Changes to South Australian grower contributions to the state's grain industry funds have come into effect.
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Under the changes, grower contributions will change to a percentage of farmgate value measure at point of sale. Contributions were previously made using a per tonne rate.
Both the grain industry fund (which supports the operation of Grain Producers SA) and grain industry research and development fund (which supports research body South Australian Grain Industry Trust) will receive a significant boost in grower funding.
The GIF will now receive 0.1 per cent of the value of grain sold, and the GIRDF 0.12pc, with both deductions to be made on behalf of the grower by the grain purchaser.
The income from the fund will fluctuate depending on commodity prices and grain sales. Working on an average price of $330 a tonne across all commodities, PIRSA's baseline 7.1 million tonnes of projected grain sales each year would result in $2.81 million going into the GIRDF, up from the baseline figure of $2.13m.
Under the new system and a $330/t average, the GIF would receive $2.34m, up from the baseline figure of $1.42m.
Growers with high value crops such as lentils are likely to contribute more under the new system, while the change for lesser valuable crops will likely be negligible.
The system will remain a voluntary contribution scheme, with growers able to request refunds in exchange for the waiver of any direct benefits or services from the funds.
GPSA and SAGIT won't have access to any additional funds brought in by the new system until July 2025.
GPSA chair John Gladigau said it was the first time fund contributions had changed in 12 years and a grower vote had returned more than two-thirds support.
Upon notification of grower support and under advice by GPSA, Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven made the changes to regulations.
Grain purchasers were notified on June 6.
Mr Gladigau said the organisation was determined to make sure growers got bang for their buck.
"There has been quite a change to the diversity of crops we're growing in the past 12 years with a swing to high value crops, which has meant the amount of funds GPSA has had access to has actually diminished over time," he said.
"This will be a more equitable system which will hopefully increase in time as hopefully the value of crops increases as well, and allows us to get on doing what we're doing.
"It could be argued there's no more important time for strong grower advocacy, from the live export debate in the livestock industry, the combined focus on the federal biosecurity levy.
"There's been national conversations about the cost and value of advocacy and we're proud to have a structure in SA that not only is fair and equitable, but provides us a strong funding base to represent grain growers in SA in a strong and effective manner."
Mr Gladigau said the future was bright at GPSA, with a renewed focus on grower engagement and a continued focus on key policy areas like chemical stewardship, harvest code of practice, sustainability, input costs, roads and path to market.
"If we have the resources we know we can be really effective for growers," Mr Gladigau said.
"With this change in the way funds are collected and with the uplift, we do face a huge responsibility to our members to ensure that every dollar raised is used in a way that gives value back to members and the grain industry in SA.
"We have a board that is 100 per cent focused on that, and listening to the views of grassroots members."
