AUSVEG announces continuation of partnership with Watermark

AUSVEG is pleased to announce Watermark will continue as an Agribusiness Partner in 2017.

Watermark has a proud history in Intellectual Property (IP). Watermark is Australian-owned and employs over 110 people nationally, including 40 practising IP professionals.

Watermark has offices in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia, and has a global network of Associates in over 50 countries, giving industry and growers access to local support in the United Kingdom, United States, Europe, Asia and the sub-continent.

AUSVEG is looking forward to continuing this relationship, and working with Watermark to help Australian growers and other vegetable industry stakeholders.

For more information on Watermark, please click here, or contact Dr Renee White on (03) 9819 1664 or at r.white@watermark.com.au.

 

Nominations open for 2017 National Awards for Excellence

The 2017 National Awards for Excellence will be presented throughout Hort Connections 2017, and will provide a fantastic opportunity to recognise the outstanding contributors in our industry. Nominations are being sought in the following categories:

  • Grower of the Year – sponsored by Syngenta
  • Young Grower of the Year – sponsored by Dow AgroSciences
  • Industry Impact Award
  • Environmental Award
  • Community Stewardship Award
  • Innovation Partner Award – sponsored by Boomaroo
  • Women in Horticulture Award
  • Researcher of the Year Award

Nominations for the 2017 National Awards for Excellence close on 31 March 2017. Make sure your colleagues are recognised for their hard work and dedication to the industry by nominating them today – to view the selection criteria and to nominate someone for an award, please click here to download the Nomination Brochure.

Everyone who submits a nomination for an award will go in the running to win a Leatherman Surge (RRP $226.00).

If you have not yet registered to attend Hort Connections 2017, AUSVEG encourages you to get in before the early bird rate closes on 28 February. To register as a delegate please visit hortconnections.com.au or sign up online. For more information about Hort Connections 2017, please contact AUSVEG on (03) 9882 0277, email info@hortconnections.com.au or visit the Hort Connections 2017 website for more information.

 

New Nielsen consumer research reports and podcasts available

Nielsen Australia has been commissioned by Horticulture Innovation Australia to provide the Australian vegetable industry with market research reports. These reports are generated from Nielsen Homescan data and provide the vegetable industry with information to help growers 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, Nielsen Australia has produced podcasts discussing the available data on Asian vegetable varieties, beans, pumpkin, capsicum and cucumber. These podcasts highlight key findings from Nielsen’s Homescan data and explain in detail what these findings mean for growers and for the industry. To listen to these podcasts on the AUSVEG website or to read the transcripts of each podcast, please click here.

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

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

 

2016 Potato Grower Success Stories out now!
The 2016 edition of Potato Grower Success Stories has been released alongside the December 2016/January 2017 edition of Potatoes Australia.

The publication highlights the success that six potato growers have achieved by adopting the results of levy-funded research and development on their farms, and outlines how these growers have developed their businesses through the use of levy-funded projects.

Featured growers include Stu Jennings (Victoria) who is using social media to connect young growers to inform them of the latest levy-funded R&D, and Yuri Wolfort (Tasmania), who gained on-farm benefits from learning the latest R&D as a result of the Potato Industry Extension Program (PT11004).

To read the latest issue of Potato Grower Success Stories, please click here.

This communication was funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the National Potato Levies 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.

 

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
Thursday 2 March – Bundaberg (Please note: new date)
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.

 

Expressions of Interest are now open for the melon industry’s Strategic Investment Advisory Panel

Hort Innovation is seeking Expressions of Interest from suitably qualified melon growers and other supply chain stakeholders for the melon industry Strategic Investment Advisory Panel. Vegetable growers who also grow melons are encouraged to apply.

The Strategic Investment Advisory Panel will provide advice to Hort Innovation in relation to industry research and development programs funded by melon industry levies and contributions from the Australian Government.

If you would like to help shape the future of the melon industry, Hort Innovation is keen to hear from you. Find more information and apply online at the melon page on Hort Innovation’s website.

Applications will be assessed, short-listed and a selection panel may then interview shortlisted candidates. The selection panel will recommend the final panel composition to the Hort Innovation Board.

For more information or to request a form sent to you by mail, please contact the Hort Innovation Relationship Manager for the melon industry, Byron de Kock, on 0417 622 773 or Byron.deKock@horticulture.com.au.

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

 

New look Vegetables Australia magazine – out now!

AUSVEG is excited to announce the release of our rebranded Vegetables Australia magazine and Vegenotes liftout. Keep an eye on your mailbox for the latest edition, which features a number of R&D articles, grower profiles, the latest in vegetable industry news and more.

If you would like to receive the Vegetables Australia magazine, or wish to submit any feedback regarding magazine design or story ideas, we would be happy to hear from you! Contact the editorial team on (03) 9882 0277 or email info@ausveg.com.au.

Vegetables Australia and Vegenotes publications are funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the National Vegetable Levy 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.

 

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). Industry members have until Friday 27 January to complete the survey for their chance to win.

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.

 

More time for flood recovery applications – Tasmania

The Tasmanian State Government has announced an extension to the deadline for the Flood Recovery Loan Scheme.

Flood affected small business owners and primary producers in the designated 20 local government impact areas now have until 31 March 2017 to apply for the scheme.

Under the loan scheme, funds can be used for essential working capital or replacement and repair of damaged property and equipment not covered by insurance, as well as associated improvements.

Loans range from $25,000 to $250,000. They are offered for a maximum of seven years and an initial interest and repayment free period of up to two years is available.

Those wishing to apply should first contact the Department of State Growth’s finance managers through Business Tasmania on 1800 440 026. For detailed information and assessment criteria, please download the Scheme Guidelines from here.

 

Still time to voice your opinion on the proposed Basin Plan amendments

There is a month left before submissions on the proposed Basin Plan amendments close and the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is encouraging submissions from the community.

Stakeholders and community members are urged to consider making a submission about the amendments, regardless of whether they have attended an information session or not, to ensure all possible information and recommendations are considered.

Dates and locations of the meetings are available here. To attend an information session or find out more, please email engagement@mdba.gov.au, or call 1800 230 067.

Submissions are open until 10 February 2017, and can be made online, by email or via post.

For more information about the Basin Plan amendments or to make a submission, please click here.

 

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.

 

AUSVEG in the media

AUSVEG National Manager – Communications Shaun Lindhe appeared in print media this week discussing consumer research from Project Harvest. Mr Lindhe noted that 62 per cent of Australians are planning on cooking more Asian cuisine in the next 12 months, and the most popular cooking technique for vegetables is stir-frying.

AUSVEG National Manager – Science and Extension Dr Jessica Lye appeared in print media this week discussing the threat to the industry of mechanical transmission of pests and diseases. Dr Lye emphasised that travellers in primary production regions need to ensure they’re not carrying any unwanted guests which may transport disease.

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.