Department of Commerce and Agriculture

Department of Commerce and Agriculture
Department overview
Formed	22 December 1942^[1]
Preceding Department	Department of Post-War Reconstruction - for Bureau of Agricultural Economics, Fisheries Division Department of Supply and Shipping - for jute and flax production Department of Commerce - for trade and agriculture
Dissolved	11 January 1956^[1]
Superseding agency	Department of Primary Industry (I) - for agricultural and pastoral industries and fisheries Department of Trade (I) - for trade promotion, policy treaties, investigations
Jurisdiction	Commonwealth of Australia
Headquarters	Barton, Canberra
Ministers responsible	William Scully, Minister (1942‑46) Reg Pollard, Minister (1946‑49) John McEwen, Minister (1949‑56)
Department executives	Frank Murphy, Secretary (1942‑45) Edwin McCarthy, Secretary (1945‑50) John Crawford, Secretary (1950‑56)

The Department of Commerce and Agriculture was an Australian government department that existed between December 1942 and January 1956.

Scope

Information about the department's functions and/or government funding allocation could be found in the Administrative Arrangements Orders, the annual Portfolio Budget Statements and in the Department's annual reports.

At the department's creation it was responsible for:^[1]

Agriculture Production
Agricultural Economics
Assistance to Primary Producers
Australian Agricultural Council
Collection and dissemination of commercial intelligence and general information
Contact with State Departments of Agriculture regarding agricultural production
Contact with the following organization and administration of any Commonwealth Acts under which they are established:
- Australian Apple and Pear Advisory Council
- Australian Apple and Pear Marketing Board
- Australian Barley Board
- Australian Canned Fruits Board
- Australian Citrus Advisory Council
- Australian Dairy Produce Board
- Australian Hides and Leather Industries Board
- Australian Meat Board
- Australian National Publicity Association
- Australian Potato Board
- Australian Tobacco Board
- Australian Wheat Board
- Australian Wine Board
- Australian Wool Board
- Australian Wool Realization Commission
- Commonwealth Food Control
- Council for the Australian Pig Industry
- Dairy Produce Control Committee
- Dried Fruits Control Board
- Egg Producer's Council
- Federal Potato Advisory Committee
- Field Peas Board
- Meat Canning Committee
- Meat Industry Advisory Committee
- Standing Committee on Agriculture
- Superphosphate Industry Committee
- Wheat Industry Stabilization Board
- Wheat Stabilization Advisory Committee
- Eastern Trade Advisory Committee
Exhibitions (organization of trade exhibits)
External Trade - Overseas trade promotion
Fisheries - Administration of Commonwealth policy and co-ordination of State activities and control of fishing in extra-Territorial waters
General Trade inquiries
Investigation of overseas trade matters
Inspection and/or grading of dairy produce, meat, fruit (fresh, dried and canned), jams, honey, vegetables, etc., exported from the Commonwealth
Investigation of marketing, economic and other problems of farming industries
Marketing investigations abroad
Rural credits
Rural man-power
Tourist publicity abroad
Trade Agreements-
- Administration of export aspects
- Collaboration with other Departments in negotiations
Trade Commissioner Service
Trade publicity and advertising in Australia, the United Kingdom and elsewhere
Trade Surveys for specific commodities

Structure

The Department was an Commonwealth Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Minister for Commerce and Agriculture.^[1]

References

1 2 3 4 CA 48: Department of Commerce and Agriculture, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 27 December 2013

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