AUSVEG Weekly Update – 10 October 2017

In this edition

Webinar: Getting soil and nutrition management right with the EnviroVeg program
Industry update: New export market opportunities for WA seed potatoes
LAST CHANCE: Vegetable Strategic Investment Plan available for comment
Trade mission: World of Perishables Dubai – applications now open!
Reminder: Nielsen data available for vegetable commodities
Workshop: Food waste and extrusion technology (Werribee South, VIC)
Industry update: Hort Innovation announces AGM (Tullamarine, VIC)
Resource: VegNET Gippsland e-newsletter
Webinar: Pesticides and insect pest control in vegetables
Resource: Hort Innovation e-newsletter
Industry update: National Nutrition Week – Try for 5
Industry update: Women of the Land exhibition opening (Melbourne, VIC)
Workshops: CSIRO food labelling information sessions (National)
Grant opportunity: 2018 Science and Innovation Awards – Last chance
Industry update: New Landcare program consultation and information sessions
Webinar: Risk assessment for pre-harvest water use
Resource: Australian Tropical Cyclone Outlook for 2017 to 2018
Hort Innovation project opportunities
The week’s top stories
AUSVEG in the media

Vegetable feature article

Webinar: Getting soil and nutrition management right with the EnviroVeg program

Join an informative and interactive one-hour lunchtime session to get the latest updates from vegetable industry experts on healthy soil and correct nutrition management, which are essential to a productive vegetable business and protecting the natural environment. While the focus will be on nitrogen, the team can also answer your questions about other nutrients during the discussion.

The webinar, to be delivered by Dr Doris Blaesing (RMCG) and Andrew Shaw (AUSVEG), will offer a unique insight into how to manage vegetable soils and nutrition with a focus on environmental and economic sustainability. Growers Belinda Adams and David Anderson will also share the main benefits they’ve experienced from being involved in the EnviroVeg program.

Date: Wednesday 22 November 2017
Time: 12:30–1:30pm (AEDT)

For more information on this webinar, please click here. To register for the webinar, please click here.

This session is being delivered as a collaboration between the Soil Wealth and Integrated Crop Protection projects (delivered by RMCG and AHR) and the EnviroVeg program (delivered through AUSVEG in partnership with Growcom and Freshcare), both of which are strategic levy investments under the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund.

Potatoes feature article

Industry update: New export market opportunities for WA seed potatoes

Over the previous 17 years, there has been a steady decline in fresh potato production in Australia (as well as many other developed countries), while fresh potato production in developing countries is growing faster than population growth.

One growth opportunity available to the Australian potato industry is seed for export markets. Several Western Australian seed potato entities have been pursuing seed potato exports over the last decade, and Western Australia now leads Australian seed potato exports with a share of 79 per cent.

The major markets are currently Indonesia, Mauritius and Thailand. These markets have grown over the last decade, but are now reaching capacity, so there is a need to look for new seed potato markets.

A full profile on new export market opportunities for WA seed potatoes will be available in the upcoming edition of Potatoes Australia magazine, which will be in mailboxes around the country around the last week of October.

All previous editions of Potatoes Australia are available on the AUSVEG website. To subscribe to receiving hard copies of Potatoes Australia, please contact AUSVEG at communications@ausveg.com.au.

LAST CHANCE: Vegetable Strategic Investment Plan available for comment

The Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) for the vegetable industry is almost done! The final draft of the document was published online by Hort Innovation on 25 September 2017, and this is your last chance to provide feedback, with all comments due by COB Monday 16 October 2017.

To read the final draft SIP and use the simple online form to provide your feedback, visit Hort Innovation’s Vegetable Fund page.

You can also provide direct feedback to Hort Innovation’s Relationship Managers for the vegetable industry:

Sam Turner on 0418 164 717 or at sam.turner@horticulture.com.au
Brad Wells on 0412 528 398 or at brad.wells@horticulture.com.au
Christian Patterson on 0433 896 753 or at christian.patterson@horticulture.com.au

The final industry SIP will be used to help guide Hort Innovation’s strategic investment of the vegetable levy, ensuring that levy investment decisions align with industry priorities. It outlines these industry priorities and the core industry outcomes required by investments. The SIP is designed to represent the balanced interests of the vegetable industry, and the draft has been created in close consultation with growers and other industry stakeholders.

