Welcome to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES).
ABARES is the science and economics research bureau within the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
ABARES performs it role to support the strategic objectives of the department:
- Building successful primary industries
- Supporting agricultural communities
- Expanding agricultural, fisheries and forestry exports
- Sustaining natural resources for longer term productive primary industries
- Managing biosecurity and imported food risk
Decision-makers face questions and problems that demand quality and timely advice on a range of themes, including responses to drought, fisheries management, biosecurity, forestry, trade and agricultural productivity. ABARES provides specialised capacity to meet this demand through the provision of integrated scientific and economic advice on the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors. Our mission is to provide professionally independent and world-class multi-disciplinary research, analysis and advice to inform decision-makers in this department, other government agencies and the private sector on significant issues affecting Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.
In 2015-16 ABARES will contribute to supporting key priorities of the Government’s agenda, including the implementation of the Agricultural Competitiveness white paper and market access and free trade agreements.
On behalf of the agriculture portfolio, ABARES manages the government’s regulatory reform agenda (previously known as the deregulation or cutting red tape agenda), including the identification and monitoring of opportunities for regulatory reform, reporting on achievements to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and implementing the regulator performance framework.
ABARES role continued...
ABARES has the capacity to contribute directly to the development of public policy, enabling the Australian Government to make decisions based on the best available information and analysis. This role places certain responsibilities on ABARES as it operates, at times, within the confidential realm of policy making.
In contributing to policy development, ABARES examines the full range of options potentially available to policy makers and, at times, may enter into public discussion on its research findings and on the consequences of different policy options. ABARES also takes a collaborative approach to research and policy analysis, working with external experts and partners, including the CSIRO and the Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis.
ABARES research products take a variety of forms, including publications, data, data tools, workshops, briefings and presentations. Research findings are commonly communicated through our website, seminars and conferences—including our National and Regional Outlook conferences—and through a range of media tools.
In addition to making much of our research publicly available, in 2015–16 ABARES will continue to undertake an extensive programme of work that is internally focused and supports the development of policy, delivery of election commitments and a range of operational activities across the portfolio. This work is embedded in policy briefings and information from other areas of the department rather than as standalone and individually visible products. We expect to provide more than 2000 pieces of advice and briefing, positioning the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources as a whole-of-government leader in evidence-based policy and programme provision.
Our work programme in 2015–16 sets out ABARES priorities and activities for the year. It reflects the collaborative nature of our work in supporting the department to meet policy, programme and business outcomes as outlined in the Portfolio Budget Statement 2015–16. It encompasses activities we undertake for other Australian Government departments and agencies and private-sector stakeholders to aid their decision-making.
Apart from publishing our regular flagship products—such as the Australian crop report, Agricultural commodities, Australian Farm Survey reports, Australian Forest and Wood Products Statistics and Fishery status reports—we deliver specialised publications, including land use maps for clients across a diverse range of subjects, and integrated research on fisheries, biosecurity and forestry issues. Our publications and reports often attract media attention, which helps to further disseminate the information we produce. Some ABARES publications and data are also critical inputs to meeting Australia’s international obligations. For example, Australia’s State of the Forests Report, provides Australia’s key input to the FAO Global Forests Assessments. ABARES also provides the national reports to regional fisheries management organisations, part of Australia’s obligations to maintaining access and participation.
ABARES funding comprises approximately 80 per cent direct appropriation and administered funding from the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, with the balance received in earned revenue from divisions of the department, its portfolio agencies, other government departments and the private sector.