The Awards for Excellence in Innovation were initiated in 1999 to recognise outstanding examples of the transfer of CRC research results, knowledge and technologies that have been developed for a wide range of users of research, including the community, companies and government agencies.

Awards were in the categories of innovation in application and utilisation of research and innovation in education and training and public outreach activities.

In 2007 the Awards for Excellence were presented at a Gala Dinner in the Ballroom of the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre on Thursday 17th May, as part of the CRC Association's Annual Conference.

Presentations were by Dr Jim Peacock, AC, FAA, FRS, FTSE, FAIST, Chief Scientist, Australia.

CRC for Beef Genetic Technologies - Winner

2007 Awards for Excellence in Innovation

CRC for Beef Genetic Technologies - Winner - Award for Excellence in Innovation 2007 for education and training and public outreach activities, (from left) The Hon T Staley AO, Chair of CRCA); Dr H Burrow (Beef CRC CEO); Professor D Pethick (representing MLA); Mr G Fitzhardinge (Beef CRC Chair); Mr C Knight, Beef Processor; Mr P Chalmers, Beef Producer; Dr J Peacock, Chief Scientist.

Boosting Beef Profits

In order to improve beef profits across Australia and New Zealand a network of partnerships have been formed. The initial focus of the project is to produce an additional five percent improvement in business growth of the partners by June 2008. The key elements underpinning this project's success is to focus the partners on the common goal of accelerating the rate of improvement and innovation in the beef industry.

Long-term outcomes indicate that this project will boost economic growth in the Australian beef industry by around $60 million per annum from 2012.

View the CRC for Beef Genetic Technologies' winning presentation

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CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity - Winner

2007 Awards for Excellence in Innovation

CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity - Winner - Award for Excellence in Innovation 2007 for the application and use of research, (from left) Dr D Masters (CSIRO), CRC's Grazing Systems Program Leader; Mr A Campbell, Chair of CRC Salinity Board; The Hon T Staley AO, Chair of CRCA; Mr K Bell (AWI); Dr J Peacock, Australia's Chief Scientist; Mr D Petherick (MLA); Dr N Edwards, SCSL research project leader (SARD); Mr T York, farmer representative on research project steering committee.

Sustained Grazing on Saline Lands

Dryland salinity is one of the major risks to agriculture and the natural environment in the medium to high rainfall zones of Australia. Grazing is one of the few activities that can make productive and profitable use of saline land. The states of Western Australia, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria have produced their own individual and unique set of resources for landholders to assist graziers based in these geographical regions.

The results from five research projects addressing these state-to-state and regional differences have enabled individual states to progress their own key research priorities within a framework that allows the national learnings to be pulled together.

View the CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity's winning presentation

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Parker CRC for Integrated Metallurgy Solutions - Winner

2007 Awards for Excellence in Innovation

Parker CRC for Integrated Hydrometallurgy Solutions - Winner - Award for Excellence in Innovation for the application and use of research, (from left) Dr P Greenhill, Chief Operating Officer, AMIRA; The Hon T Staley AO, Chair of the CRCA; Mr M Woffenden, CEO, Parker Centre; Dr P Fawell, Alumina Group, CSIRO; Dr J Peacock, Chief Scientist Australia.

Improving Gravity Thickeners in the Mineral Industry

Gravity thickeners are large tanks used to separate fine, suspended mineral particles from the associated liquid. A project team from the Parker CRC for Intergrated Hydrometallurgy Solutions has made significant research advances enabling them to make recommendations that will improve thickener performance in industry. The achievements have been achieved through modifying operating practices, retrofitting existing thickeners and introducing new feedwell designs.

The performance improvements achieved by applying the project's results means that mineral processing plants can put more material through thickeners, increase water recovery and cut capital and associated running costs.

View the Parker CRC for Integrated Hydrometallurgy Solutions' winning presentation

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Early Career Scientists - 10 Minute and 3 Minute Presenters at the CRCA Perth Conference 2007

10 Minute Presenter at the CRCA Perth Conference 2007 - Ms Dianne Mayberry

Ms Dianne Mayberry, Early Career Scientist from the CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity, the winning ten minute presenter with Hon Tony Staley, AO, CRCA Chairman and Dr Jim Peacock, Chief Scientist of Australia

Getting into the Guts of a Salty Problem

Human health experts may warn against eating excess salt, but if sheep could be successfully grazed on saltbush, the result could be a huge help in solving one of Australia's worst environmental problems - dryland salinity. With more than a million hectares of severely affected saline land in Western Australia alone, and the area rising steadily, new ways to make this land productive and profitable are eagerly sought.

Over vast areas of salt affected land, saltbush is one of the best plats to produce green feed for livestock to eat. Sheep eat and enjoy it, so if this can be done efficiently, it is a big win for farmers, sheep and the environment. Saltbush is known to be rich in protein, minerals, fibre and vitamins all good things. But sheep grazing saltbush alone tend to lose weight - possibly due to their high salt intake. By investigating how salt and saltbush affect the micro-organisms in the sheep's gut and the amount of energy produced, scientists should be able to work out why sheep do not grow well on saltbush alone, ultimately improving their production on saline land.

Sheep stomachs act as fermentation chambers that digest very fibrous feed which humans and many other animals could never handle. But fermentation is much less efficient on saltbush, producing less energy on which the sheep can grow. This effect is not due to the amount of salt in the saltbush alone and if the mystery can be solved the result may be increased productivity for the farmer.

If scientists can understand the changes in fermentation that cut efficiency, then they can determine how to restore normal function. This may be as simple as feeding small amounts of a supplementary feed such as barley. If successful, sheep could feed on saltbush to their hearts' content with farmers knowing they will continue to grow and not lose weight.

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3 Minute Presenter at the CRCA Perth Conference 2007 - Ms Rowena Long

Ms Rowena Long, Early Career Scientist from Australian Weed Management CRC, the winning three minute presenter with Hon Tony Staley, AO, CRCA Chairman and Dr Jim Peacock, Chief Scientist of Australia

Combating the Seeds of Terror

Invasive plants cost Australian agriculture, human health and the environment more that $4 billion annually. Managing a weed involves more than removing superficial plants; it also involves understanding how the soil seedbank can provide a source of recruits.

A major challenge faced by farmers and government is predicting the life expectancy of weed seeds in the environment. This is particularly important for weed eradication programs where the weed seed remaining in the soil cannot be seen. Predicting the life of weed seeds in the soil could contribute to reduced uncertainty and cost in weed eradication programs.

Real-time field experiments, in which seeds are buried then recovered to check if they are still alive, are costly and can run up to 100 years. However, by simulating rain events in the laboratory, the CRC for Australian Weed Management found that rainfall might prolong the life expectancy of weed seeds. Three significant weed species common to southeast Queensland: swan plant (Gomphocarpus physocarpus), wild oats (Avena sterilis) and broadleaf privet (Ligustrum lucidum), were used in an experiment to determine dominant weed seed life.

Subsequently, the biochemistry of seed ageing was studied using a novel antioxidant approach developed recently at the Millenium Seed Bank, UK. INterestingly, seeds need antioxidants to stay well, so they are good indicator of seed health.

Existing tests cannot account for all the differences in life expectancy found for species in different soils. A new tool - the Soil-Specific Accelerated Ageing Test (SSAT) - was developed and used to study the effects of soil type and microbe activity on seed longevity. This 3 month laboratory test can simulate the seed ageing that might take over 2 years in the field.

Results from this research could assist policy makers and land managers to better assess weed risks and estimate the required duration of management programs.

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