The University of Tasmania and TasTAFE are working together to better serve agriculture in Tasmania, helping the industry create more jobs and more value for the State.
A Memorandum of Understanding signed in Burnie will see the two organisations collaborate on agricultural education and training pathways, as well as sharing infrastructure, resources, knowledge and data.
TIA Director Mike Rose said the Agricultural Research and Training Partnership would support Tasmania’s critical agricultural industry as it works to increase its farm gate value to $10 billion by 2050.
“We are absolutely focused on industry and making sure we are solving their challenges and helping them to succeed,” Professor Rose said.
“That means working in partnership to meet the demand for agricultural skills in Tasmania and ensuring industry can easily access the data, knowledge, research and training they need to thrive.”
Through the Partnership, TIA and TasTAFE will coordinate and align their strengths in North-West Tasmania. TIA’s Dairy Research Facility at Elliott will focus on dairy and pasture research, TIA’s Vegetable Research Facility at Forthside will focus on production horticulture, and TasTAFE’s new Agricultural Training Centre of Excellence at Freer Farm will focus on beef and protected horticulture.
“This will improve access to real world, on-farm data for students and industry,” Professor Rose said.
The Partnership comes at a time when the University and the Tasmanian Government are investing in agricultural research and education in Tasmania.
University Vice-Chancellor Professor Rufus Black said a $7.8 million upgrade of TIA’s research farms was currently underway.
“This increased investment is part of the University’s long-term commitment to the North-West,” Professor Black said.
“Our upgraded research farms, together with the developments at Freer Farm, will support many of the region’s most important agricultural and horticultural enterprises.”
The MOU supports the broader goals of the newly formed Tasmanian Agricultural Education and Training Partnership (TAETP) of which TasTAFE and TIA are members.
