New edition of InfoVeg Radio podcast released

A new edition of InfoVeg Radio, the R&D podcast for the vegetable industry, has been released. This edition features interviews with speakers from the 2016 Global Innovations in Horticulture Seminar, including:

  • Dr Richard Visser, Chair and head of Wageningen University Plant Breeding, speaking on breeding climate-resilient plants;
  • Mr Jon Entine, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Food and Agricultural Literacy at the University of California, Davis, speaking on GMO innovation and breeding techniques;
  • Mr Marco Azzaretti, Product Manager of Key Technology’s Advanced Inspection Systems, speaking on the use of digital sorting technology; and
  • Dr Amos Albert, CEO at Bosch Deepfield Robotics, speaking on the development of digital models for entire farms.

To listen to this edition of the podcast, please click here.

InfoVeg Radio is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

 

Australian Organic signs up as co-host for Hort Connections

 

 
Australian Organic, owner of the country’s largest organic certification brand Australian Certified Organic, has joined AUSVEG and PMA Australia-New Zealand (PMA-ANZ) to co-host Hort Connections, which will be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre from 15-17 May 2017.

Australian Organic was a co-host for the 2016 National Horticulture Convention at RACV Royal Pines on the Gold Coast, with Australian organic growers and retailers forming a welcome addition to the Convention’s trade show and networking events.

Hort Connections is set to become the most significant event in the horticulture calendar for 2017, continuing the positive legacy from both the National Horticulture Convention and PMA Fresh Connections. Further details about the event will be released as it takes shape
 

Boomaroo renews Strategic Partnership with AUSVEG

 
AUSVEG is pleased to announce that Boomaroo Nurseries has renewed its strategic partnership with AUSVEG for another year, in a move which will benefit Australian vegetable and potato growers all around the country.

Boomaroo Nurseries is a specialist vegetable seedling producer, supplying around 300 million seedlings to vegetable growers in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia.

AUSVEG is looking forward to working closely with Boomaroo over the year ahead. For more information about Boomaroo Nurseries, please click here.

 

World of Perishables Dubai: Applications closing soon!

Levy-paying growers who are currently exporting are invited to attend and exhibit at the World of Perishables trade show in Dubai. Funded attendance will give growers the chance to participate in the key fresh produce trade show in the Middle East, gain an understanding of the Dubai market and establish new business contacts in the Middle East.
The World of Perishables trade show will be held from 13-15 November 2016, with anticipated travel dates for participants being 11-16 November 2016. Applications are closing soon, and interested growers are encouraged to apply now. To download the application form, please click here. This form can be returned to AUSVEG at export@ausveg.com.au or via fax on 03 9882 6722.

Export and market development activities for the vegetable industry are funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

AUSVEG Economic Confidence Survey – September Quarter 2016

AUSVEG conducts a quarterly economic confidence survey to understand and then communicate the impacts of various economic factors on the business operations of vegetable growers. The survey covering the quarter ending 30 September 2016 is now being conducted.
This survey helps AUSVEG to identify the current business conditions that vegetable growers face and tracks grower sentiment regarding relevant economic factors over time. All responses are anonymous. The survey can be accessed online here.

Economic activities in the vegetable industry for the vegetable industry are funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

Victorian growers: Visit a ‘cutting-veg’ agricultural research facility

Victorian vegetable and potato growers are invited to visit one of Australia’s cutting-edge research facilities, AgriBio, at La Trobe University in Bundoora.
The tour will focus on crop health and soil health research that is being conducted at the state-of-the-art facility. This is a great chance to meet the researchers who are making a positive impact in our industry.
Buses will depart for AgriBio from two locations: Thorpdale (with an additional pick up in Warragul) and Ballarat (with an additional pick up in Werribee). Morning tea and lunch is provided during the day.

WHEN: Friday 14 October
10:30am to 2:00pm (AgriBio tours, lunch and presentations)
Buses will depart growing regions at 7:30am and are expected to return at 5:00pm

BUS PICK UP TIMES FROM EASTERN GROWING REGIONS
7:30am: Thorpdale Post Office, 24-26 Station St
8:20am: Warragul Post Office, 68 Smith St

BUS PICK UP TIMES FROM WESTERN GROWING REGIONS
7:30am: Ballarat Town Hall, 225 Sturt St
9:10am: Werribee South E.E. Muir & Sons, 879 Duncans Rd

To register for this event, please call AUSVEG on 03 9882 0277 or email info@ausveg.com.au. To view the flyer, click here.

Spaces are strictly limited so be sure to register by Friday 7 October.

