NOTICE: Hard copies of the Australian New Crops Newsletter are available from the publisher, Dr Rob Fletcher. Details of availability are included in the
Advice on Publications Available.ACOR
Australian Centre for Oilseed Research Inc.
ACOR's mission is to undertake oilseed and oilseed-related research and to provide a training and resource base for the betterment of the Australian oilseed industry.
The basis of ACOR's vision is the emergence in Australia of export opportunities, particularly in Asia, for oilseeds and their products; the opportunity to replace imported oilseeds, oils and meals for animal feed; the establishment of canola as a profitable and sustainable winter crop; strong industry and consumer support for Australian grown oilseeds and products and new opportunities to use existing and novel oilseeds and their products in retail food, food service, industrial, health care and energy applications.
To achieve this vision, a pilot-scale processing and training facility for commercially-driven research and development of oilseeds and their products was essential. Previously, Australia had not had this type of facility, unlike other agriculturally competitive countries such as the USA, Canada and members of the European Union.
ACOR became operational in May, 1997. It's role is to facilitate and integrate private and public sector interest in R&D on oilseeds processing and the utilisation of oil, meal and other products. ACOR will provide industry-wide training and information dissemination and carry out pre-commercial oilseed processing and refining. ACOR's charter enables it to undertake commercial-in-confidence contracts and to develop commercial joint ventures.
ACOR's principal activities and interests include:
ACOR operates from a leased site at the Victorian Institute for Dryland Agriculture at Horsham, Victoria. One facility houses a bench-scale expeller, solvent extractor, oil refiner, analytical laboratory and administrative centre. This facility can process up to 250 kg oilseed samples and refine up to 150 litres of oil.
A new pilot-scale plant at the University of Melbourne's Longerenong College, near Horsham, has the capacity to process up to four tonnes of oilseed per day and to refine the resultant oil. This $1.4 million facility is designed both for oilseeds R&D and for processing and refining pre-commercial samples or oilseed. Commissioning of the plant occurred in late 1997 with seed provided by the Australian Wheat Board, Cargill Oilseeds Australia, VicGrain and AgSeed Research.
The Wimmera Development Association played a key role in establishing ACOR, which was incorporated as an independent association in 1996, with Mr John Magrath as Project Manager at this stage. The Victorian and Commonwealth Governments provided funds to equip and establish the facility.
The industry-led Australian Oilseeds Federation endorses ACOR. Industry sponsorship from Westfalia Separator Australia Pty Ltd and Crown Scientific helped defray initial operating costs. Agriculture Victoria's Institute for Dryland Agriculture and AgSeed Research provide continuing assistance with infrastructure support, the use of equipment and technical support.
As an independent association, ACOR's revenue to fund continuing operations, new equipment and capital improvements will come from sources such as investments, fee-for-service contracts, training program revenue, joint ventures, collaborative projects, subscriptions and grants.
An independent Board of Directors representing farmers, oilseed processors, manufacturers, research organisations, government and regional associations guide and monitor ACOR's operations.
The inaugural Director of ACOR, Dr W.R. (Bill) Scowcroft, was engaged in April 1997. Previously, he was a Director of the Victorian Institute for Dryland Agriculture, and held positions with CSIRO, in the private sector in Australia and Canada and in agricultural development in South America and Africa.
ACOR welcomes inquiries from industry and research establishments about collaborative ventures to expand the development and improve the competitiveness of the Australian oilseed industry and to conduct training courses.
Dr WR (Bill) Scowcroft
Telephone: (03) 5362 2345
Email: scowcroft@vida.agvic.gov.au
or ACOR (Australian Centre for Oilseeds Research Inc.)
(110 Natimuk Road)
PO Box 838
Horsham, Victoria 3400 Australia
Telephone: (03) 5362 2344
Facsimile: (03) 5362 2348
International fax: 61 3 5362 2348
Email: acorinc@vida.agvic.gov.au
Essential Oil Producers' Association of Australia
One of the most effective means of keeping abreast of industry developments and influencing industry policy is through the Essential Oil Producers' Association of Australia.
The Association has been formed to promote the production of Australian essential oils and natural plant products, to provide a forum for members to exchange information, to develop working relationships and to promote a unified approach for the industry in areas such as industrial relations, government regulation and quality standards.
The Association also assists with coordination of research into essential oils and allied natural plant extracts and helps to disseminate research findings to members.
The Association has begun producing a regular Newsletter to keep members up-to-date with new developments in industry policy, essential oils and plant extracts research and other issues of interest to members (for details see the new crops periodicals section of this newsletter).
