2011/766.02 Seafood CRC Oyster Business Benchmarking Project Report on Extension Activities

By Don Defenderfer

This project was completed by RDS Partners under contract by the Australian Seafood CRC to assist with gathering and collating feedback from the oyster industry regarding extension and promotion activities associated with the "Benchmarking the Australian Oyster Industry Project" (which is currently being conducted by Shane Comiskey of CDI Pinnacle Management and is funded through the Australian Seafood CRC).

Specifically the tasks suggested to RDS included:

• Consult with the Australian oyster industry to determine whether there is the need to undertake industry promotion and further extension activities associated with the oyster business benchmarking work.
• Talk to Shane Comiskey of CDI Pinnacle and Dr Graham Mair of the Seafood CRC to discuss extension of the outcomes and extension support for the oyster business benchmarking project.
• Provide to the CRC an independent view point as to whether the industry and the principal investigator of the project's perceptions and plans match and to make recommendations to the CRC on how extension could be undertaken.

The report presents the findings of RDS's research and makes recommendations for future action. Findings are detailed within the report on the subjects of:

• Farmer awareness of the benchmarking project.
• Participation in the benchmarking project.
• Interest in the results of the benchmarking project.
• Future promotion and extension of the benchmarking project.
• Key messages and methods for future extension of the benchmarking project.
• Future involvement in the benchmarking project and the costs involved.
• Advantages and disadvantages of the benchmarking project.