we need to have a look at it.
"The Waite is already the biggest grain research facility in the southern hemisphere with some 1100 researchers and technical staff and with another 100 GRDC jobs and $180m budget - a large amount of which already comes to the Waite in research projects - we could be the biggest in the world," he said.
Grain Producers SA chairman Garry Hansen says GPSA supports the national view taken by Grain Producers Australia on the issue of relocating GRDC.
"Moving the GRDC from Canberra to another location will be an expensive exercise and is not the best use of growers' levy funds," Mr Hansen said.
"We want to see maximum dollars invested in research and development and while we understand and appreciate the aim is to boost regional communities and create jobs, the costs and disruption must be considered.
"However, if the mandate from the federal government is that the GRDC will definitely be moving, then Adelaide could be a viable option. It is centrally located for all the stakeholders with which the GRDC works across Australia and, while the GRDC does not conduct research in its own right, the Waite precinct is a world-renowned research facility which could add further value."
The Research and Development Corporations have contacted PIRSA about the relocation of the centres and PIRSA is consulting with industry in order to prepare its response.
The GRDC was contacted by Stock Journal but did not wish to comment "at this stage".