CRDC and Cotton Australia co-fund membership for the cotton industry in the Primary Industries Education Foundation of Australia (PIEFA). PIEFA's mission is to engage and inform students, teachers and the broader community about the role and importance of primary industries in the Australian economy, environment and wider community, and the career opportunities available through the primary industries and along the chain of supply of food and fibre products.

PIEFA's Objectives:

provide national leadership and coordination of initiatives to encourage primary industries education in schools through a partnership between industry, government and educators;

commission, coordinate, facilitate and manage national projects to encourage primary industries education in schools;

provide a source of credible, objective and educational resources for schools to maintain and improve community confidence in Australia's primary industries; and

communicate primary industries research and development outcomes in a format accessible for schools and encourage interest from schools in primary industries related careers.

PIEFA operates and manages a web portal for teachers called Primezone. Primezone provides teachers with a one stop shop to access a range of high quality primary industries education resources from Foundation to year 12, all linked to the Australian curriculum.

Visit Primezone at www.primezone.edu.au

This project represents continued fundingof the membershifor the Primary Industries Education Foundation of Australia (PIEFA) for the 2015/2016 financial year. Based on a review of the value of PIEFA membership for the Cotton Industry after our fourth year of membership, Cotton Australia can confidently recommend continued funding. For a full account of that review please see the attached document.

In our view, PIEF are adding value to our work and that of the industry (education and also the RD&E). In short:

 Offering exceptional value for money delivering far beyond the 50K co-investment of the cotton industry.

 PIEFA are supporting collaboration across industries the education sector, government and the primary industries

 PIEFA provide advice, networks and manpower in respect to resources development.

 They are an established go-to point of contact for those seeking input from primary industries in general on education issues

 PIEFA add value through their policy and advocacy work