Competitors in the Great Vegetable Cook-Off at Parliament House on Wednesday. (L-R) Vegetable growers Ed Fagan and Steve Moffatt, AUSVEG Chair Bill Bulmer, Matt Moran, Dan Repacholi MP, Vegetable Grower Angela Candeloro, Speaker the Hon Milton Dick MP, Agriculture Minister the Hon Julie Collins MP and Sam Birrell MP. (Photo Credit: AUSVEG)

The national movement to get Aussies eating more veggies received a major boost last week when AUSVEG joined Parliamentarians, vegetable growers and renowned Australian chef Matt Moran for the Great Vegetable Cook-Off, during the Australian Vegetable Industry Showcase at Parliament House in Canberra.

The event, hosted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives the Honourable Milton Dick MP, was an opportunity for MPs and Senators to meet with the growers who provide the vegetables Australian families depend on, and also featured the launch of the ‘Pledge for More Veg’ as part of the Plus One Serve program.

With Australians on average eating just 1.8 serves of vegetables daily, Plus One Serve is a national, evidence-based program led by AUSVEG and funded by Hort Innovation to help every Australian eat one extra serve of vegetables each day by 2030. It’s a simple act with big benefits in the form of $4.7 billion in triple-bottom-line benefits to national health, the economy, and growers in the national vegetable industry.

During the Great Vegetable Cook-Off, Matt Moran expertly coached a team of politicians and a team of vegetable growers through a cooking challenge to deliver an epicurean delight. The delicious Cook-Off dish, conceived by Matt Moran, was preserved seasonal vegetables, goats curd, Sicilian olive and oregano dressing, which magnificently highlighted the stars of the evening, Australian vegetables.

AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote said, “The Great Vegetable Cook-Off was a light-hearted challenge with a serious message. If we want to ensure Australian families continue to have access to the fresh and nutritious array of Aussie-grown vegetables they currently enjoy year-round, then we need to drive demand and lift consumption.

“Challenging business conditions continue to leave many growers contemplating their future business viability, but encouraging more Australians to eat Aussie-grown veggies is not only good for their health, but also for securing the future of the national vegetable industry, and the broader economy.

“The Australian Vegetable Industry Showcase was a key opportunity to highlight the importance of all Australians eating more vegetables, and to launch the Pledge for More Veg.

“We are grateful to all the growers and parliamentarians who attended, and extend our thanks to Matt Moran, and Speaker the Honourable Milton Dick, for hosting this highly-successful event.”

As part of the Plus One Serve Program, the Pledge for More Veg is a call for all Australians to take action, and commit to doing their part to increase vegetable consumption in Australia.

You can learn more Plus One Serve here, and sign up to the Pledge for More Veg here.

A big thank you to the grower and MP competitors in the Great Vegetable Cook-Off, including Agriculture Minister the Honourable Julie Collins MP, Member for Hunter Dan Repacholi MP, and Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell MP. Sincere thanks are also extended to Matt Moran for leading the Cook-Off, and to the Honourable Milton Dick MP for hosting the event, and comparing the teams’ performances.