Scope

The Red Meat Industry supplies funds for R&D through three organisations: RMRDT (Red Meat Research and Development Trust), RMLA (Red Meat Levy Administrator) and SAPPO (South African Pork Producers’ Association). Their involvement with R&D are to promote and fund Research and Development projects concerned with red meat production processes and products (carcasses, fresh and processed meat, offal, hides and skins) deriving from red meat producing livestock (cattle, sheep, goats and pigs).

Projects which are funded are focussed on specific problem areas as indicated by the various sectors of the red meat industry. For a list of focus areas and projects recently funded, there are two documents available which describe the research and development plan for a) the pork industry and b) the large stock and small-stock meat industries in South Africa. These can be viewed at the website. In these R&D plans you can note the outcomes and their priorities. All proposals are evaluated and considered for funding but A-priority outcome projects are generally considered more favourably than B- or C- priority outcomes. You can use the list of projects already funded and the R&D plans as guidelines to formulate project proposals for 2010.

Process

The RMRDT uses a system of committees to select projects for funding namely, the Planning Committee (R&D) Pork, Planning Committee (R&D) Cattle and Small-stock, and RMRDT Project Committee. These committees consider proposals for project funding; evaluate project protocols and progress/final reports and budget funds for projects.

Funds are generally supplied to cover part of the cost of a project. It is therefore expected from research institutions to find co-sponsorship for projects from other sources. Funds for personnel, laboratory capital equipment, for the establishing of animal husbandry type facilities and demonstration units and operational costs of routine procedures, are normally not funded. Funds are normally allocated to a project on an annual basis. Further annual funding is only considered after approval of the previous years’ progress report by the respective committees. Projects can be funded for three years, after which each is re-evaluated and re-prioritised again, if applicable. Our average contributions to a project’s operational cost amounted to R80 000 per annum.

In the final instance, budgets are approved, which include project funding for the next year. Allocated funds for a project are transferred to the research institution in the specific financial year after the signing of an agreement (or amendment thereof) by both parties and after confirmation by the research institution that the scheduled research work for that year had commenced.

Call

You are hereby requested to submit short formal proposals for specific projects as per the pro forma “Project Proposal”. Proposals should be submitted by 5 December 2008 for evaluation during 2009 for funding in 2010.

Proposals regarding projects dealing with the pig industry are particularly sought. The SAPPO (South African Pork Producers’ Organisation) has available R0,5m in addition to the R0.1m of the RMRDT for pig/pork research purposes. Also for projects dealing with cattle and small-stock some R0.5m are available in addition to the R1.5m of the RMRDT for research purposes.

All proposals will be considered and a request for full project proposals on those accepted will follow later. The proposals and protocols are judged by the committee members who use specific guidelines for this purpose. Please note item 6 that Welfare and Ethics are also considered. During the first quarter of 2010 we announce which projects will be funded in 2010.

Tel (012) 361-4545
Fax (012) 361-9837
E-mail  Dr Gustav Klingbiel or visit the Website for further information.