This project expands a review of past and emerging market trends affecting the Australian Food Industry’s food safety and quality assurance systems, by assessing trends that might not typically be considered by food industry stakeholders but which may impact on their future social, economic and natural environments. Food industry stakeholders are being engaged through dialogues and scenario workshops to consider the global trends impacting on the food industry and its food safety and quality assurance systems.  The project examines assumptions and beliefs that the industry has about its plausible futures; seeks to improve understanding across sectors of the industry about one another’s views of the future; is investigating plausible futures that have not been considered so far; exploring opportunities for different ways of operating and different responsibilities among different sectors of the industry and between industry and government; and documenting a set of strategies for responding to existing challenges and preparing the industry for plausible future challenges and opportunities

Role: Project Manager (ENVision Environmental Consulting)

Client: Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) – Food Division

Project budget: $140,000

Providing social science expertise to support the implementation of several BRS research projects examining factors affecting the uptake of by-catch mitigation measures in the fishing sector. One project aims to: identify the drivers influencing adoption of by-catch mitigation measures; identify issues and conditions influencing fisher’s decisions to adopt by-catch measures; and outline implications for improved uptake of mitigation measures. This project is part of a larger BRS project examining how to improve the effectiveness of by-catch mitigation, funded through the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT). Also providing ongoing advice on project development and products for DAFF Fisheries Division.

Role: Scientist (ENVision Environmental Consulting)

Client: Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) – BRS

Project budget: $35,000

Project identified, located and prepared annotated bibliography of the social and consumer literature covering identified issues of food standards development.

Role: Scientist – ENVision Environmental Consulting

Client: Food Standards Australian New Zealand

Project budget: $20,000

Several linked projects included designing and implementating public and stakeholder consultation processes.  Two web-based questionnaires were used as part of the public consultation process for the Australian Government’s Live Export Standards and the Draft National Animal Welfare Strategy.  A full analysis of the results and recommendations on improved consultation processes was undertaken and the reports were used to provide information to members of the Livestock Export Advisory Committee and the Primary Industries Standing Committee.  Subsequent work identified the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy (AAWS) stakeholder audience.  A participatory analysis was used to identify and understand the broad range of stakeholders in animal welfare, what methods can be used to determine stakeholders’ interests and capacities to support the Strategy, and information to underpin communication and engagement strategies for the national Strategy. This project was extended to include deeper analysis of the stakeholder environment and identify stakeholder needs and capacities to support implementation of the AAWS.

Role: BRS Social Scientist - Project Manager

Client:Product Integrity Animal and Plant Health - Animal Welfare Unit

Project budget: $125,000

This project was designed to improve understanding of community views regarding aquaculture development and management. The project used a literature review and two case studies – using stakeholder interviews and household mail surveys - in key aquaculture regions (Eyre Peninsula, SA, and the Port Phillip Bay, Victoria).  Findings were disseminated through client consultations, presentations at key industry conferences and high-level government advisory committees, and extensive distribution of research reports and summaries. The project has helped frame national, state and local policies to better address public concerns and build a viable and sustainable industry.

Role: BRS Social Scientist - Project Manager

Client: Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) – Fisheries & Aquaculture Branch & Fisheries Victoria

Project budget: $300,000

This project entailed a series of stakeholder interviews with Rural Research & Development Corporations to determine their needs for social and economic information.  The findings are being used to assist in a BRS project for the National Land & Water Resources Audit (NLWRA), which entails the development and piloting  of indicators, survey methods and tools to assess landmanagers’ capacity to change and adopt sustainable natural resource management practices. 

Role: ENVision - Project Manager

Client: Bureau of Rural Sciences, National Land & Water Resources Audit

Project budget: $15,000

This project identified appropriate models for community engagement training in developing countries.  Information from over 200 sources was synthesized, and used by Charles Sturt University to implement several community engagement training programs in Laos and Thailand. 

Role: Scientist

Client: Institute for Land, Water & Society, Charles Sturt University

Project budget: $5,500

The Product Integrity Animal and Plant Health (PIAPH) of DAFF commissioned this project to identify the biosecurity risks posed by people carrying out farming or similar activities in peri-urban areas.  Three case studies of peri-urban areas were used to identify: regions undergoing land use change; groups which might pose biosecurity risks (e.g. people of non-English-speaking backgrounds, hobby and lifestyle farmers, people raising plants or animals for subsistence use, and people involved in selling, bartering or trading plant and animal products through informal means); particular types of practices; and appropriate communications methods and networks.  The project information assisted PIAPH’s communications with these landowners and helped to determine how best to tailor communications strategies.