 

Australian Government announces reduction in backpacker tax rate

The Federal Government has announced that it will reduce the planned tax rate for working holiday makers from the initial proposed rate of 32.5 per cent down to 19 per cent.
The decision comes following an inter-departmental government review into the so-called “backpacker tax”, following widespread concerns that the tax would be a deterrent for holiday makers to work in Australia and would deprive regional communities of a valuable source of income and labour.
AUSVEG contributed to the consultation for the review, conducted by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, in a joint submission with the leading state-based bodies representing vegetable and potato growers and horticulture around Australia. To read the submission, please click here.
AUSVEG also conducted an extensive series of political meetings in Canberra in mid-September to fight for growers against the damaging 32.5 per cent tax rate. AUSVEG discussed the damaging potential of the high tax rate with politicians from across the political spectrum, including:

  • Senator the Hon. Anne Ruston, Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources;
  • the Hon. Michael McCormack MP, Minister for Small Business;
  • the Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon MP, Shadow Minister for Agriculture;
  • Andrew Broad MP, Member for Mallee;
  • Senator Jacqui Lambie, Senator for Tasmania;
  • Senator Janet Rice, Senator for Victoria;
  • the Hon. Luke Hartsuyker MP, Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister, who headed the Australian Government’s review of the working holiday maker visa program.

AUSVEG has welcomed the lower tax rate as a relief for the industry and an opportunity for growers to recover some confidence in their access to this crucial source of labour. However, we are not happy with the announced changes to superannuation, with backpackers now having their superannuation taxed at a rate of 95 per cent when they leave Australia.

AUSVEG will continue to monitor backpacker numbers to see if they falter, and identify if further intervention is required to ensure growers are able to access sufficient labour to ensure their growing operations are not damaged.

For more information on the changes to the tax status of working holiday makers, please click here. Any growers interested in discussing the backpacker tax or any other political issue with AUSVEG can call AUSVEG National Manager – Public Affairs Jordan Brooke-Barnett on 0404 772 308 or e-mail at jordan.brooke-barnett@ausveg.com.au.

 

New soil projects for the potato industry

Two new levy-funded projects are set to explore research in soils to improve disease management and help growers better apply the outcomes of soil health research and available soil health information in their growing operations.
The first project will look into Spongospora-suppressive soils in the production of potatoes. Spongospora subterranea causes Powdery scab disease in potatoes, which has symptoms including raised wartlike growths on tubers that, when dried out, develop into powdery or slightly sunken scabs. Infection also causes small galls to form on potato roots.
Once Spongospora is established in soil, it can survive for many years as thick-walled resting spores. This project is looking to confirm the existence of a soil (or soils) that suppress Spongospora diseases of potato – and, if this succeeds, to identify the mechanisms of this suppression and whether or not they are transferrable to non-suppressive soils.
The second project aims to build on the wealth of soil health information already available to the potato industry – both domestically and internationally – to help develop a plan for future investment in soil health improvement for the Australian potato industry.
It will also package the information that has already been developed so it can be delivered to industry through extension activities and communications materials, allowing potato industry stakeholders to better utilise the information on-farm.
For more information on these projects, keep an eye out for the next edition of Potatoes Australia magazine, or click here to read about them on the Horticulture Innovation Australia website.

These projects are funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the National Potato Levies and funds from the Australian Government.

 

Consultation for Vegetable Strategic Investment Plan

As part of the process for producing a new Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) for the vegetable industry, Hort Innovation has engaged specialist consulting firm Consulting & Implementation Services (CIS). As part of this process they will meet with growers and industry to ensure the SIP accurately reflects how to best spend the R&D levy to maximise the industry’s funding priorities for the next five years.
CIS will be hosting grower workshops in over 30 locations around the country to provide growers with an opportunity to share their views on what they believe are the most important areas for R&D investment.
Details for these workshops will be released soon, and growers are encouraged to attend their local workshop so that they can have their say on where the levy funding should be spent. These workshops will also provide a great opportunity to catch up with colleagues and hear about developments in the vegetable industry.
A survey will also be released soon for growers who are unable to attend these workshops. Please keep an eye out on future editions of the Weekly Update for more information about the workshops and the survey.

 

Potato Strategic Investment Plan Roadshow to begin in mid-October

As part of the process for producing a new Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) for the potato industry, Hort Innovation has engaged specialist strategic planning consultancy McKINNA et al to meet with growers and industry to accurately reflect the industry’s funding priorities for R&D in the next five years.
McKINNA et al will be hosting grower roadshows in each Australian state in mid-to-late October to allow growers to share what they believe are the important areas for R&D investment. These roadshows are a great opportunity for growers to have their say on the priorities for levy investment in the potato industry. There has already been much discussion around industry profitability, business skill development and exporting, as well as the traditional R&D and extension areas.
Further details on these workshops will be released soon.
If growers are unable to make it to a roadshow, McKINNA et al will be interested to hear your views on priority areas for levy investment in the potato industry. Interested growers and industry members can email strategicinsights@mckinna.com.au to have their voices heard.

