Richard Simonaitis has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Grains Australia. Mr Simonaitis has most recently been the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC), a not-for-profit company owned by the Western Australian Government and the Grains Research and Development Corporation to increase the value of the industry.

During his six-year tenure with AEGIC, Mr Simonaitis has overseen the evolution of the organisation, which has included market diversification and the development of new products and value-adding opportunities.

Recent AEGIC accomplishments include research to support the commercialisation of new oat rice and noodle products, and exploring wheat supply chains for cake and biscuit manufacturing, alongside its valuable business insights into the future outlook for Australian grains. Earlier this year, AEGIC secured a $24 million investment over four years from its owners for 2022-23 to 2025-26, to enable the organisation to maintain and build new trade opportunities and industry value.

WA Minister for Agriculture and Food Alannah MacTiernan said Mr Simonaitis' intimate knowledge of the WA grains industry – the nation's biggest – and our overseas markets will make him a great ambassador for our State. More... Source:  WA Minister for Agriculture and Food | Photo: DPIRD

Western Australian boxed beef exports reached $278 million in 2021-22, up 33% year-on-year from $225.4 million in 2020-21 and was the second highest on record behind 2019-20.

The largest market for WA beef was China, accounting for 38% of beef exports or $104.4 million. The Chinese market has seen substantial growth in recent years. It has increased by 56% year-on-year, and 401% compared to 2016-17, when exports to China totalled $20.8 million.

China was followed by South Korea with 13% of total WA beef exports, at $34.9 million, and Japan 11%, at $30.7 million. Source: Kate Pritchett / DPIRD | Related: Australian Wagyu beef producers report 300% increase in demand Source: ABC News | Photo: DPIRD / Adobe Stock

Applications are now open for the 2023 Science and Innovation Awards for young people working in agriculture, fisheries and forestry.

These awards support young innovators, scientists, researchers, and others actively engaged in the agricultural sector who have an original project that will contribute to the ongoing success of Australia’s agriculture industries. To be eligible, you must be aged between 18 and 35 and be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

In partnership with Australia's leading research and development corporations and industry associations, there are twelve industry categories each worth up to $22,000 (GST inclusive). Winners of the industry category Science Awards are then invited to apply for the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s Award, which provides additional funding for an extended research project.

To apply, and for more information, log in to GrantConnect. More... Source: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry | Photo: DPIRD

The Netherlands is the world’s second largest food exporter, while reducing water usage by 90% and nearly eradicating use of pesticides. The Dutch use technology and science to push the boundaries of agriculture, producing crop yields more than double the global average, according to the World Economic Forum.

Huge areas of the country are covered by glasshouses, producing large crops of fruit and vegetables. The Netherlands now exports more tomatoes, chillies and cucumbers than any other country.

The Dutch success story is amazing because the country is small and densely populated. The United States of America, the world's number one food exporter, is 270 times larger than the Netherlands. More than 140 countries have adopted methods developed by Dutch farmers – including China, India, Mexico, Brazil, Ghana and Ethiopia.

By 2050 there will be 10 billion people on the planet. We'll need more food in the next 40 years, than all of the harvests in history combined. So, it’s crucial the innovative agriculture techniques being used in countries like the Netherlands are scaled up and rolled out worldwide, the World Economic Forum says. More... | Related: These Dutch tomatoes can teach the world about sustainable agriculture | Source: World Economic Forum / National Geographic | Photo: World Economic Forum

All Australian businesses have less than one month to reserve their .au equivalent domain names.

It is important for businesses to change their domain name to be simplified, as well as to prevent fraudulent cyber activities by cybercriminals.

The Australian Cyber Security Centre recommends that businesses with existing domain names register their .au equivalents before they become available to the general public after 20 September 2022. More... Source ACSC | Photo: Joshua Woroniecki / Unsplash

A new publication draws attention to the technical and legal tools that may be used by governments to transition to cross-border paperless trade and to improve the efficiency of export and import procedures. The Cross-border Paperless Trade Toolkit, published by the World Trade Organisation (WTO), in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, was launched recently.

“The Cross-Border Paperless Trade Toolkit responds to growing demands for practical and solutions-oriented instruments that can harness trade digitalisation for easier, less costly and more inclusive global trade,” WTO Deputy Director-General Anabel Gonzalez said at the launch of the report.

“Paperless trade specifically – and trade facilitation more generally – are also highly relevant in the broader context of the supply chain disruptions that we have been witnessing over the past two years,” she added.

“Paperless trade can be a very powerful tool to reduce trade costs, which is key to making economies more efficient, global trade more inclusive, and supply chains more resilient,” Ms Gonzalez concluded. More... Source and Graphic: WTO