AGY-3645 | Department of Agriculture [III]

Full description

On 1 July 1991, the Fisheries Division of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries was removed from the Department and established as an Administrative Office with the title Office of Fisheries. The removal of the fisheries function from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries led to the Department being renamed the Department of Agriculture.(1) The Department became known as NSW Agriculture. In 1991 the Department’s structure was reviewed and changed from regionally based to a program based structure.(2) By 1992, the Head Office of the department had been relocated from Sydney to Orange,(3) although a small office was maintained in Sydney to service the Minister’s staff and city based clients.(4) In 1993, the Department consisted of three Divisions, five Regional Directors, and a Support Services section. The Divisions and their programs were: 1) Division of Plant Industries – cereal products; fibres, oils and specialty products; fresh and processed horticultural products; pastures and rangelands; agricultural resource management; quality assurance and plant protection
2) Division of Animal Industries – wool and sheep products; beef products; dairy and intensive livestock products; quality assurance and animal health; agricultural protection
3) Division of Corporate Services – finance; personnel; assests; legal The Support Services section was structured around the following programs: Agsell, biometrics, business services and education, communications, economic services, information technology, organic waste recycling, policy and planning, staff development.(5) By 2002 this structure was unchanged, although the Support Services section had become the Economic Services Unit.(6) On 6 April 1995, the pesticides unit was taken from the Department of Agriculture and added to the Environment Protection Authority.(7) On 21 March 1996, the Government announced the intended restructure of the Department of Agriculture, involving the development of nine decentralised centres, supported by services in rural areas throughout the State, the creation of an Office of Rural Communities, a Rural Communities Consultative Council and a Regional Consultative Network, to improve communication between the Government, the rural community and local organisations.(8) The restructure also led to the creation of seven rather than five agricultural consultative Regions and they were: Far West, Barwon, Central West, North Coast, Hunter, Murray/Murrumbidgee, Sydney and South East.(9) In 1998, the Department still consisted of the Division of Plant Industries, Division of Animal Industries, and Division of Corporate Services. There was also an Economic Services program that provided economic policy advice to the Department’s Minister, Executive and Programs. The Economic Services Program undertook economic research and reviews of legislation and Departmental programs in addition to administering agricultural marketing arrangements and the Government’s funding contribution to Rural Financial Counsellors.(10) In 2002, the Department of Agriculture [III] administered numerous Acts including the following: Agricultural Industry Services Act 1998, Agricultural Tenancies Act 1990 (No.64), Apiaries Act 1985 (No.16), Banana Industry Act 1987 (No.66), Biological Control Act 1985 (No.199), Dairy Industry Act 2000, Fertilisers Act 1985 (No.5), Grain Marketing Act 1991 (No.15), Meat Industry Act 1978 (No.54), Noxious Weeds Act 1993 (No.11), Plant Diseases Act 1924 (No.38), Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 (No.200), Rural Assistance Act 1989 (No.97), Stock Diseases Act 1923 (No.34), and the Stock Foods Act 1940 (No.19).(11) Department of Agriculture [III] continued to conduct scientific research throughout the state, covering almost all areas of farm production and marketing, including crops, livestock, pastures, horticulture, and nursery products. The Department’s staff disseminate the results of scientific research to help farmers, graziers and horticulturalists apply best practice in their farm management strategies to meet domestic and export market requirements.(12) The Department operated a comprehensive regional laboratory network for rapid, accurate and cost-effective diagnostic and analytical services for plant and animal health. The Department worked closely with the NSW Rural Assistance Authority and supported joint community/Departmental services such as the Rural Women’s Network and Rural Lands Protection Boards.(13) The Department was also responsible for the CB Alexander Agricultural College and the Murrumbidgee College of Agriculture. In 2003, NSW Agriculture participated in the Ministerial Scientific Advisory Council to give greater emphasis to science and technology with partner organizations NSW Fisheries and Safe Food NSW.(14) The Department’s marketing section, Agsell, continued to work alongside the Department of State and Regional Development to link financial and agricultural sections of industry to improve export trade, especially in Japan, Korea, China and India.(15) On 1 July 2004, NSW Agriculture was abolished and its branches, along with the branches of the former Departments of Mineral Resources, NSW Fisheries, and State Forests of NSW, were transferred to the Department of Primary Industries.(16) NSW Agriculture became part of the Agriculture and Fisheries Division of the Department of Primary Industries, although it retained its identity as NSW Agriculture.(17) ENDNOTES
1. NSW Government Gazette Special Supplement No.101, 28 June 1991, p5335.
2. Annual Report of the Department of Agriculture, year ended 30 June 1996, p10.
3. New South Wales Government Directory, January 1992.
4. Annual Report of the Department of Agriculture, year ended 30 June 1993.
5. ibid., p.xii.
6. Annual Report of the Department of Agriculture, year ended 30 June 2002, p4.
7. New South Wales Government Gazette No.39, 5 April 1995, p1862.
8. Annual Report of the Department of Agriculture1995-1996, p12.
9. loc. cit.
10. NSW Agriculture Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 1998, p22.
11. NSW Agriculture Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2002, p60.
12. ibid., p2.
13. loc. cit.
14. NSW Agriculture Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2002-2003, p11.
15. loc. cit.
16. NSW Government Gazette Special Supplement No.100, 18 June 2004, p3816.
17. Department of Primary Industries website, http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/reader/dpi-about-us, accessed 2/2/2005.