Trade mission: World of Perishables Dubai – applications now open!

Exporting vegetable growers are invited to apply to attend the premier fresh produce tradeshow in the Middle East, World of Perishables Dubai.

Date: 5–7 December 2017
Location: Dubai World Trade Centre

About this trade mission

The UAE and Middle Eastern markets are characterised by high disposable incomes and high import reliance. This provides an opportunity for Australian vegetable growers to build on the success of existing fresh produce trade into the UAE and various Middle Eastern markets.

The anticipated travel dates for successful participants will be 1–8 December 2017 and the program will involve the following opportunities:

Exhibit and showcase your products at World of Perishables to fresh produce buyers from the Middle East region
Participate in an in-market study tour to Kuwait directly prior to World of Perishables
Participate in an in-market supply chain visit in Dubai
Access a range of business development opportunities in Dubai

How to apply

AUSVEG has a limited number of funded positions available for levy-paying vegetable growers to exhibit at the 2017 World of Perishables tradeshow. If you are interested in exhibiting and being part of the AUSVEG delegation for this trade event, please contact AUSVEG on 03 9882 0277 to discuss the options available.

To download the application form, please click here. Applications must be submitted to AUSVEG by 5:00pm on Friday 27 October 2017 via email to export@ausveg.com.au.

Reminder: Nielsen data available for vegetable commodities

Hort Innovation has engaged Nielsen to carry out consumer research to allow the Australian vegetable industry to better understand the shopping habits of Australians. The results aim to assist growers to better understand consumer preferences and deliver products that best meet their needs.

Reports including data up to August 2017 are available for levy-paying vegetable growers! These reports offer detailed, in-depth sales information about a range of vegetables, including Asian vegetables, beans, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, fresh salad, lettuce, pumpkin, sweet corn, sweetpotato, and zucchini.

Nielsen Homescan electronically records 10,000 demographically and geographically representative Australian households’ purchases of all take-home grocery goods (fresh and packaged).

Growers interested in any or all of the individual commodity reports can contact AUSVEG via e-mail at info@ausveg.com.au.

Workshop: Food waste and extrusion technology (Werribee South, VIC)

The CSIRO researchers working on the levy-funded project VG15076 Creating value from edible vegetable waste, which is a strategic levy investment under the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund, will be demonstrating extrusion technology in action at a workshop as part of the VegNET program being delivered in the northern, western and south-eastern regions of Victoria.

This live demonstration will allow participants to touch and taste the extrusion of powdered broccoli or carrots into crunchy snacks, and discuss opportunities for value added products within their businesses.

Time/date: 3:00pm–4:00pm, Tuesday 24 October 2017
Location: Fresh Select, 610 Duncans Road, Werribee South VIC

For more information, see the event flyer. Levy-paying growers who are interested in attending this workshop can contact Clinton Muller on 0498 192 596 or at c lintonm@rmcg.com.au.

Some of this content first appeared in Hort Innovation’s quarterly Hortlink publication, available in full here. Stay in the loop by becoming a member of Hort Innovation – paying a levy doesn’t automatically make you a member, but signing up is free and easy here.

Industry update: Hort Innovation announces AGM (Tullamarine, VIC)

Hort Innovation has announced that its 2017 Annual General Meeting will be held on 24 November 2017 in Victoria. More information will be made available closer to the date, so please visit the Hort Innovation website to keep up-to-date with all the details.

Resource: VegNET Gippsland e-newsletter

AUSVEG encourages vegetable growers in the East Gippsland region to read the new October edition of the VegNET Gippsland monthly e-newsletter. This resource is made available through Gippsland’s vegetable capacity building project, which is a strategic levy investment as part of the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund.

To make sure you receive future e-newsletters, which will include news on upcoming events and updates on the great work being done in East Gippsland by the levy-funded VegNET program, please email Shayne Hyman at shayne.hyman@eastgippslandfoodcluster.com.au.

