In October 2017, the ACE CRC contracted Agtrans Research to conduct an Impact Assessment of investment in the CFT Initiative. The impact assessment was funded to demonstrate the impact of a significant RD&E investment by the ACE CRC and partners. This assessment will also be provided as a cross-disciplinary impact study for the University of Tasmania Excellence in Research Australia 2018 submission.

The scope of this assessment has been limited to ACE CRC investment in 17 key CFT research, development and extension (RD&E) outputs completed as at 30 June 2017. The approach followed general impact assessment guidelines that are now well entrenched within the Australian primary industry research sector. The assessment used a logical framework approach to describe the CFT inputs and then qualitatively identified and described the key outputs and outcomes of the CFT investment. Economic, environmental and social impacts then were identified and described.