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: *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 *Published ''Overseas Trading''Structure
The Department was aSubsequent agencies
* Department of Primary Industry (11 January 1956 – 2 June 1974) * Department of Agriculture (12 June 1974 – 22 December 1975) * Department of Primary Industry (22 December 1975 – 24 July 1987) *Notable people
* Sir John Crawford, Secretary of the department in the 1950sReferences
Commerce and Agriculture Australia, Commerce and Agriculture Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry {{Australia-gov-stub