2017 Growing Leaders: applications close on Friday!

Applications for the 2017 Growing Leaders program will close on Friday 13 January. Funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia, Growing Leaders is the only national leadership and development program tailored for the vegetable industry. The program aims to develop skills that can be applied at three main levels: personal, business and national industry.

As part of the 2016 Growing Leaders program, participants developed a collection of initiatives focused on the future sustainability of the Australian vegetable industry, including community engagement and minimising food wastage, to help the industry continue to grow into the future. Participants also took part in three residentials: visiting Melbourne, attending the 2016 National Horticulture Convention on the Gold Coast and completing a series of leadership activities in Canberra.

For more information, or to apply for the 2017 Growing Leaders program, please visit the Rural Training Initiatives website.

Growing Leaders 2017 is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

Save the Date – Vegetable Strategic Investment Plan meetings coming to Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria

Queensland, New South Wales and Victorian vegetable growers are encouraged to save the dates for the next round of consultations for the new Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) for the vegetable industry, which will be held across the states in the coming months. As part of the process, Hort Innovation has engaged specialist consulting firm Consulting & Implementation Services (CIS), which 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, estimated to be worth over $100 million.

The venues and times will be released in due course, but growers should keep the following dates free so that they can meet with CIS, Hort Innovation and AUSVEG to discuss how they think the National Vegetable Levy should be invested in the next five years.

Queensland
Monday 27 February – Ayr
Tuesday 28 February – Bowen
Wednesday 1 March – Bundaberg
Wednesday 15 March – Lockyer

New South Wales
Monday 6 March – Richmond

Victoria
Wednesday 8 March – Werribee
Thursday 9 March – Lindenow

RSVPs can be sent to veg@consultingis.com.au.

Growers and industry members are also encouraged to complete a short online survey to provide feedback on what they think the opportunities are for the vegetable industry in next five years (it only takes about 10 minutes to complete). To complete this survey and have your say on the future of investment in the vegetable industry please click here.

This consultation is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

2017 Gulfood and Foodex Applications now open

Levy-paying vegetable growers who are currently exporting have the opportunity to apply for two exporting trade shows in Japan and the Middle East, Gulfood in Dubai or Foodex trade show in Japan. Funded attendance will give growers the chance to participate in the largest food trade show in the Middle East and Japan respectively, gain an understanding of the Dubai or Japanese markets and establish new business contacts in the Middle East or North-East Asian markets.

The Gulfood trade show will be held from 26 February to 2 March 2017, with anticipated travel dates for participants of 23 February to 3 March 2017. To download the application form for Gulfood, please click here.

The Foodex trade show will be held from 7 March to 10 March 2017, with anticipated travel dates for participants of 5 March to 11 March 2017. To download the application form for Foodex, please click here.

These forms can be returned to AUSVEG at export@ausveg.com.au or via fax on (03) 9882 6722.

Participation in the 2017 Gulfood and Foodex trade shows are funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

AUSVEG Public Affairs – Survey and Year in Review

As the leading national body representing the Australian vegetable and potato industries, AUSVEG advocates for Australian growers on a range of important issues.

In 2016, AUSVEG carried out several core campaigns on vital issues, as well as responding to many other concerns affecting the industry. We have compiled a short summary of the key areas in which AUSVEG campaigned over the past year.

To help inform our advocacy and ensure we accurately represent the industry on key issues in 2017, AUSVEG invites all industry members to take part in a brief survey about the issues that matter to you. Growers who participate in the survey will go in the running to win a Leatherman Surge (RRP $226.00).

Growers can contact AUSVEG at any time to discuss issues affecting the industry. To get in touch, please e-mail info@ausveg.com.au or call AUSVEG National Manager – Public Affairs Jordan Brooke-Barnett on 0404 772 308.

 

NSW Quality Assurance program for potato seed
Crookwell Potato Growers’ Association (CPA) oversees an established, nationally endorsed Quality Assurance (QA) program for potato seed in New South Wales. Initiated 12 years ago, the program became nationally endorsed by the Australian Seed Potato Council in 2014.

The program, originally open to CPA growers only, is now available to anyone who grows certified seed potatoes within New South Wales. It is designed to prepare and manage a crop of certified seed potatoes by diligently adhering to QA protocol involving seed preparation, paddock identification and insect and disease monitoring, through to grading and packing of pure varietal lines of potatoes.

As part of the program, CPA has formatted a weekly crop inspection where growers look for and monitor insect types and populations. Each grower is held responsible for their crops. If an insect infection is identified with the potential to vector disease through the crop or create economic loss, a spray program is instigated.

In addition to the crops being checked on a minimum weekly basis, all crops are leaf sampled and laboratory tested for all potato viruses in accordance with the National Standards. Mandatory Potato cyst nematode testing is also conducted pre-sowing. All crop locations are GPS registered, and all varieties and generations are mapped and measured with a GPS, enabling any issues to be traced.

More information on the program can be found in the latest edition of Potatoes Australia magazine.

This communication was funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the National Potato Levies and funds from the Australian Government.

 

Export Project Reference Committee: Expressions of interest now open

Expressions of interest to participate in Project Reference Committee – Export Development of Australian Vegetables to Japan (VG15074) are now open.

This project is focused on developing vegetable exports to Japan. The project will involve consumer research, competitor analysis and development and implementation of a market development strategy for Australian vegetables in Japan. The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries is the project leader and is working in collaboration with Trade and Investment Queensland (Japan Office), The Agri Business and Western Australia Department of Premier and Cabinet (Japan Office) to deliver this project.