 

Nielsen data presentations roadshow

 

As part of Hort Innovation’s research project VG15019 Baseline Demographic Research for the Vegetable Industry, also known as Nielsen Homescan data, a series of presentations has been organised with the assistance of the National Vegetable Extension Network.
These presentations will briefly explain the project, its data and the resulting analysis to those unfamiliar with the data, with case studies of how the analysis could be applied to a growing operation, focusing on the commodities grown in the regions in which the presentations are being held. There will also be a brief opportunity for any interested growers to speak with the Nielsen data team one-on-one.
Please see below for details of the presentations:

Location Date/time RSVP contact More information
Stanthorpe/DAF Applethorpe Research Station 4:15pm
Wednesday 5 October		 Clinton McGrath
0428 102 319		 Part of regular growers meeting, with overview of data project using examples of commodities grown in the Granite Belt area: capsicum, broccoli and lettuce.
Toowoomba West Wellcamp Airport 1:00pm
Thursday 6 October		 Clinton McGrath
0428 102 319		 Part of regular growers meeting, with overview of data project using examples of commodities grown in the Darling Downs area: lettuce, carrots, broccoli, onions and corn.
Gatton DAF Research Facility/Lockyer Valley Growers
Opposite UQ Gatton, off Warrego Highway		 4:15pm
Thursday 6 October		 Email – click here Part of regular growers meeting, with overview of data project using examples of commodities grown in Lockyer Valley: lettuce, beans, corn, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.
Leppington Progress Hall, 123 Ingleburn Road, Leppington 10:00am – 12:00 noon
Tuesday 11 October		 Email – click here Note: this is a meeting of Chinese growers, with a translator present.
Wyndham Cache, 243 K Road, Werribee South VIC 3030 3:00pm – 4.30pm
Tuesday 18 October		 Email – click here Gain the business edge workshop
Focus commodities: brassica (broccoli) and lettuce.
The Top Paddock, Maffra Community Sports Club (Upstairs), 122/126 Johnson Street, Maffra 3860
East Gippsland		 2:00pm – 2.45pm
Wednesday 19 October		 Email – click here The Produce Forum

Focus commodities: leafy veg, brassicas, snow peas.

Interested growers can RSVP to the listed contact for each presentation.

All Nielsen Homescan data provided for the Australian vegetable industry is available on the levy-funded InfoVeg database. To view all Nielsen reports from 2016, including the latest reports using data from August 2016, please click here.

Nielsen Homescan data for the vegetable industry and the National Vegetable Extension Network are funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

Review of Rural and Related Skills Committee

The Rural and Related Skills Committee is responsible for overseeing the development of occupational and skills standards on behalf of industry. It is also responsible for overseeing qualifications in the following industry training packages:

This Committee is currently undergoing a review process established by the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC). The AISC proposes that industry is supported by two new Skills Committees:

  • Animal Care and Management Industry Reference Committee (IRC), to have responsibility for the ACM Animal Care and Management Training Package, and
  • Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation and Land Management IRC, to have responsibility for the AHC Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation and Land Management Training Package.

The proposed structure for these two new Skills IRCs is now open for public comment and consultation on the AISC website until close of business Wednesday 5 October 2016.
At this stage, industry stakeholders are only being asked to comment on the proposed structure, to ensure it is representative of the industry and sectors. Once the structure has been agreed, the AISC will call for nominations against the vacant positions.

 

New R&D reports available on InfoVeg

InfoVeg is a comprehensive database that has been designed to bridge the gap between researchers and growers. It acts as a resource for growers to easily access technical information and research funded by the National Vegetable and Potato Levies.

The following reports were published recently on the InfoVeg database:

  • Increasing productivity and extending seasonality in soil grown vegetables using capsicum as a candidate (VG12103)
  • Enhancing best practice in vegetable production and business management in the Northern Territory (VG12113)
  • Identifying and understanding the factors influencing bioactive levels in vegetables (VG14027)

Click here to sign up or log in to your InfoVeg account to access the reports.

InfoVeg is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the National Vegetable Levy, National Potato Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

No difference in insecticide resistance for different colours of Green peach aphids

The Green peach aphid (GPA) is a serious crop damage threat to vegetable growers in Australia, primarily attacking cucurbit, solenacea and brassica crops. GPA feeds by sucking sap from leaves and flower buds, which can limit the growth of young plants; on top of this, the aphids can transmit more than 100 plant viruses, including Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus and Papaya ring spot virus.

As part of a vegetable levy funded project (VG12109) commissioned by Horticulture Innovation Australia, cesar have studied populations of GPA for use in insecticide-resistance experiments. As part of this research, cesar have shown that different colour morphs of GPA (such as light and dark green, yellow, pink, red and black) do not hold different levels of insecticide resistance.

For more information, please click here to read an article published by cesar.

This project is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the National Vegetable Levy, National Potato Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

AUSVEG in the media

AUSVEG Interim CEO Simon Bolles continued to appear in broadcast and print media welcoming the decision by the Federal Government to reduce the tax rate for working holiday makers to a lower rate than the initial proposed rate of 32.5 per cent. Mr Bolles said that while this decision resolves the extended uncertainty over the backpacker tax, it was yet to be seen what impact the revised tax rate could have on the amount of backpackers coming to Australia, and noted that AUSVEG would continue to monitor backpacker numbers.

Following the sale of Oakville Produce, with the Mitolo Group taking control of all South Australian-owned farms and potato packaging businesses in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, AUSVEG National Manager – Public Affairs appeared on radio discussing the implications of the sale for growers.

AUSVEG also made public comment this week on a new initiative to benchmark the Freshcare Food Safety and Quality Standard against the internationally recognised GLOBALG.A.P. standard.

Communication of levy funded R&D activities is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the National Vegetable Levy, National Potato Levy and funds from the Australian Government.