Sugar Research Australia (SRA) has announced the appointment of Dr Andrew Ward to lead the organisation’s Biosecurity division.
Ward comes to the position from being Leader, Plant Health, with SRA and he has significant experience in diverse agricultural industries, including sugarcane.
SRA CEO Neil Fisher said that Ward was an experienced scientist in Queensland, NSW, the Northern Territory, and internationally, and that he was ideally placed to lead this critical focus area for SRA research investment.
“The Australian sugar industry has placed plant biosecurity as one of its top priorities for investment from SRA,” Fisher said. “Diseases, pests and weeds represent a significant threat to the ongoing viable production of Australian sugarcane.
“SRA’s research investment into biosecurity is the frontline of protecting the industry from external threats that exist in foreign industries, including our nearby northern neighbouring countries. SRA also plays a vital role in researching and managing the threats that already exist within the Australian sugarcane industry,” Fisher said.
“The research effort into sugarcane smut over the last 20 years is an example of the value of biosecurity research investment for sugarcane growers and millers. Preparation for the risk of smut began 10 years prior to its actual incursion in 2006, and those early preparedness measures were a valuable insurance policy as the industry transitioned to smut-resistant sugarcane varieties after smut was discovered in 2006.”
Ward said he looked forward to leading SRA’s biosecurity activities for the industry.
“Biosecurity risks can cause hundreds of millions of damage to agricultural industries. For the Australian sugarcane industry, SRA’s research programs through biosecurity, and its linkages with other research, is critical to ensuring the ongoing success of the Australian sugarcane industry,” Ward said.
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