Since 1975 the Crop Science Society of South Australia Incorporated (CSSSA) has advocated for the use of sound science to provide improvements in agricultural crop production for South Australian producers. CSSSA is an active organisation of farmers, farming consultants and agricultural research scientists. It was felt that a society was needed to provide a forum for the exchange of information between people in academic and applied fields; between research, teaching, extension workers, farmers and marketing representatives.
CSSSA provides a forum for the interchange of ideas from a membership extending beyond that spanned by any existing organisation. Currently, the society has over 300 members from rural and metropolitan SA, as well as a small interstate membership. Meetings are held on the third or fourth Wednesday of the month at the University of Adelaide’s Roseworthy campus.
The collaboration and extension between public bodies such as CSSSA and key research organisations (Waite Research Institute, SARDI, CSIRO) is important for South Australia’s growth in agricultural research. The agricultural sector in South Australia is significant and different to other states due to the tight knit collaboration between farmers, agronomists and scientists that span across the state. Upholding this connection between sectors assists in developing innovative research that aligns with both South Australian specific issues and national issues in agriculture. It is incredibly important to retain relationships between key sectors of both urban and regional research centers and their extension.
The Crop Science Society of South Australia members are passionate about creating a friendly platform for all researchers, especially young, to develop their studies and promote the extension of research. The monthly meetings held by CSSSA provides a unique environment for farmers, agronomists and scientists to interact, promote key research and facilitates bilateral information flow between industries.