Growers either exporting to Japan or interested in exporting to this market, or individuals with specialist expertise related to exporting horticulture products to Japan, are invited to submit an expression of interest to participate in the reference committee. The key purpose of the reference committee is to provide commercially focused advice and input to the project team to ensure the project is commercially relevant and achieves sustainable trade outcomes. Click here to see the Terms of Reference for the committee.

The committee will meet around six times during the course of the project in various locations around Australia. Committee members’ travel costs will be met by the project. It is anticipated that between 1-2 days will be required to attend each meeting, including travel time. Committee members will also be required to provide professional input and advice to the project leader during the course of the project. The project will commence January 2017 and finish June 2018. This is a great opportunity to take a leading role in the development and implementation of a market development strategy for Australian vegetables to Japan.

If you are interested, please contact Bronwyn Warfield, Queensland DAF on 0418 783 404 or bronwyn.warfield@daf.qld.gov.au for further information on how to apply to become a member of the Reference Committee on this exciting project.

VG15074 Export Development of Australian Vegetables to Japan is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

New Nielsen consumer research available – Brussels sprouts

Nielsen’s Homescan service records the vegetable purchases of 10,000 Australian households, with the data on these purchases then collated into reports which can help the vegetable industry deliver products that best meet consumers’ needs.

A wide range of vegetable commodities are covered by these reports, including Asian vegetable varieties, beans, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, lettuce, pumpkin, sweet corn, sweetpotato and zucchini.

In response to requests made by growers during their recent data roadshow, Hort Innovation have worked with Nielsen Australia to give the industry insight into the market performance of Brussels sprouts through a special Deep Dive report. To view this report on the AUSVEG website, please click here. The results are for the year ending November 2016, including regular analyses and reports.

All Nielsen reports are available for registered users of the InfoVeg database. Please click here to read all reports from 2016.

Nielsen consumer research for the vegetable industry is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

Practicalities for Exporting Vegetables Symposium: Follow up Q&A

Following the 2016 Practicalities for Exporting Vegetables Symposium which was held in conjunction with the National Horticulture Convention, AUSVEG provided an opportunity for all delegates that attended the event to ask any additional export related questions they may be seeking answers to. The questions from delegates have now received responses, and provide Australian vegetable growers with practical information regarding the export process. Please click here to view the results of the Q&A.

The 2016 Practicalities for Exporting Vegetables Symposium was funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

Forthside Demonstration Site: Soil amendments on vegetable crops

Over the past four years, the effect of pyrethrum marc on vegetable crops has been compared with biochar, oaten chaff and conventional fertilisers at a trial site in Tasmania.

Pyrethrum marc can offer benefits as a soil conditioner and also as a source of nutrients for crops. Amendments can provide benefits for one or more years after application. Therefore, soil testing and monitoring combined with a fertiliser program is important for making the most of the economic benefits. Based on the crops grown and yields achieved in this trial, if pyrethrum marc was $60-65/t delivered, it would provide at least similar returns to conventional fertiliser.

Read this fact sheet to learn more about the trial, crops grown, treatments, and results by clicking here.

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.

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

 

Maldison Registration for Fruit Fly – Fyfanon 440 EW (Cheminova)

Hort Innovation would like to advise that the following permits will be surrendered at the end of the summer season (May 2017) as the uses are now registered and covered under a label registration.

Hort Innovation has worked with Cheminova/FMC to obtain a registered label for the use of Maldison for a number of horticulture uses for the control of Fruit Fly.

The above listed permits will be surrended, and will be covered under the label for Maldison (Fyfanon 440 EW), which can be found here.

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

 

New Minor Use permits

Permit ID Description Date Issued Expiry Date Permit Holder States
PER13088 V2 Actives:Spinetoram (Success Neo Insecticide)
Crop: Specified root vegetables, celeriac, leeks, spring onions and shallots
Pest: Western Flower Thrips, Hawk moth & Helicoverpa sp.		 29-Mar-2012 31-Mar-2022 Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited NSW, QLD, WA, NT, TAS, ACT & SA

All efforts have been made to provide the most current, complete and accurate information on permits. However, AUSVEG recommends that you confirm the details of any permits at the APVMA website.

Users are advised that while the pesticide can be applied legally under the APVMA minor use permit, there can be a significant delay until the maximum residue limit (MRL) gazetted by the APVMA is adopted in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

Until this occurs the MRL may not be recognised and a zero tolerance may be imposed for residues of the pesticide resulting from its use according to the APVMA permit.

Please be aware that in the absence of a MRL in the Food Standards Code, the use of the pesticide according to the permit may result in the suspension of the produce in the marketplace. Please check the FSANZ website or the Australian Government ComLaw website to confirm if there are MRLs established by the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

Please consult APVMA documentation before applying any product to your crop. For more information contact the APVMA on (02) 6210 4701.

If an adverse experience occurs as a result of using the permit, please fill out a Non-Performance Reporting Form for Horticultural Pesticides and return to jodie.pedrana@horticulture.com.au. To download a Non-Performance Reporting Form for Horticultural Pesticides, please click here.

This communication has been funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

AUSVEG in the media

AUSVEG National Manager – Communications Shaun Lindhe appeared in print media discussing the most recent Project Harvest report by Colmar Brunton, commissioned by Hort Innovation. Mr Lindhe said that Australians are trying new cooking methods which enhance the natural flavour and texture of the vegetables they consume.

AUSVEG National Manager – Science and Extension Dr Jessica Lye appeared in print media discussing the continued risk of Red imported fire ants. Dr Lye commended the efforts of the Government to eradicate the pest and its dedication to ensuring the pest does not become a national threat.

AUSVEG SA Chairman Danny De Ieso appeared in print media discussing the effects of a worker shortage in South Australia. Mr De Ieso said the horticulture industry was having difficulties attracting local labour, reinforcing the industry’s reliance on international labour in the short term.

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.