[3] Its key areas of work include primary sector industries (in SA, mainly agriculture, viticulture and farming of livestock),[4] marine aquaculture, and biosecurity.
[5] Agribusiness, covering "food and beverage, field crops, meat and livestock, wine, seafood, horticulture and forestry sectors" are seen as mainstays and growth areas of the South Australian economy.
[21] In 2007, as part of its community program, PIRSA administered a travel survey in Adelaide that identified the need for secure parking for bicycles in the city.
[9] To help with landholders' recovery from the December 2019 bushfires, PIRSA prepared, with other agencies, an impact assessment of the damage done to many types of agricultural enterprises.
Advice on caring for stock, coordination of various types of assistance, and technical support were given to people who had suffered losses from the fires, many of whom were located around Cudlee Creek and on Kangaroo Island.