Full membership is open to producers of essential oils and plant extracts and producers of plant material for the production of these products.
The end-users of the products, consultants and other commercial interests in the industry can take up Associate membership (commercial) while individual or institute Associate membership is open to non-commercial institutes, researchers or other interested individuals or organisations.
For further information contact:
Richard Davis, President
Essential Oil Producers' Association of Australia
Telephone: (02) 9979 9844
Facsimile: (02) 9979 9608
International fax: 61 2 9979 9608
or Erich Lassak, Secretary
(PO Box 385, Mudgee, NSW 2850 Australia)
Telephone: (02) 6373 3539
Facsimile: (02) 6373 3437
Demand for organic fibre is increasing dramatically worldwide. This is due to rapidly expanding populations, increasing disposable incomes and increasing use of fibre in buildings, clothing and paper products.
On another level, the decline in forest resources, and pollution problems associated with the production and disposal of synthetic fibres increase this demand. Already Japan and Indonesia are seeking contracts for bulk supplies of Ecofibre from countries like Australia.
An Ecofibre Industries Association (EIA) has been formed to take advantage of this new and expanding global market by assisting Australian growers, processors, manufacturers, consumers and governments to understand, participate and support this industry.
The formation of the Ecofibre Industries Association (EIA) is the direct result of recommendations arising from the Industrial Hemp Conference, Melbourne, 1995 and the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) Hemp Workshop 2, 1997.
What is the Ecofibre Industry? Ecofibre crops are those plants that produce a dense woody inner core and soft flexible outer bast fibres that extend along the bark of the stems (e.g. hemp, kenaf, roselle, flax, jute, ramie and so on). Ecofibres are renewable, sustainable and biodegradable and are ideal CO2 sinks.
These cash crops can be grown in rotation with traditional broad-acre crops in a broad range of climatic conditions. Ecofibre industry products include all grades of paper, composite materials, structural building materials, geotextiles and textiles.
Dedicated Ecofibre crops will provide the catalyst for locating processing/manufacturing facilities in regional centres and will encourage the formation of partnerships with local agriculture - farmers ensuring supply while processors/manufacturers ensure a market.
Agricultural wastes (eg. straw, cotton stalks, bagasse) can then find a market by being processed as supplements to the Ecofibre industry, adding to farm incomes. The industry will ultimately require thousands of growers to supply regionally-based manufacturing industries, creating positive regional employment and social benefits.
The Ecofibre Industries Association has eight objectives:
The current activities of the Association include:
For further information contact:
Ecofibre Industries Association of Australia
c/- Australian Hemp Resource and Manufacture
15 Belmont Crescent
Paddington
Queensland 4064
Australia
Telephone: (07) 3369 5925
Facsimile: (07) 3368 1255
Email: ahrm@hits.net.au
American Botanical Council
ABC's main goal is to educate the public about beneficial herbs and plants. It's objectives are to disseminate factual, accurate information on herbs and herbal research, increase public awareness and professional knowledge of the historical role and current potential of plants in medicine, contribute information to professional and scientific literature in order to establish accurate, credible toxicological and pharmacological data on various types of plants and plant materials, promote understanding regarding the importance of preserving native plant populations in temperate and tropical zones, provide reprints of plant-related articles, audio/video tapes, and other educational materials and assist the Herb Research Foundation in achieving its goals.
HerbalGram is the Journal of the American Botanical Council and Herb Research Foundation.
For further information contact:
American Botanical Council
PO Box 201660
Austin, Texas 78720-1660 USA
Telephone: 1 512 331 8868
Facsimile: 1 512 331 1924
Email:
General information: abc@herbalgram.org
Herb Information: gingerw@herbalgram.org
Web Site: http://www.herbalgram.org/
Any claims made by authors in the Australian New Crops Newsletter are presented by the Editors in good faith. Readers would be wise to critically examine the circumstances associated with any claims to determine the applicability of such claims to their specific set of circumstances. This material can be reproduced, with the provision that the source and the author (or editors, if applicable) are acknowledged and the use is for information or educational purposes. Contact with the original author is probably wise since the material may require updating or amendment if used in other publications. Material sourced from the Australian New Crops Newsletter cannot be used out of context or for commercial purposes not related to its original purpose in the newsletter
Contact: Dr Rob Fletcher, School of Land and Food, The University of Queensland Gatton College, 4345; Telephone: 07 5460 1311 or 07 5460 1301; Facsimile: 07 5460 1112; International facsimile: 61 7 5460 1112; Email:
r.fletcher@mailbox.uq.edu.au[
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GK; latest update 6 June 1999 by: RF