Webinar: Pesticides and insect pest control in vegetables

Chemicals have different modes of action that can affect both insect pest and beneficial species differently. It’s important to understand the risk profile of these modes of action, and how this influences resistance management as well as informing the implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

Join the ICP project team and guest presenter Dr Paul Umina from cesar for this interactive session.

Date: Wednesday 18 October 2017
Time: 12:30–1:30pm (AEDT)

Click here to register for the webinar, which is delivered as part of a strategic levy investment through the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund.

To find out more about the Soil Wealth and ICP projects visit the website, or join the Community of Practice online. You can also follow the projects on Twitter @SoilWealth and @ProtectingCrops.

Resource: Hort Innovation e-newsletter

A new edition of Hort Innovation’s monthly e-newsletter Growing Innovation is now available! This e-newsletter provides quick updates on the latest levy-funded research and development being undertaken across all of horticulture, and is a great supplement to the in-depth Hortlink publication.

To read the e-newsletter online, please click here. To sign up for future editions, please click here.

Industry update: National Nutrition Week – Try for 5

Each year, Nutrition Australia holds National Nutrition Week (NNW), an annual healthy eating awareness campaign. NNW 2017 will be held from 15–21 October, which coincides with the United Nations World Food Day, which takes place on Monday 16 October.

The theme for this year’s event is Try for 5, encouraging Australians to increase their vegetable consumption to the recommended five serves per day.

We encourage growers to take part in the campaign by hosting a morning or afternoon tea filled with plenty of locally-grown, fresh veggie snacks. If you host an event, we’d love to see photos and feature you on our social media channels, so send them through to communications@ausveg.com.au.

Throughout the week, AUSVEG will be encouraging everyone to increase their consumption of veggies, so make sure to keep an eye on AUSVEG’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn profiles.

For more information on NNW, please visit Nutrition Australia’s website.

Industry update: Women of the Land exhibition opening (Melbourne, VIC)

Sunday 15 October 2017 marks the United Nations International Day of Rural Women, a chance to celebrate the important role of rural women throughout the world. To celebrate, Melbourne Museum will hold an opening event for its Women of the Land exhibition on Friday 13 October.

This installation is a collaboration between the Invisible Farmer Project and Her Place Museum, and celebrates rural women who work, protect and heal the land. It will run until Sunday 26 November.

For more information on the Women of the Land exhibition opening, please click here to view the event flyer.

Workshops: CSIRO food labelling information sessions (National)

To help businesses better understand product labelling requirements (including compliance requirements) and their opportunities to maximise product performance, CSIRO is hosting a series of free workshops in October and November.

These workshops will answer common labelling questions, including:

What are the new labelling rules about country of origin and how do they affect food businesses?
What do consumers think of food labelling? Do they trust it?
What is a health claim for the purposes of food labelling and what do you need to make one?
How can businesses communicate the nutritional benefit of their food?
Should businesses support the Health Star Rating system for their products?

Attendees will also have the opportunity to have a free one-on-one meeting with CSIRO presenters for a product assessment and discussion about their business needs.

For more information, see the individual event pages for the workshops to be held in Adelaide, Newcastle, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth and Hobart.

Grant opportunity: 2018 Science and Innovation Awards – Last chance

Grant applications are closing soon for the 2018 Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Grants of up to $22,000 are available to fund projects by researchers aged 18-35 covering an innovative or emerging scientific issue that will benefit Australia’s primary industries.

There are 11 industry categories open for applications, which are supported by Australian research and development corporations and industry organisations. Winners of the industry category Science Awards are then invited to apply for the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources’ Award, which provides additional funding for an extended research project.

Applications close at 5:00pm on Friday 13 October 2017. For more information on the awards, including how to apply, please see the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources’ website.

Industry update: New Landcare program consultation and information sessions

From July 2018, the Regional Land Partnerships component of the national Landcare program will invest $450 million over five years to deliver projects at a regional and local level. These projects will align to the core priorities of the Landcare program, including those relating to the management of native vegetation on-farm.

