Australian Grasslands Research at the Crossroads

Grasslands research in Australia is at a crossroad. There are several difficulties. First, the decline of sheep production and dairying within Australia and increased cropping has focused attention on crop research rather than pasture research. Second, enrolments in agricultural and related education have declined, and graduate numbers are insufficient to meet demand for expertise. Third, there has been a move towards specialisation in research and there are relatively few generalist agricultural scientists able to integrate research results into agricultural ecosystems. There remain very many challenges. Adapting grassland production to minimize the emission of carbon dioxide and methane is a major challenge. Another major challenge is to develop production systems that will be productive in the changed environments resulting from climate change. A third challenge is to secure funding for grassland research with research and development corporations focused mainly on off-farm and cropping research