Australian farmers have been funding their own rural research for nearly 200 years. During this time we have seen an evolution from kitties for agricultural show prizes to support from voluntary then compulsory cooperatives, to philanthropic societies and onto a succession of industry research committees, councils, corporations and companies. This succession was born out a period of not simply innovative rural institutional reform, but reform that Professor Roger Wettenhall describes “the most advanced studies in the field of public enterprise, statutory authorities and indirect public administration with thinking that is consistent with the most advanced international work in this field.” Evolutionary extinction is not yet in sight, although revolutionary extinction might well be, argues our speaker. As Australia’s Forest Gump and Zelig of the rural research and research policy worlds, Dr Richard Price will enlighten us on some of the truths, myths and outright misrepresentations surrounding this history. From there he will attempt to construct some truths, myths and outright misrepresentations of his own about its future. These will be based around the four ‘GFCs’ (Global Financial Crisis; Global Food Crisis; Global Flora/Fauna Crisis; Global Fahrenheit Crisis).