The Dried Vine Fruits Research Committee was apparently in existence by 1966, when it is mentioned in the "Annual Report for 1966-1967" of the Australian Dried Fruits Control Board (CA 85) (Commonwealth Parliamentary Paper No. 172 of 1967, p. 15). The Dried Fruits Control Board had funded research by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CA 486) and its successor the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CA 641) into problems affecting the industry from an early stage in its history ("Annual Report of the Commonwealth Dried Fruits Board 1938-39", Commonwealth Parliamentary Paper, No: 264 of 1939, p. 9).

In 1964 the Dried Fruits Export Control Act 1924, which established the Board, was amended by the Dried Fruits Export Control Act 1964, No. 89 of 1964. This Act allowed the Board to delegate 'such of its powers and functions as the Board determines' to an Executive Committee. This committee was to be appointed by the Board from among its own members, the Board specifying the number of members necessary to form a quorum, and the tenure of the committee. Questions arising at a meeting of the Committee were to be decided by a majority of votes of the members present and voting. In the event of an equality of votes on a question, the question 'shall be deemed to have been decided in the negative' with the presiding member having a deliberative vote only. The Committee was empowered to 'invite persons to attend a meeting.... for the purpose of advising or informing the Committee on any matter'.

The "Annual Report of the Australian Dried Fruits Control Board 1966-1967" (Commonwealth Parliamentary Paper No. 172 of 1967) supplied the following information about the Committee.

'During the period covered by this report research into matters relating to the handling processing, packaging and storage of Australian Dried Vine Fruits was continued in Australia and the United Kingdom by the Dried Vine Fruits Research Committee [which] is continually investigating and undertaking research into new methods and problems associated with the processing and packing of Australian Dried Fruits'.

The Committee comprised representatives of each of the following:
Department of Primary Industry [I] (CA 63)

Standing Committee on Agriculture (CA 696)

CSIRO (CA 641)

The Australian Dried Fruits Association

Packing Companies

Australian Dried Fruits Control Board (CA 85)

The 'Annual Report' of the Board for 1967-1968 (Commonwealth
Parliamentary Paper, No. 136 of 1968, pp. 13-14) states that the Committee 'arranged' the following 'major investigations':

. the biological processing of dried vine fruits by the
  Horticultural Research Section of the CSIRO; and
 
. research by an American consultant into the washing and drying
  of dried vine fruits.

The Board continued to maintain its laboratory in London and a consultant, Dr A.B. Page, for research into matters associated with dried fruits.

In 1970 the Federal Council of the Australian Dried Fruits Association passed a resolution calling for the Board 'to take necessary steps to establish a Research Fund and Committee for Dried Vine and Tree Fruits and for Prunes'. A formal letter to the Australian Agricultural Council (CA 479) led to the Dried Fruits Research Act 1971, No. 21 of 1971, which established the Dried Fruits Research Committee (CA 3295), replacing the Dried Vine Fruits Research Committee on 27 April 1971. 
The new Committee was to engage in 'scientific, technical or economic research in connection with the production, processing or packaging of dried fruits', being funded by the statutory Dried Fruits Research Fund. ("Annual Report of the Australian Dried Fruits Control Board 1970-1971", Commonwealth Parliamentary Paper, No. 135 of 1971, p. 22).  

Department of Primary Industry [I], Barton ACT

CREATION: Commonwealth of Australia Acts, No. 89 of 1964, Dried Fruits Export Control Act 1964 
ABOLITION: Commonwealth of Australia Acts, No. 21 of 1971, Dried Fruits Research Act 1971