Role: Scientist

Client: Product Integrity Animal and Plant Health

Project budget: $100,000

This project entailed a review of farmer drought preparedness. The review included a synthesis of readily available published literature, previous program evaluations and survey data.  The project improved understanding of the level of farmer preparedness for climate variability and the manner in which farmers make decisions regarding drought preparedness.  Recommendations looked at possible actions that might be taken to significantly lift primary producer drought preparedness.

Role: Scientist

Client:  Industry Development Committee – Primary Industries Standing Committee

Project budget: $58,000

This toolkit was designed and implemented  to assist in planning and decision-making and guide structural adjustment issues associated with the establishment of marine protected areas.  The toolkit provided a general guide to undertaking socio-economic impact assessment (SEIA), followed by specific guides to assessing the potential impacts of proposed MPAs on selected sectors.

Role: Scientist

Client:  Department of Environment & Heritage

Project budget: $45,000

This project, funded by the Cooperative Venture for Capacity Building, examined farmer participation in capacity building activities and identifying sources of data on participation rates.  The project aims were to help inform investment priorities, better target capacity building activities for Australian farmers, and foster involvement of under-represented groups. The project generated quantitative measures of baseline participation rates by industry sectors, type of capacity building activity, region, and demographic groupings (age, gender, educational level, income etc.). 

Role: Scientist

Client: Cooperative Venture for Capacity Building, Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation

Project budget: $60,000

The project examined: attitudes to environmental philanthropy of people moving to coastal and key regional areas; impediments to private sector nature conservation; likely take up rates of four potential tax changes; drivers and recommend best approaches to increase involvement in private sector nature conservation of land with high aesthetic value.  Data was collected through a literature review, interviews with key informants in government, NGO and philanthropic organisations and landholders in two States, NSW and Victoria. The Department of Environment and Heritage used the information to build effective partnerships between the government, the community and individuals and support the design of appropriate strategies, incentives and mechanisms to encourage greater adoption of conservation practices and environmental philanthropy.

Role: Scientist

Client: Department of Environment and Heritage

Project budget: $60,000

This project investigated the skill and training needs of regional groups responsible for developing Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) plans under the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality and the extension of the Natural Heritage Trust. It also considered broader issues related to capacity building for INRM. Data was collected through a literature review, key informant interviews and responses from members and staff of regional groups to a training needs questionnaire that included a skills template (a listing of skill and knowledge areas relevant to INRM planning).  The project produced recommendations to improve capacity building activities and to help identify regional groups’ skill and training needs.

Role: Scientist

Client:  Land & Water Australia

Project budget: $60,000

The project entailed an interdisciplinary literature review on risk and risk perception covering a range of risk literature including sociological, psychological, economic, policy and technical. The report was published as part of the RIRDC’s report series.  It increased understanding of the diversity of theoretical approaches to risk and risk perception and the available work on farmers’ perceptions of risk. It has benefited industry by clarifying the meaning and intent of the term risk as used by policy makers and others and highlighting areas of confusion.  It served as a useful tool for policy makers in improving their communication with stakeholder groups by alerting them to possible ambiguities in the use of the term ‘risk management’.

Role: Project Manager

Client: Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation

Project budget: $15,000

ENVision conducted several stakeholder surveys and analyses for divisions in DAFF, including Client surveys for the National Forests Inventory (NFI), the National Vegetation Information System (NVIS) and Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Australia (AFFA)’s Management Services.

These projects entailed the design of qualitative and quantitative surveys and subsequent data analyses.  The projects identified stakeholders’ support for particular services and programs and provided suggestions for improving service and program outcomes.

Role: Scientist

Client: BRS - Forests and Vegetation Sciences Program & DAFF Corporate

Project budget: $45,000

This project required the collation of a range of social data and formulation of performance indicators that rural research and development corporations could use to measure the social impacts of their programs.

Role: Scientist

Client: Land & Water Australia

Project budget:  $10,000

A range of quantitative data was collected and analysed, as well as the quantification of select qualitative information, in order to develop environmental indicators.  These indicators were used to help the City benchmark its progress towards achieving sustainability.

Role: Scientist

Client: City of Adelaide

Project budget: $25,000

Social and institutional problems challenging wildlife conservation efforts of governments, scientists and non-government organizations were identified.  The Project revealed ways to more effectively manage the policy and management processes as part of this threatened species recovery effort.  applied interdisciplinary methods of the policy sciences to identify social and institutional problems restricting Federal and State governments, scientists and non-government organisations from conserving wildlife.

Role: Scientist

Client: World Wildlife Fund

Project budget: $75,000