The Australian Government wants to make sure that relevant stakeholders are well-informed about the proposed arrangements for these partnerships and have an opportunity to contribute their views. To help inform these discussions, the government has released a consultation paper and an online survey. The consultation survey will be open until 23 October 2017. To access the paper and the survey, please click here.

The government is also coordinating a series of community information sessions in Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne, Cairns, Adelaide, Darwin, Sydney, Perth, Launceston and Dubbo. For more information on the location and timing of each information session, please click here.

Webinar: Risk assessment for pre-harvest water use

Risk assessment of pre-harvest water has been identified as a key issue for industry according to feedback from previous professional development events coordinated by the Fresh Produce Safety Centre A-NZ (FPSC).

To help industry members gain a better understanding of risk assessment (particularly as it applies to pre-harvest water use), the FPSC is conducting a webinar as part of the Centre’s education and outreach program, with a focus on best practice as determined by QA leaders, system owners and auditors.

Time: 12:00noon–1:00pm
Date: Wednesday 11 October 2017

For more information, see the webinar flyer. To register, please click here.

Resource: Australian Tropical Cyclone Outlook for 2017 to 2018

The Bureau of Meteorology has released the Australian Tropical Cyclone Outlook for 2017 to 2018, suggesting a typical number of tropical cyclones are expected for the 2017–18 Australian tropical cyclone season (November–April). On average, there are 10 to 13 tropical cyclones each season in the Australian region, four of which typically cross the coast.

For more information on this outlook and the factors influencing the Bureau’s decision-making, please click here.

Hort Innovation project opportunities

Project code	Project title	Closing date
VG17004	Vegetable knowledge transfer at the 2018 International Spinach Conference	5pm (Sydney time) Tuesday 24 October 2017
HN17001	Investigating the use of antimicrobial coatings in fresh produce quality and food safety chain	5pm (Sydney time) Monday 30 October 2017
HN17000	Development of new nutrient-dense, value-added fruit and vegetable products	5pm (Sydney time) Monday 13 November 2017

Hort Innovation advertises opportunities to become a delivery partner on research, development and marketing projects for Australian horticulture on its website and on tenders.net.

Join Hort Innovation’s delivery partner mailing list to receive email notifications of new opportunities by registering through its delivery partner registration form.

The relevant documentation for each opportunity is available on tenders.net. To access this information, you will need to become a member by registering on the tenders.net registration page.

The week’s top stories

Farmland value surges, according to Australian Farmland Values report (Lyndal Reading, The Weekly Times)
Chinese investment in farmland soars as politicians urge closer eye on foreign ownership (Lucy Barbour, ABC Rural)
Wide Bay farmers ‘reeling’ after floods swamp Queensland crops after months of dry (Kallee Buchanan and Tom Major, ABC Rural)
Backpacker tax-driven worker slump on SA farms avoided as visa numbers remain steady (Tom Nancarrow, ABC Rural)
Sky Muster: Bush internet users welcome satellite data increase (Robin McConchie, ABC Rural)
Queensland [Agriculture] Minister Bill Byrne resigns from Cabinet due to heart disease (Gail Burke, ABC News)
Food production is rapidly embracing automation – what role can South Australia play in this farming revolution? (Andy Lowe, The Adelaide Advertiser)
Nick Xenophon to give up Senate seat and return to South Australian politics in ‘do or die’ effort (Matt Coleman, ABC News)
Industry has its say on GM regulations (Colin Bettles, Farm Weekly)
Murray Darling Basin Plan: Local say missing (Natalie Kotsios, The Weekly Times)
Don’t be fooled: Veggies present real value for money (Shaun Lindhe, AUSVEG)
The beetroot at the Slow Food Earth Markets Maitland loves the heat (Belinda-Jane Davis, Good Fruit & Vegetables)
Science weighs in on how to get kids to eat their vegetables (Beth Skwarecki, Lifehacker)
Producers see benefits in working together (Donna Ward, Good Fruit & Vegetables)

AUSVEG in the media

AUSVEG National Manager – Science and Extension Dr Jessica Lye appeared in The Weekly Times this week with an edited version of her column discussing the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award. To read the full edition, in which Dr Lye highlights the valuable role that women from all around Australia play in rural industries, businesses and communities, please click here.