Thursday 27 and Friday 28 April will see the return of specialist vegetable industry field days to Victoria, with the Victorian Vegetable Field Days to be held over the two days in Catani, south-east of Melbourne.

AUSVEG Vic has partnered with Stuart Grigg Ag-Hort Consulting and the two Victorian VegNET projects to run the event at Butler Market Gardens’ Catani farm.

The organising committee of Stuart Grigg, Rick Butler, Joy Pedersen, Dale Creed, Danielle Park and Bonnie Dawson have been working together since July 2022, supported by Major Sponsor Elders Limited and industry RDC Hort Innovation, to deliver an event that showcases the entire supply chain to industry.

Syngenta and Corteva Agriscience are platinum sponsors of the event.

Field trials

The field days are an opportunity for growers to see upcoming vegetable genetics across a hectare of display crops.

Ten major seed companies demonstrating their lines are Terranova Seeds, Fairbanks Seeds, HM.Clause, Rijk Zwaan, BASF Vegetable Seeds (Nunhem’s), Enza Zaden, Bayer/Seminis, Lefroy Valley Seeds, South Pacific Seeds and Bejo Australia.

In addition to seed demonstration sites, the field days are also an opportunity to see examples of innovative crop protection and nutrition in action from Platinum Sponsors Syngenta and Corteva, as well as six other trials from Incitec Pivot Fertilisers, Stoller, Nufarm, Bio-Start, Omnia and EE Muir & Sons.

Gold sponsors

In a sign of enthusiasm for the event, VicVID has been well supported by over ten Gold Sponsors, including seed companies Australis Seed Company, Enza Zaden and major seedling supplier to the industry, Boomaroo Nurseries.

There will be further displays of crop protection and nutrition products from Gold sponsors Haifa Australia, Grochem, Sumitomo and ADAMA.

Local machinery agents Vin Rowe, Gendore Tractors & Machinery and Brandt | Agriculture John Deere will have their most exciting machines on display, and AgPick will be showing off their system which promises to make the current piece-rate system easier to utilise and better for both grower and worker.

Attendees will be welcomed onsite by national industry representative body, AUSVEG, who will be ensuring growers follow correct biosecurity procedures, including a digital check-in process.

Butler Market Gardens has been trialling digital check-in platform Onside in the lead-up to the event, which alerts to site visitors, steps them through their biosecurity protocols and alerts them to any risks.

Learning opportunities in the Event Hub

The committee has invited a number of special guests to present from the Events Hub marquee throughout the two days, including international Spinach Superstars Distinguished Professor Jim Correll and Dr Lindsey du Toit, who will preview the International Spinach Conference scheduled for the following Monday.

Levy-funded extension project VegNET will provide an overview of activities available to growers across the state and other R&D investments across the country, including an overview of Gatton’s Smart Farm.

Aerial Solutions will be demonstrating their drone spraying services, which can be utilised over open fields and glasshouses.

The benefits of cover cropping will again be on display, following their successful presentation at 2020’s East Gippsland Vegetable Innovation Days, and a Future Drought Hub & VegNET Gippsland project which has been trialling soil moisture monitoring technology on-site will provide an opportunity for further learning.

Elders Vegetable Industry Networking Event

One of the greatest benefits expected to come from the event will be the fantastic opportunity it provides for growers and other industry members to catch up.

For many it will be the first time to see each other after three long and challenging years.

All are invited to attend the Elders Vegetable Industry Networking Event on the Thursday night, which will be held in the nearby town of Bunyip.

Guests will be entertained by well-known comedian Dave O’Neil and local musician Emily Murdica, places are being snapped up quickly so register now at https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1014946.