Grains Research and Development Corporation Managing Director, Dr Steve Jefferies, officially opened a new laboratory at the Birchip Cropping Group’s Glowery Street premises on Wednesday 4 July.
Attendees including, growers, industry, BCG partners, local business, Buloke Shire Councillors and staff, GRDC staff and Southern Regional Panel members, braved the cool temperatures of the breakfast event to celebrate the occasion.
The new facility will enhance the efficiency of operations to manage the high volume of soil, plant material and grain samples processed throughout the busy BCG research and extension program.
In welcoming the crowd, the BCG Chairman Caroline Welsh explained “this facility has been designed by our BCG staff to maximise efficiency during the busy harvest and sowing periods with features including a concrete drive through the middle of the building plus specific areas for tasks including threshing, weighing, drying and assessments”.
The next speaker, Buloke Shire Council Mayor, Cr David Pollard remarked on the significance of new building and highlighted the importance of working with organisations like BCG to realise the benefits to the region.
In his address, Dr Jefferies said GRDC said “it’s important to have the right working environment to conduct research of a high standard” adding GRDC worked with various organisations including grower groups through the GRDC Infrastructure grant making an investment in capital and therefore investing in capacity for longer term benefit.
The new building was primarily funded through a GRDC Infrastructure grant to improve the efficiency of research trial work and the delivery of profit-generating outcomes to growers. In-kind and monetary donations were also made by BCG members.
We're so very pleased to present our new grain technology laboratory here in Birchip. Thank you to @theGRDC for their generous support and for the local businesses who have built us such a wonderful facility. pic.twitter.com/7TRjefBouU
— Birchip Cropping Group (BCG) (@BCG_Birchip) July 3, 2018
It was great morning for it and certainly going to have a plenty of benefit to @BCG_Birchip. Thank you for investing in grower groups @theGRDC pic.twitter.com/r0sUHvgEWC
— Simon Craig (@craigyMallee) July 3, 2018
https://twitter.com/abcwesternvic/status/1014629963604090884
Sensational morning at the @BCG_Birchip opening of the new research laboratory @BulokeShire @LouisaFerrier pic.twitter.com/zITCaDhNhb
— Anthony Judd (@AnthonyJudd_4) July 3, 2018
